416 MANUAL FOE YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



to be fished. This reel should have a simple large barrel 

 without multipliers. Floats may or may not be used, 

 they are by no means required. The reel-line must be 

 strong, and the plaited silk is that form now usually 

 adopted, as it is found to be more free from " kink- 

 ing " than any other. An essential accessory to pickerel- 

 fishing is the swivel, which may be either the box-swivel 

 or the hook-swivel ; the latter differing from the former 

 only in having a small hook at one end. These are attached 

 to lengths of gut, or more usually gimp, forming with their 

 help what are called double or single swivel-traces. 



The single swivel-trace consists of about 12 inches of 

 gut or gimp, with a hook-swivel at one end, and a loop 

 of its own substance at the other, which attaches it to the 

 reel-line by the usual draw bow-knot. The double swivel- 

 trace has, in addition, an extra length of gut or gimp, 

 ending also in a loop, and between the two a box-swivel, 

 by which the tendency to twist in spinning is still further 

 diminished. In both cases the hook-swivel receives the 

 loop of the hook-length of gut or gimp after it is baited ; 

 and in both instances, also, swan-shot or lead, in some form, 

 is required to sink the bait ; and it is attached in greater 

 or less weight, according to circumstances, to the gimp 

 close to the hook-swivel. 



The hooks will be more particularly described under 

 each mode of fishing ; and for their application to the bait 

 a needle, called a baiting-needle, is required. 



A landing-net or hook will be required, as pickerel are 

 sometimes of such a size as to demand their assistance. 

 The former is merely a circle of iron, either plain or 



