434 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 
throughout, the casting-line itself makes a very prominent 
ripple, and by the overdoing of the attempt serves to scare 
away the fish. The line should always be well shotted, as 
the minnow will otherwise rise too near the surface, and 
no float will be required, inasmuch as the bait is always at 
the end of a “taut” line. Mr. Stoddart also recommends 
the adoption of a plain hook, baited with a minnow as 
when using a worm, running it in at the tail and bringing 
it out at the mouth; after which he hitches the gut over 
the tail to suit the bait in its proper position. With this 
he fishes as with a worm in low and clear states of the 
water; but as I have never seen this bait used, I cannot 
speak as to its efficiency. It is exactly the reverse of Izaak 
Walton’s mode of entering the hook, and, according to 
Mr. Stoddart’s practice and theory, is much to be pre- 
ferred to it. Colonel Hawker’s mode of baiting the hook, 
with the addition of side hooks, is used in the same way 
as ordinary spinning-tackle, and the minnow baited as he 
recommends will be found tolerably serviceable. It is 
merely the addition of the side hooks to Izaak Walton’s 
method of applying the hook, which has the objection of 
offering the wrong end to the trout, having the barb at 
the tail instead of the head. It is, therefore, no wonder 
that trout so often are missed when rushing at it, since 
they almost invariably endeavor to seize the head. This 
is the- case with most predacious animals, which are 
instinctively made aware that this part is the most vital 
organ, and they almost always begin by eating the brain 
where such an organ exists. When fishing with the min- 
now well leaded and in deep water, the angler seldom sees 
