Baiting with Minnows

of gut which is looped. The way to bait is to hold the minnow in the left hand between thumb and forefinger, take the baiting needle passed through the loop of gut in the right hand MINNOW FISHING. 7I and push through the minnow's mouth, coming out at the tail, draw the tackle through the hook which is left out at the mouth and attach your trace by a hook- swivel. Use a short line to commence with, not more than a couple of yards, slipping -- the minnow gently into the water taking care to keep out of sight--and work it up and down, gradually getting down into the deeper water, and should a trout be about he is certain to seize. When you feel him give him time to turn the minnow in his mouth and gorge it, then strike pretty firmly, and you are almost sure to secure a good fish. See Chapter on Tackle (page 97). The Small, Bright Minnow. Small, bright minnows may also be used in clear water and fished the same way as clear-water worm cast up stream, using a long length of line and fishing 72 ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. the thin, sluggish water by the side of pools. This requires somewhat skilful manipulation in casting, and when once the minnow alights in the water it must not be further interfered with. I only advise this method during the height of summer in the clearest waters. Spinning with a Patent CastingReel. Spinning with a patent casting-reel has many advantages, and is now largely in vogue. It offers good facilities to the novice, inasmuch as he can learn to cast with an hour's practice. He can also get out a much longer line than with any other reel, using the lightest of baits. There is no fear of becoming foul with any obstacles in casting, as only five or six feet of line are necessary from the rod top to make the cast, and the reel cannot over-run. Of course, it is necessary to use a fine silk spinning line, No. i MINNOW FISHING. 73 or No. 2, and in hot weather it is advisable to occasionally rub the line with mutton fat so as to prevent it kinking. A special rod is requisite for casting with a patent spinning-reel, and a useful length is about ten feet, made of greenheart and with special porcelain rings, which have less friction on the fine lines. This style of spinning is practised both up and down stream, the great advantage to the angler being the long length of line so easily cast out when fishing is " fine and far off." When to Fish Minnow. Trout take the minnow best in the early morning, and again towards evening. Small or medium minnows are preferable in clear waters, and the larger in heavy waters. In waters clearing from a flood an artificial silver or golden devon often answers fairly well. In fact, I advise the use of artificial baits in heavy coloured 74 ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. waters only, as under these conditions trout have to be in close quarters to observe them. To Obtain Minnows. To collect minnows in flooded waters, use a small mesh landing-net close to the side, searching the easy or gentle-running water. Then preserve them in a mild solution of formalin. Another way of obtaining minnows in clear water is to wade in the water by the side of weirings or willows growing in the water, or any such refuge. Place your landing-net by the side in such a position that when you stamp your foot amongst the roughness they will dart into the net, which should be raised almost instantly. This is a very good way of getting minnows in a low water, and a very profitable and enjoyable way of spending an hour or two at the side while fishing is at a discount, and you have the satis- MINNOW FISHING. 75 faction of knowing you have procured your own bait. At the same time, it is always advisable to have a stock of minnows by you. The minnow is, moreover, a very handsome little fish. Take one in your hand and examine him closely, and you will admire him. Take particular notice of his shape. He is just like a miniature spring salmon. Mark his beautiful colour- -- ing every shade of olive, white, pale brown, silver, pink, and rose harmoniously blended and producing a most beautiful mottled appearance. The best baits to select are the fat, clear-coloured, from ij to 2 inches long. The Loach. The loach, loche, stone-loach, or ground- ling is absolutely one of the most deadly lures for trout. It is better known by many country anglers as " Tommy the Lodger." It delights in cleair-running 7& ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. rivulets, which it prefers to broad rivers; during the daytime it keeps chiefly in the shallow streams concealed under stones, and can easily be taken with a landingnet in the strong, thin water, the same way as collecting creeper mentioned in a previous chapter. The loach feeds on the larvae of aquatic insects and such small worms as it can meet, and will not infrequently bite at a baited hook. During the latter part of May, June, and July it proves a most deadly lure; fished in a similar way to the minnow, it nearly always accounts for a good fish. What to Imitate. In minnowing in large rivers or heavy waters, the secret of success is to try and imitate an injured or frightened minnow; therefore it is unnecessary to spin continually, and a likely time for hooking a fish is at the end of a spin or jerk, when the minnow is almost stopping from re- MINNOW FISHING. 