Part II

on the ground, so as to allow the Jack, after taking the bait, to run without hindrance to the hole or haunt where he feeds. Thus much for the wooden winches, which, however I may dislike them for spinning, I still think decidedly the best for live-baiting. I prefer rather a fine line for this style of fishing, unless in a water where the Pike run very large*, as a stout line, after soaking a short time, is sure to sink and get entangled w^ith the bait, while the fine line will float for a considerable time (especially if it be rubbed once or twice in the course of the season with strong palm oil), besides having the advantage of cutting through the weeds when a Jack takes a fancy to run into a bed of them for the purpose of pouching the bait. The line should be from fifty to eighty yards in length, for although many say that they do not see the use of having so long a line, yet when a Jack-line is in constant use and is well soaked in the water, with now and then the strain of a twelve or fifteen pound Pike on it, you will find it necessary to break off a yard or two occasionally from the working end to keep it THE LINE AND FLOAT. 37 in good order, although the line may be well dried before putting away. A fisherman who, from a false notion of economy, merely sports his thirty yards or so of line, and breaks off now and then a yard or two when the end has got tender from constant wear, or has it broken off for him by a good fish, finds that he has hardly enough left to afford a Pike a fair run, especially in a wide stream. Then to make his remaining line serviceable he splices a piece on, and the first time he runs a heavy fish, the chances are ten to one that the splice will somehow or other knot up or catch in the rings, and before it is clear again, he makes the discovery that the float has come up, and the fish, as soon as he felt the check, has left the bait, most likely bitten in half, or so crushed as to be useless. Therefore, always have a line long enough at first, of the best plaited silk, and prepared with waterproof dressing. Proceeding in the order in which the tackle would be put together, we come to the Live- bait Float. I prefer one of this shape, with a 38 FLOAT AND TRACE. hole entirely through it. Having run your line through it, push in a small plug, and only allow about a quarter of an inch (or even less) to appear above the float. By this contrivance the float is made considerably shorter than the old-fashioned ones, which is of some consequence in livebaiting; because when a Jack has taken the bait and turns among weeds to pouch it, a long float often gets entangled therein, and checks or alarms the Jack, when he drops the bait instead of pouching it. A float sufficiently large to ^ carry a lead of the size given I on the annexed trace, and a bait of about six inches in length, will be found, generally speaking, the most useful. If fishing weedy water, it will be found a good plan to fix on the running-line, above the float, two or three small round cork balls about half an inch in diameter : these are termed '* pilot-floats," and are very useful for keeping the line from sinking in the weeds : they should be fixed two or three feet apart. The next thing required is the Trace, which is fastened to the line with a knot like the one LIVE-BAIT HOOKS. 39 for spinning, and of moderate-sized yellow gimp, having two swivels ; one in the middle, below which comes the dip-lead, which is kept in its position by means of a large shot ; and another swivel, which should be a hook one, at the lower end. The hooks used in live-bait fishing are of two sorts, single and double. The single hook, which should be about this size, may be used either by hooking the bait through the side of the lips, or by passing it under the back fin, and bringing it out on the other side, being careful, however, not to insert it too deep, so as to injure the bone, for if it does the bait cannot swim strong, and will soon die. The double hook, which I consider the best of the two, should be used in proportion to ithe size of the bait; the pointed half should be / slightly bent up from the shank, so that when baited the points may stand out a little from the bait fish. To use this hook, take a baiting needle, and placing the loop of the gimp on the hook at the end of the needle, enter the point of it under the skin of the bait on the shoulder, and just behind the gills, guiding it carefully along, and bringing it out near the back at the end of the back fin, draw the gimp, from 40 LIVE.BAIT HOOKS. which you now take the needle, till the bend of the double hook is brought to the place where the needle entered, when the bait will appear as -- in the sketch (see next page). The loop is then fastened on the hook-swivel at the end of the trace, and the bait is ready for use. Observe that the gimp and shank of the hooks lay under the skin only of the bait ; be careful, therefore, in passing the baiting-needle beneath the skin to do it cautiously, so as not to wound the flesh, or remove the scales un- necessarily ; the bait then appears to feel very little inconvenience from the operation, and will swim nearly as strong in the water with the