SUCKER FISHING 25 



Presently my companion returned, and we began 

 hunting for worms. These we found — it being 

 early spring — near the water, under stones ; and 

 presently coming upon a good fat one, I thrust 

 the needle into it as indicated in the diagram (Fig. 

 I 5). We had now an ideal bait ; and as I dropped 



Fig. 15. — Needle, baited with Worm. 



it into the hole where the suckers lay, I knew it 

 would soon be taken. This proved to be a correct 

 impression ; but as the worm and needle must be 

 swallowed, some half-minute was allowed before I 

 proceeded to strike and draw up. The strike must 

 be sharp, to draw the />om( of the needle through 

 the worm's side and catch it on the side of the 

 fish's throat ; and if it acts successfully, the needle 

 tears out from the bait and fixes crosswise, so that 

 it cannot be dislodged, and the fish is then 340ur 

 meat. It was so in the case I am describing. 

 We took all we wanted from the pool, and had a 

 fine "broil" of firm, delicious brook-sucker. "How 

 did we broil them without utensils ? " you ask. 

 Well, that did not puzzle us. We whittled out 

 two thin pine boards, — it was a sawmill where 

 we encamped, — and stuck them at an angle over 



