BAIT-FISHING. 439 



4th. THE LEADER AND TRAIN or HOOKS. This word 

 " leader " goes against my grain. The old familiar 

 English-Irish sound of " casting-line," has a charm for my 

 ear, equalled only by the still silent noise of 



" Ballynahinch or Costello's flowing waters." 



But let leader go for trolling. 



Most trollers use twisted gut for a leader, with a small 

 swivel attached to one end. The other end is fastened to 

 the reel-line, either by loop or knot, but a knot is by far 

 preferable. The leader should be two yards long some 

 good and old hands use three yards. I never use twisted 

 gut. I prefer a leader of good round salmon-gut 



The train of hooks is attached to the eye of the 

 swivel, at the end of the leader. The tram is made of five 

 hooks, and made on the very best and most perfect gut, 

 single. The strand upon which the hooks are tied, is 

 fastened by a knot to another equally strong and perfect 

 strand, which is fastened by a loop to a swivel at the end 

 of the leader. Thus you have the rod, reel, line, leader, 

 and train of hooks. Perhaps a sketch of the train of 

 hooks will be better than an explanation. Here it is : 



This train, it will be seen, is made of five hooks. 

 The lip-hook should be a size or two smaller than the tail- 

 hooks say No. 5 for the tail, No. 6 for the middle, and 

 No. 7 for the lip. These hooks are joined shank to shank, 



