8PINKING WITH THE MINNOW. 95 



water by means of the sinker and a float, which may be one 

 large cork, or a series of smaller corks, varnished green, 

 and strung on to the line an inch or two apart. The ad- 

 vantages claimed for these are, that they permit the bait 

 to rove about more freely than a larger one, and are not so 

 Kable to get entangled amongst the weeds ; but the greater 

 advantage is the convenience they offer for fishing a long 

 way from the bank, as they act somewhat in the manner 

 of a tumbler float. The bait are best kept alive in a bait- 

 can, described in Chapter IV., and should be taken out by 

 a small hoop-net. 



In striking the fish, either in spinning or with snap- 

 tackle, considerable force is necessary, and the stroke should 

 be repeated until the plunge of the fish shows that it has 

 taken effect. In the next chapter, on spinning with the 

 minnow, I have embodied some general hints on the sub- 

 ject. Huxing and trimmers are unworthy of the name of 

 sport, however useful they may be for the purpose of cap- 

 turing fish, 



CHAPTER XII. 



FISHING IN MID-WATEK. 



Spinning with the Minnow. 



This is one of the most attractive branches of the angler's 

 art, and to me possesses peculiar attractions, for I have 

 succeeded in capturing nearly every kind of fish with the 

 minnow in nearly every part of England and Ireland, and 

 have not found it ineffective on trying it once or twice in 



