Chapt. v. More spooney. 47- 



There is something very slippery about a flying spoon ; 

 you cannot catch hold of it without coming well on to the 

 hook, and I think that you lose less runs at a spoon than 

 at any other bait. A fish cannot lay hold of it anywhere 

 without slipping off it straight on to the hooks. 



The spoon is also as clean fishing as the fly. As soon 

 as you have killed a fish and removed it from the hook, 

 your lure is ready again. 



Moreover you may not always be able to procure bait; 

 at any rate not immediately on your arrival at your fish- 

 ing quarters, and the first evening's or morning's sport 

 may be lost if you are not prepared with a spoon or ah 

 artificial fish. 



I have used a phantom minnow too, and other arti- 

 ficial minnows with advantage, and any salmon minnow 

 will kill, but it should be specially dressed for this coun- 

 try, as will be seen in the chapter on tackle, or it will be 

 quickly demoralized. There are fishermen also who have 

 used an artificial dace or roach, such as are made at 

 home for pike fishing, and had good sport with them. But 

 they are not fitted for all waters, only for the larger 

 rivers containing much heavier fish than do the smaller 

 ones. 



Of all bait however the one that I consider the most 

 killing, when available, is a dead fish on light spinning 

 tackle. Any small fish from three to six inches in length 

 will do, but if I am picking out of many in a bait-can 

 I select and use first those that are exactly four inches 

 long, tail included. I prefer this length both because it 



