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, orbottlin, 
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 desire 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 rot 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 ho has used this 
bait for trout, in the vicinity of the White Mountains, New-Humpshire, 
and found it a most killing bait. 
