LIVE-BAITING. 



169 



higher ; the hooks are equal in size, No. 10, and one of them is put 

 through the base of dorsal fin, thus : — 



' The end of trace goes through a pipe lead of i oz. weight 

 and is secured to a small spring . swivel on which is attached 

 the baited snap ; a pear-shaped float, 

 sufficiently buoyant to carry the bait 

 and lead, is placed on the line at a 

 height in accordance with the depth 

 of water to be fished. The bait is then 

 gently cast some dozen yards or more 

 to a likely place and allowed to swim 

 about ; line can be paid off the reel, 

 or the bait coaxed into fishy-looking 

 eddies and quiet corners, and when a 

 pike seizes the bait the float disap- 

 pears ; slack line must then be quickly 

 reeled up, the fish struck at once, 

 played, and if possible landed. The 

 advantages of snap-fishing ' are mani- 

 fold, you seldom miss hooking your 

 prey, and if of fair size they give capital 

 sport, fighting against restraint only, 

 the bait not being swallowed ; after 

 unhooking a small pike, it may be re- 

 turned to the water uninjured. The 

 largest are usually taken snap fishing, 

 and among a host of fine ones I have 

 caught by this method, were 12 pike 

 over 20 lbs. each, one of 30 lbs., one 

 of 36 lbs., and one of 37 lbs. 



' Ledgering for pike is a method 

 seldom attempted, but under certain 

 conditions of water and weather usually 

 successful. The tackle consists of a 

 bullet of i^ oz. with a hole drilled 

 through' it, the trace passed through 

 and attached to the reel line. A good- 

 sized shot is pinched on to the trace ""• JAedine's pateenostee- 

 2^ or 3 ft. above the bait, to prevent 



the bullet slipping too low down, and a single hook may be used 

 placed through both lips of the dace or, if preferred, a " snap." 



