418 MANUAL FOE YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



needle and insert it behind the back fin, bringing it out 

 again at the mouth and drawing the gimp after it, so that 

 the short hook stands with the point rising out of the back, 

 and the others are one on each side the belly ; this bait 

 ought to spin well. Second plan — exactly similar to the 

 mode recommended by Mr. Stoddart of applying three 

 hooks to the parr-tail, only that in England it is used with 

 a whole fish, and the hooks point towards the head. Mr. 

 Stoddart's plan is no doubt the best, and with a tail of 

 the roach, dace, or perch, is admirably adapted to pickerel- 

 fishing. Third plan — in this mode four hooks are used, 

 ■which are separately whipped on to two pieces of gimp, 

 looped at the other ends ; one about three quarters of an 

 inch in length, the other about three times as long. After 

 arming them with the baiting-needle, they are each passed 

 through the fish, the short one at the shoulder, the other 

 near the tail, and both the loops being brought out at the 

 mouth are attached to a hook-swivel, after which the mouth 

 is sewn up and the bait is finished and ready for use, though 

 sometimes, in addition, a leaden weight is sewn up in the 

 mouth to sink the bait. The spring-snap bait is a more 

 complicated machine, and is composed of a case which 

 connects and keeps in place the shanks of the hooks, which, 

 when in the case, resemble the common snap-hook, but 

 which, when drawn out, expand by their own elasticity, 

 and strike the fish in the act of so doing. This is 

 sometimes applied to a live fish, but usually to a dead 

 roach or shiner, or to a small bream. The bait should 

 be about six ounces in weight, for a smaller one will not 

 effectually conceal the hooks. In baiting the hooks, insert 



