LOCH -FISHING. 177 



TROLLING FOR PIKE 



The common way of rod-fishing for pike in the High- 

 lands is with a running-bait a par, or small trout, and 

 plenty of hooks, tied back to back on gimp, stuck all 

 round it ; also a couple of large swivels, and the line a 

 little loaded with lead. They always take best mornings 

 and evenings, except on very windy days; so, if the 

 angler is inclined to try a cast for pike, after having 

 filled his creel with trout, he may begin about six o'clock. 



THE GORGE-TROLL 



Trolling with the gorge is often very deadly in weedy 

 lochs, especially small openings that cannot be fished with 

 the running-bait. I have seldom, however, seen it used 

 in Scotland, except in a very clumsy way a large double 

 hook, armed upon wire, with the bait inverted, and no 

 attempt to make it spin ; unless pike are in a very hungry 

 mood, this is not very enticing. The proper gorge- hook 

 is a small double one, commonly used for eels, with very 

 sharp barbs, slightly turned inwards; the shank loaded 

 with lead, in order to make the bait sink quickly, and 

 enable you to make far casts with precision. This hook 

 is fastened by a small brass ring to about a foot of gimp : 

 (you require a baiting-needle :) after cutting off the tail 

 and all the fins but one of the top side ones, hook on the 

 loop of the gimp to the needle, and insert it at the mouth 



M 