77 volving. It is bad form to draw the minnow up stream against the strong current, but try to imitate a minnow struggling against the stream and endeavouring for shelter. If the waters are very low and clear it will be advisable to cast up stream and spin down and across, and weight the bait according to the volume of water. This is best accomplished, if using an Archer spinner, by having a pear-shaped lead on the pin and inserted down the minnow's mouth. Should this not prove heavy enough, twist a piece of lead wire round the trace about two feet from the spinner, or a few split shot will answer the same purpose. CHAPTER VII. NIGHT FISHING. There are many rivers where night fishing during the months of June, July, and August is well practised by anglers, whereas during the day-time they are almost deserted. During mid-summer fly-fishing through the day is almost at a standstill. Even with a nice ripple on the water, trout cannot be induced to rise ; but they take fly well at night. On the Eden, for example, the number of rods I have seen nightly on this river goes a long way to prove the success they are attaining. At the same time a couple -- of hours say, from ten o'clock until mid-- night passed on the banks of the river is very pleasant and enjoyable, more particularly when the sun has full power NIGHT FISHING. 79 through the day. For night fishing two flies are quite sufficient to use, and although it is fairly dark care must be taken not to make yourself conspicuous. Take the shelter of a dark hillside or an embankment, as even in a fading light a shadow is quickly reflected on the water, and trout, being the keenest-eyed of fishes, are easily alarmed. Moreover, at nighttime trout leave the streams and pools and fall down to the thin, flat, shallow water, and frequently feed close to the sides. Thus, they are easily frightened away. Unlike the correct way of up- stream fly-fishing, night fishing is usually practised down stream, the fly dragging on the water. Cast across stream slightly below you, and follow round with the rod top about the same pace as the water is flowing keeping the line taut. In approaching a good swim, do not neglect to search the water near to you before wading. 8o ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. How Trout Rise at Night. Trout generally take the fly very quickly -- after sunset at the same time meaning to -- have it and the rise of a fish is seldom seen until he is hooked. Frequently they will jump once or twice out of the water before settling down to fight. Trout should be thoroughly played out before attempting to land when night-fishing, and it is safer to land on the side of the river than in a landing-net, as they always seem to reserve a last effort, and it is annoying to find your dropper-fly fast in your landing-net or waders and the fish gone. One evening two seasons ago I was fishing, and had succeeded in hooking a -- noble two-pounder which, by the way, I put the fly over half a score of times. Fully ten minutes did I devote to this fish, he feeding all the while. When I tried to land him in my net he made a final dash away, and I found, to my regret, the NIGHT FISHING. 8l dropper-fly caught in the net, which taught me a lesson to dispense with the net for night-fishing, especially on the gravel-bed side of the river. On light nights with a clear sky small flies are preferable, but larger flies should be brought into use if the sky becomes rather overcast. Bustard or Moth Fishing. This form of night fishing often furnishes splendid sport, and the most likely water to fish is the slow running stream where the water is not flowing more than two miles an hour and is over-hung with willows. Cast by the side and underneath the willows, as this is very natural for flies dropping from them on to the water. One bustard is quite sufficient to fish with, and a light-coloured or pale-yellow bustard answers well. You must exercise care in wading to avoid any ripples, as in day-time, for these are fatal. If you cannot wade in without causing ripples, you 82 ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. should wait patiently for a few minutes when you have reached the desired spot before casting. It is quite unnecessary to move about at night, as trout do that. The shallow ends of pools, and just above stream-heads, are the choicest parts for trout feeding, and a small stretch is all that is required for an evening's fishing. Maggot is another successful lure fished with the fly, and has accounted for many "lordly" trout, and those who follow evening fishing seldom appear at the waterside without them. The Flies for Night Use.. Towards sunset during warm weather, and all through the darkness, trout invariably rise freely to the fly. As long as the twilight lingers use small sets of flies, and when darkness first sets in the rise will go off for a little while, and it is then advisable to change to a larger set similar to flies used for loch fishing. The Green NIGHT FISHING. 83 and Grey Drakes also answer admirably. Of course much stronger gut may be em- ployed in the darkness, and the angler is not required to throw such a long line. I advocate the use of two flies to avoid the chances of ravelling. Heavy Trout at Night. The heaviest trout are often captured in night fishing, and when you have the luck to hook a good one, instantly raise the point of your rod and keep it up, and ever up. Never let out more line than you can possibly help, and to this end follow your fish up, down, or across stream, keeping as close to him as you can. If you simply stand still and let him run, it is ten to one you lose him. In playing a big fish always try to keep a large portion of the gut clear of the water. Good trout often feed close into the banks and the shallow sides of pools; therefore, these quarters should be care7 84 ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. fully cast over and all rises to the natural fly must be responded to, no matter how insignificant they seem, as large trout suck the fly gently down, and do not usually cause the large ripples that smaller ones do. Therefore, all rises should receive attention. CHAPTER VIII. A FEW HINTS ON TACKLE. Gut. The utmost care should be taken in selecting good and new season's gut. For clear water fine natural gut is un- doubtedly most suitable, but owing to the difficulty of procuring same, drawn gut X, XX, XXX, xxxx is now largely used. Should the angler make up his own casts, it is as well to have the different hanks Ix to 4x, with a hank of " medium strong." He can thus vary his cast to suit any waters during the season. Gut plays a very important