40 BAITS. 



Salmon Roe. Barker, author of a work on angling, was 

 the first to discover this most tempting bait. In a letter to a 

 " noble lord," he says: " I have an experience of late which 

 you may angle with, and take great store of this kind of fish. 

 First, it is the best bait that I have seen in all my time ; and 

 will take great store, and not fail, if they be there. Secondly, 

 it is a special bait for dace, or dare, good for chub, or bottlin, 

 or grayling. The bait is the roe of a salmon or trout ;* if it 

 be a large trout, that the spawns be any thing great, you 

 must angle for the trout with this as you angle with the 

 brandling, taking a pair of scissors, and cut as much as a large 

 hazel nut, and bait your hook, so fall to your sport; there is 

 no doubt of pleasure. If I had known it but twenty years 

 ago, I would have gained a hundred pounds only with that 

 bait. I am bound in duty to divulge it to your honor, and 

 not carry it to my grave with me. I do deBire that men of 

 quality should have it that delight in that pleasure. The 

 greedy Angler will murmur at me, but for that I care not." 



Blaine gives the following most approved method of pre- 

 serving this spawn. 



" A pound of spawn is immersed in water, as hot as the 

 hands can bear it, and is then picked from membranous films, 

 &c. It is now to be rinsed with cold water, and hung up to 

 drain for 24 hours ; after which, put to it two ounces of rock 

 or bay salt, and a quarter of an ounce of salt-petre, and again 

 hang it up for 24 hours more. Now spread it on a dish, and 

 gently dry it before the fire or in the sun, and when it be- 

 comes stiff, pot it down. We should, however, recommend 

 that the potting be not in one mass, but that it be divided in 

 small pots, pouring over each some melted suet, by which* 

 method a part can be opened when wanted, instead of dis 



* A late writer in the " Spirit of the Times," says he has used the 

 beit for trout, in the vicinity of the White Mountains, New-Hampshire, 

 and found it a most killing bait. 