hooks as without. In fishing weedy places, always clear the hooks from any small weeds that may catch to them when you draw it out of the water, for although the Pike is a voracious feeder, still he will often refuse the bait if there is the slightest particle of weed hanging to it. The Paternoster is used properly without a float, although some prefer it with ; in length it is about a yard and a half, of yellow gimp, with a Paternoster lead at the bottom fastened by a loop. On it are looped three hooks, size about No. I , the bottom one six or seven inches above the lead, the next about a foot above the bottom hook, and the next a foot above that. A sketch is given at page 42. To use the Paternoster, fasten the loop to the running line as usual, no trace being required; the baits, LIVE-BAIT HOOK BAITED. Double-hook and Baiting-needle. Live-bait ready for use. 42 PA TERNOSTER. either gudgeons or dace, are hooked through the side of the lips. Commence by dropping in near the side, or if there is one place more likely than another by all means try it first. Let the Paternoster sink till the lead touches the bottom, keeping the line rather tight to it. After a few minutes, if you have no success, work it towards you by raising the point of the rod and drawing in a yard or so of line slowly, still touch- ing the bottom with the lead. When you have a run, slacken your line, and give him a minute or two before _z^ striking, which you should do rather sharply, then play and land him secimdimi artem. This is a first-rate tackle for try- ing holes among weeds, when the live-bait with float would inevitably get entangled, as the hooks on the Paternoster allow the baits only about six inches play round the line, while the lead on the bottom keeps them from running into the weeds. When made as described, with the three hooks, the Paternoster is usually baited with small gudgeons, -^ or other fish of three or four inches in length ; but with ordinary Pike baits, such as Thames or Colne dace. i ; BAITS AND KETTLE, 43 two of the hooks are removed, and one only is used ; the gimp of this hook is then about a foot in length ; whilst when three hooks are used, they should be on gimp of only five or six inches long, or they will become entangled with each other. The best baits for live-bait fishing are dace or very small chub ; some prefer a lively roach, but the baits that live the longest, and are therefore the best for a long journey, are Thames gudgeons, as they are a strong hardy fish, and will bear more rough usage than any other bait. If you are alone, a dozen or a dozen and a half will generally be sufficient they should average about five inches and a half in length. The last article required is the kettle for carrying the live-baits. This should be a full-sized one, made either of zinc or tin japanned, brown outside and white inside. The former metal I think wears the longest, but in the japanned tin kettle you see the baits better, and can therefore select one sooner than you can from the other. If going a long distance, change the water as often as convenient, and when at the river-side it will be better, when not in use, to keep the kettle in the water out of the sun, (tying one end of a cord to the handle and the other end to a peg, which you can stick in the ground,) and let it remain till you move or require a fresh bait. 44 BAITS AND KETTLE. The ** improved " bait-can is shown in the sketch, and is thus described in the Fishing Gazette of 28th Sept., 1877: *' This attracted our attention at the Piscatorial Exhibition as being of practical aspect. The arrangement simply consists of a fish-holder made of perforated zinc, which fits accurately into an oval water-can, as shown in the above figure. It will at once be seen how readily the live-bait placed in the inner vessel can -- be drained from stale water placed safely in ; BANK-RUNNER, TRIMMER, ETC. 45 -- a running stream if opportunity presents or be replaced in the outer can after a change of water." CHAPTER VI. THE BANK RUNNER, TRIMMER, ETC. Some anglers, while fishing for Jack with a rod and line, lay in a bank-runner ; this is stuck firmly in the bank, the upright being sharpened to a point for the purpose, the reel on the top having on it twenty yards or so of strong water-cord ; on it is placed a live-bait float, or bung large enough to carry the bullet which keeps the bait down, and which is fixed between two shots a foot from the end of the line, to which is fastened a strong hook swivel this is now ready to receive the baited hook, which may either be a single hook inserted through the lips of the bait, or a double hook threadled under the skin, as mentioned before. The bank-runner, without the float and baited with a dead fish or a large lob-worm, is much used for taking Eels. Many large Pike are taken in ponds by using a trimmer, but this is an unsportsman- like way of fishing, and is only mentioned now because it is sometimes used. The trimmer 46 THE TRIMMER. is a round flat piece of cork, four or five inches in diameter and about an inch thick; round the edge is cut a groove, sufficiently deep to hold the cord-line, which is about five yards in length at most ; through the centre of the flat side is fixed a peg, with a notch in it for the line to hang in ; one side of the cork is painted red and the other side white ; the line is fitted with bullet and swivel, the same as the bank-runner, the trimmer itself acting as float ; the hook is baited the same as in live- bait fishing. When the trimmer is started in the water, the white side, from which the notched peg should project about four inches, floats uppermost ; the line is then placed in the notch, allowing the bait to hang about four or five feet below the trimmer, but this should be regulated according to the general depth of the water. When a Jack seizes the bait, he pulls the trimmer over, and it then floats red side up, showing that there is a fish on. The trimmer may now be got out, either with the assistance of a boat or by throwing a drag over it, if the distance is not too great. In some parts of the country a large bladder is used as a trimmer, the line being tied securely to the neck, and a full-sized dace or roach being used for the bait ; the line in this case should not exceed two yards. Ducks and geese are sometimes used instead of the bladder, for the same purpose, the line -- LIVE-BAIT FISHING. 47 being tied round the body, and strong hooks and a large bait used. All these ways^ however, are unworthy of the true angler, who exercises his skill and art more for amusement than profit, and should only use the rod and line. CHAPTER VII. WHEN, AND HOW, TO FISH W^ITH LIVE-BAIT FOR -- PIKE STRIKING AND LANDING THE FISH PIKE-GAG. The best time for live-bait fishing is when the heavy weeds are rotten, and are, together with rushes and sedges, daily wasting, and being washed away by floods, etc., which generally commence about November. From October till March, Pike will take a live-bait more freely than at any other time of the year. Fix the float at a proper distance from the live-bait, which as a general rule should not be less than three feet, but is sometimes required considerably deeper ; for, to fish a hole of ten feet in depth, and tolerably clear of weeds at bottom, I should certainly not fish less than seven feet deep ; that is, I should have the float that distance from the live-bait. Commence by casting in your bait gently 48 WORKING THE LIVE-BAIT. near the shore first, always standing as far from the water as possible without losing sight of the float ; if after a short time you do not have a run, advance a little nearer, and make another cast further in the water, and to the right or left. Try all the bays, bends, and still parts of the river in succession, and ponds, pools, etc. ; also near, or in the open places, among beds of candock weeds, sedges, rushes, and in retired corners. Eddies at the sides of weirs are good places for large nsh ; and here, besides Pike, you have the chance of catching large Perch, which will readily take the live-bait. I have often taken them in such places of two pounds weight when live-baiting for Pike, and sometimes as high as three pounds and a half. If the bait be lively, it will swim strongly about ; if there should be a bed of weeds near, will generally make for it ; and if left to itself, will there get entangled, which must be prevented by drawing it gently away ; but not out of the water. When the live- bait becomes weak, which you will soon discover by the float not working much, draw it gently to and fro, (if it be hooked through the lips only,) which will often induce a Jack to seize it, fearing it is making its escape ; though while the bait remains quiet, the Jack is seldom in a hurry about it, which proves the advantage of strong and lively baits over those that are weak and languid. TIME TO ALLOW FOR POUCHING. 49 When you take your bait out of the water to cast it in another place, be careful to draw it slowly and gradually to the surface for that purpose ; for I have often found Pike and Jack, when not much on the feed, strike at the bait when it seemed to be escaping from them. Those who take out their line without attending to this rule, will often find Jack strike at the bait whe n it is being drawn out ; and in their eagerness to seize it, sometimes throw themselves out of the water after it. I had this occur to me some time since whilst fishing in the Lea at Broxbourne. I had drawn my bait slowly to the surface, and it was entirely out of the water, when a small Pike, of about six pounds weight, sprang completely out of the water after it, but unfortunately missed it, although I instantly dropped the bait to him. When a Pike seizes the live-bait, or, in other words, when you have a run, it is generally with violence, and the float is instantly drawn under water ; watch the float as long as possible, and keep your winch and line clear, holding a yard or two of slack line in your left hand, so that nothing may stop or check the Jack when he has seized the bait and is making for his haunt to pouch it. If he runs rapidly, draw the line quickly from the winch with the left hand, so that he may not be impeded. When he has reached his haunt and lays still, allow him, in general, ten minutes to pouch ; or if he is quiet, you may 4 so TIME TO ALLOW FOR POUCHING. give him