262 PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



lighter the lead that can be used having regard to the depth, 

 current, and other circumstances, the better, and pear-shaped 

 leads are preferable to bullets as they disturb the water less 

 and are not so liable to catch in stones and stumps. 



The paternoster is a very useful adjunct to all sorts of punt 

 fishing, in places where pike and perch are pretty numerous. 

 It may not only add to the creel, but, especially in roach or 

 gudgeon fishing, its hoc genus, improve the chances of a good 

 take of fish by ridding the immediate neighbourhood in an 

 effectual manner of any pike or perch that may be roving 

 about. 



MINNOW FISHING WITH THE FLOAT, 



or roving, is simply substituting a live minnow hooked through 

 the upper lip for the worm or other ordinary bait. A hook one 

 size smaller than that recommended for paternostering, say 

 No. 7, is the best size, and with a fine gut line, No. 3 float, and 

 an ordinary bottom rod that is not too limp, the angler will be 

 well equipped for ' roving.' If roving is resorted to in rivers it 

 must be only in eddies and backwaters where there is practically 

 no current, or none to speak of, but it is best adapted for pond 

 or lake fishing, as on Windermere for example, and other, 

 similar stretches of water, though even here I should myself 

 give the preference to the paternoster until convinced by actual 

 failure that it was unsuitable. In striking with this sort of 

 tackle the fisherman should not be in too great a hurry. It 

 is better to wait until the float disappears completely or sails 

 leisurely and steadily away. 



Spinning. — It sometimes happens both in lakes and rivers, 

 that capital sport may be had with perch by using the spinning 

 bait, whether natural or artificial. As regards the latter any 

 of the small artificial baits which are used in spinning for trout 

 may be adopted with success, and I have known a small spoon 

 bait, in size between a sixpence and a shilling, to be exceed- 

 ingly deadly when allowed to sink to the bottom of the water 

 and drawn quickly up again towards the surface. This sort of 