part in the angler's equipment, and none but the best quality should be employed. Various dyes are used to stain gut. I use an infusion of 86 ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. strong tea, and steep the gut in it for half- an-hour, which does away with much of the glitter and gives the gut a neutral tint. The gut should be kept in chamois skin. Murton (Newcastle) has a new patent pig-skin pouch, containing transparent celluloid envelopes, that answers admirably. Any close material preserves gut, but it should be exposed to light as little as possible. Making Up a Cast. In making up casts it needs to be well soaked in warm water, otherwise it is brittle. Lay the ends of two strands side Fisherman's Knot. -- by side, then the gut being first thoroughly -- well soaked form a loop with each of the short ends of the gut, and pass the end through twice, making two half-hitches A FEW HINTS ON TACKLE. 87 round the line. Now draw them tight and pull together. This is the well-known " Fisherman's Knot," frequently used in attaching dropper flies. If the half-hitches are used single the waste ends should not be cut too close. To Attach Dropper Flies. A good way to attach dropper flies to the cast is to make a small loop, not larger than a quarter of an inch, and not further than two inches from the fly; then take the main cast and double it above a knot where you desire to attach the dropper. Insert the main cast, thus doubled, through the small loop of the dropper, then pass the dropper fly through the loop thus formed on the main cast; straighten the main cast, and draw the dropper tight above the knot. ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. Thus the dropper is looped with double gut, and will, therefore, stand out at right angles from the main cast. When attached with single gut the dropper flies become A FEW HINTS ON TACKLE. 8g twisted round the cast and are rendered almost useless. To Attach Eyed Hooks. The *' Jamb Knot " is one of the simplest and most perfect ways of securing eyedhooks. These can be fastened, complete, in a few seconds, owing to the hook-eye being only of sufficient size to allow the gut to pass through, making a small and neat knot. Take the fly by the bend, between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand, with the eye turned upwards; pass two or three inches of gut through the eye towards the point of the hook, then double back the gut and make a single slip-knot. Draw the sliding knot sufficiently tight, so as just to allow of its go ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. passing over the hook-eye, then run it down to and over the edge, pulHng gradually until it becomes tight; thus c^4 forming a neat and strong fastening, and one of the greatest boons to dry fly- fishers. Attaching the Reel Line to Gut Cast. The end of the reel line is passed through the gut loop, round it, then down through the loop again, forming a figure 8; then drawn perfectly taut. This method has the advantage of forming a compact little knot, and at the same time it is quite easily loosened, even in darkness. A FEW HINTS ON TACKLE. gl -- I. Creeper tackle tiad with an eyed hook. CZ c-^ Creeper Baited. -- 2. Creeper tackle on gut with different sized hooks. c: rr -- 3. Creeper stone-fly, or grub tackle, impaling the larger hook sideways through the body. ^ Worm Baited. -- 4. Single hook with needle-point used for worming. --cr -- 5. Fennel tackle for clear- water worm. -- 6. Stewart tackle for clear-water worming. 92 ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. -- 7. Creeper or clear- water worm tackle, with the gut ex- tended beyond the hook to allow for a small shot sinker, and thus giving a direct pull. This tackle works well when fish are taking gingerly. All these hooks should be bronzed and rust-proof. Fishing with minnows in medium-sized waters. A long-shanked single hook with a small lip-hook. The size of large hooks to correspond with size of minnows. The big hook should measure in length equal to the distance from nose to the vent of the minnow. The above tackle may also be used in spated waters, with the addition of a flying triangle behind tail. Another useful tackle for clear water fishing is composed of two double hooks A FEW HINTS ON TACKLE. 93 and a lip hook, arranged so as to give the necessary curve to the tail. Natural Minnow Spinning Tackles. This is a modification of hooks arranged on the Archer spinner to my own pattern, Fig. and I strongly recommend its use as one of the best tackles of to-day. It gives a 94 ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. brilliant spin to the bait, with unrivalled hooking powers. A triangle may be added when fishing in heavy or coloured waters, as shown in diagram, Fig. i a. This tackle Fig. la. may also be adapted in low waters by making up with fine hooks; and in clear water it will be unnecessary to have any lead on the centre-pin. A FEW HINTS ON TACKLE. 95 This is simply a pin with propellers, and the flights arranged in a similar way to Fig. I. It has a most natural appear- Archer Spinner. ance when spinning, and proves very effective. Fig. 3 shows the minnow baited with the previous tackles, indicating the position of the hooks. Thus it will be seen that it is 96 ALL ABOUT TROUT FISHING. almost impossible to be seized by a trout without being hooked, yet nevertheless I Fig. 3. have experienced this occurrence, the two flights being split apart and the minnow gone. Natural Minnow Fishing. There are numerous tackles for spinning for trout with natural minnow, which is doubtless a very artistic and exciting form of sport. I have been a disciple for some years now and experimented with different kinds of tackle, and consequently have every confidence in recommending the aforementioned spinners in the order of merit named. A FEW HINTS ON TACKLE. 97 Drop Minnow Tackle, referred to in Chapter on Minnow Fishing. Another good tackle is composed of two treble-hooks and one small single hook with