SPINNING AND BAIT FISHING. 395 



does, the ' lead link ' should break at a considerably less strain 

 than the main line, thus preventing the latter being lost. 



In baiting the tackle the lob-worm should be put on the 

 hooks qjnte straight : the upper hook near the ' knot ' in the 

 worm — about three-quarters of an inch, that is, below the head ; 

 and the bottom hook one and a half inch lower down — the 

 distance, in fact, between the upper and lower hooks. 



The stroke, which ought not to be too hard for fear of break- 

 ing the hooks, should follow immediately on a bite, or more 

 often on a suspicious stoppage of the bait in its passage over 

 the bottom. 



Although the stroke need be but a light one, it is very im- 

 portant that it should not be omitted, as it would appear from 

 the number of fish I have hooked on the outside of the nose 

 and mouth, and occasionally on the pectoral fin, that the salmon 

 is frequently in the habit of pushing the bait about with his 

 nose or smelling it without (or before) actually taking. This, 

 of course, produces a stoppage in the line, and, in fact, all the 

 effect, so far as sensation goes, of a bite, and a ' gentel stroak,' 

 as Nobbes calls it, will hasten his decision in a direction favour- 

 able to the basket. 



For this business a much lighter rod is required than for 

 worm fishing with the bunch of lob-worms in the old fashion. 

 With a heavy clumsy rod the delicacy of touch necessary in 

 feeling the nature of the bite cannot be obtained ; the rod 

 which I use for the purpose is the same referred to in Vol. II. 

 as a light spinning rod for jack, the butt and top being of 

 solid wood and the middle joints of bamboo. The length of 

 the rod should not exceed fourteen feet. It is, in fact, just 

 such a rod as most fishermen would think perfection for pater- 

 nostering or minnow spinning for ordinary lake trout (not 

 ferox). 



With such a weapon, however, specially made for myself to 

 stand hard work, I have landed some hundreds of salmon and 

 bull trout, and lost hundreds more (for with these fine hooks 

 there are always more losses than kills), but it is still in good 



