SALMON -ANGLING. 77 



country joiner, although without joins, which cast even 

 the fly nearly as well as my best salmon-rod ; but the 

 point being stiff, it was better adapted for par or minnow. 

 By unwinding the length of line you wish to throw from 

 the reel, and then pulling it through the large rings, until 

 only a few yards hang down with the appended bait, you 

 can jerk it out something after the manner of an English 

 troller, with this difference, that the cast is made over 

 the right or left shoulder. Some prefer a supple top, 

 which entices the fish from its lively spinning, but is more 

 apt to miss them. After all, it is but a sorry shift for the 

 beautiful smooth underhanded casts of the Thames anglers. 

 Even a moderate performer with a London trolling-rod, 

 would excel the most skilful Highland par or minnow- 

 fisher. There is also this great advantage on the side of 

 the southern rod, that it injures the bait far less. But 

 indeed the English manner of baiting, and whole arrange- 

 ment of trolling-tackle, is very far superior to ours. I 

 have fished with Thames trollers who were so particular 

 as to bait differently with a bleak from a gudgeon.* A 

 bleak is best on a dark windy day, from being showy a 

 gudgeon on a calm bright day, as its dark colour conceals 

 and confounds the hooks. By the same rule, a loach is 



* A bleak, with three rows of three hooks, tied back to back, and 

 a single hook the reverse way, to separate the lowest row from the one 

 above : and one top hook through the lips of the bait. A gudgeon, two 

 rows of three hooks, one of two, and a single hook for the lips. It is of 

 no use to describe the process of baiting, as every man must take a prac- 

 tical lesson from a good troller, before he can make any hand of it. 