a minute or two longer, for you must remember that when a Jack has gorged the baited hook, he cannot possibly get it out again ; but if you strike before he has done so, you risk pulling the bait from his mouth with- out the hook touching him ; therefore, the only chance of losing Jack after they have taken the live-bait, is in not giving them time enough to pouch it, supposing them to be inclined to pouch; (as a general rule, when a Jack has pouched, the line slackens slightly). But if, when you have a run, the Jack or Pike moves some distance, and stops a minute or two, then moves off again, stops a few moments as before, and then a third time changes his quarters, you may expect that he will not pouch, but that he is either more on the play than on the feed ; or, if it is a small fish with which you have a run, that there are larger Pike about the spot that prevent the one which has taken your bait from stopping, either for fear of the stronger one taking his prey from him, or, as is sometimes the case, the larger one seizing him. When you have reason to suppose that a Jack is more for playing with the bait than feeding, and he has moved a third time, then wind up the line and strike smartly the contrary way to which the Jack is running, and you will probably hook him, in or about the mouth. But when you have a run, and the Jack or Pike after having taken the bait, and TIME TO ALLOW FOR POUCHING. 51 moved a certain distance, remains still for three or four minutes, then shakes or tugs the line and moves off rapidly, wind up the loose line and strike, but not with too much force, for you will find if a Jack has laid quiet for three or four minutes and then gets restless, that he has, generally, pouched the bait (which Jack will sometimes do directly they take it), and begins to feel the hooks. I have sometimes found on landing a Jack that he had got the hook completely down, but that the bait, which he had blown out again, was swimming a foot or more up the line ; and with the same bait, which in a few instances has only had two or three teeth-marks on it, I have taken another Jack directly. The voracity of the Pike is well known to be enormous. I know of two or three in- stances of Pike being choked through trying to swallow one slightly smaller than themselves. There is a case mentioned of a large Pike in a lake seizing a swan by the head while it was, according to custom, groping among the weeds. He got the head down, but the body was too large even for his capacious jaws. The carcases were found a few days afterwards on the shore : the Pike being unable to disgorge, was choked. To these torments of the finny tribe nothing comes amiss, from a duck to a leaden plummet. One was taken in the Lea some time since, while the angler was plumbing the depth in a Roach-swim : the Jack, ; 52 LANDmC, ETC. weighing nearly two pounds, took the plummet and was safely landed, owing to the hook, which was rather a large roach-hook on fine gut, projecting from the side of the plummet. On hooking your fish, act as directed in Chapter IV. Do not strain on him too hard keep him as much as possible from running into beds of weeds and other dangerous places and when bringing him to a convenient landing place, and he is almost in your hands, be prepared to allow for some heavy plunges. In this probable case act with coolness, and when it occurs let him have another turn or two in his own element, and when he becomes tractable land him as soon as possible, for although I never play a fish longer than I can help, yet when a good fish plays well, there really is no occasion to strain the tackle merely for the sake of landing him a minute or two sooner. I believe that many good Pike are lost through the anxiety of getting them on shore, and especially while they are having their last struggles, for then the angler should yield somewhat to the fish ; but, on the contrary, the young practitioner generally redoubles his efforts to drag his prize on shore nolens volens, and not unfrequently, by using such improper force and holding his fish too hard, breaks his tackle and loses his fish. Always make it a rule to bait your hook the last thing after you have got all complete as regards line, float, etc. ; for the more lively THE PIKE-GAG. 53 and strong the bait swims, the greater chance you have of a run, and the fish pouching in- stead of blowing it out, which is sometimes the case when they are not much on the feed, or the bait is not very lively or tempting. And, lastly, remember when Jack-fishing, either with spinning, live-bait, trolling, or snap, in a place very likely for Pike to lay, not to leave after a throw or two only, but let the bait work the place well, especially if you have seen a good fish move there before, or if you have a run and the Jack leaves the bait. Try every foot of likely water well, and if not successful try again as you return. A most useful implement in Pike-fishing is the Pike-gag, which I have found of great assistance when disengaging the hooks. It shuts up like a pair of scissors, and to use it, A A the points in the sketch are inserted in the mouth of the Pike, which can be opened to the required extent by means of the