BAIT-FISHING. 485 
the trout rush at his bait, but is warned by the sense of 
touch, rather than by his eyes, that the trout is at it. 
At this moment the angler slackens his line gently for a 
couple of seconds, and then strikes with his wrist, using 
only a slight jerk. The trout is now either hooked or 
alarmed, but generally the former is the case, unless he is 
a very shy, wary old fox; in which case he is not likely to 
be again tempted on that day. If, however, the trout is 
seen approaching the minnow, the angler ought to en- 
deavor, as far as his nerves will allow him, to continue the 
precise kind of motion which attracted the fish, until he 
not only sees him at the bait, but feels his pull, when he 
should proceed exactly as if all was out of sight. This, 
however, is a difficult task, and few young fishermen have 
sufficient command over themselves to avoid the mistake 
to which their attention is here directed. very one who 
has hooked fish of any size with fine tackle, must be-aware 
how difficult it is, when commencing trout-fishing, to carry 
out in pactice the theory which he has been endeavoring to 
realize for some time past; and each, in his turn, must 
have been made painfully conscious of the danger not only 
of striking too soon and too hard, but of attempting to 
land a large fish with fine gut before he is tired. 
TROLLING FOR LAKE TROUT. 
The following instructions on fishing for the great lake 
trout were furnished for my work on Fish and Fishing, by 
an old and experienced angler, of high repute for science 
and skill, and much accustomed to the lakes. They are 
