I03 ANGLING 



swivel to tlie trace and floats, and the bait left to rove 

 about at will, and cast not only on a piece of wire 

 through, its centre, but be hung on a second piece of 

 wire, and looped at each end, to which a swivel must 

 be attached for the purpose of avoiding the twisting of 

 the line and the consequent "kinks." This form of 

 sinker is found to be better than those which are 

 threaded on to the trace. The weight of the lead is 

 adjusted to the weight of the bait it is required to 

 sink. The bait used are gudgeons, dace, and roach. 



The fact is, when the pike are very hungry, they 

 will run at almost anything ; but a good roach vri.ll 

 often tempt them when they are not hungry, and seem 

 disposed to run at nothing. This is the true test ; and, 

 in our humble opinion, the roach will bear it better 

 than any other kind of bait which has ever been 

 recommended. 



A two-ounce roach will carry the float for an hour or 

 two, if not injured in the back, and seldom fails 

 to prove an irresistible temptation to the predatory 

 pike. 



Artificial baits for spinning and trolling are very 

 numerous. Glass gudgeons, spoon baits, and other 

 " fancy " articles, all have their day, and are frequently 

 useful in wintry weather, when real bait is difiicult to 

 be obtained. We have made spoon baits from veritable 

 spoons, but they are not worth the trouble. The 

 Archimedean baits are useful on an emergency in the 

 winter months, but the best artificial bait is the imitation 

 gudgeon or dace made of guttapercha. A handy youth 

 could easily model one of these, care being taken to give 

 the tail the necessary spinning curve, and to preserve a 

 strong length of ginip throughout its body, to which the 

 necessary triangles may be fastened. It is better to run 

 the gimp through the bait than fasten it outside. The 

 pectoral fins may be formed of bone or metal, and should 

 be so arranged as to assist the spinnmg of the bait. The 

 bait should be finished with silver or platina leaf, and 

 varnished. When the sun peeps out in the wintry 

 months this bait will be invaluable, 



