Spinning and Bait Fishing for Salmon and Trout

H. Cholmondelay-Pennell

Description

This book offers the reader a comprehensive guide to fishing for trout and salmon using bait and the 'spinning' technique. Written in simple, clear language and full of helpful tips, “Spinning And Bait Fishing For Salmon And Trout” will be of considerable utility to fishermen, especially those with little previous experience. Contents include: “A Short History of Fishing”, “Spinning and Bait Fishing for Salmon and Trout”, “Worm Fishing for Salmon and Bull Trout”, “The Prawn or 'Shrimp Bait' for Salmon”, “Spinning for Lake Trout”, “Stream Minnow-Spinning for Brown Trout”, “Worm Fishing for Brown Trout”, “'Creeper' and Stone-Fly Fishing and Wasp-Grubs”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new introduction on the history of fishing.

Sujets

• Sport
• Autour du sport
• Histoire du sport
• Autres sports
• Sports de plein air
• Sports
• Fishing
• Recreation

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 30 mars 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781446548585
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

SPINNING AND BAIT FISHING FOR SALMON AND TROUT
H. CHOLMONDELAY-PENNELL
Contents
Title
Spinning and Bait Fishing for Salmon and Trout
SPINNING AND BAIT FISHING FOR SALMON AND TROUT.
I take up the subject of fishing for the various species of Salmonid , migratory and non-migratory, at the point where it has been left by Major Traherne, Mr. H. R. Francis, and Mr. H. S. Hall in their able articles-namely, where fly fishing ends and bait fishing begins. In the term bait fishing I include everything except fishing with the artificial fly, and embrace spinning as well as shrimp and worm fishing.
For convenience of reference I shall divide these subjects into their specific variations as follows;
Spinning for salmon.
Worm fishing for salmon and bull trout.
The prawn or shrimp bait for salmon.
Spinning for lake trout.
Stream minnow spinning for brown trout.
Worm fishing for brown trout.
Creeper, and stone-fly fishing, wasp grubs, c.
The subject of Thames trout fishing is treated of in a separate article from the pen of Mr. H. R. Francis, in whose references to grayling fishing will also be found some additional notes on bait fishing for grayling with the gentle and artificial grasshopper.
SPINNING FOR SALMON.
All minnow spinning for salmon, whether in lake or river, is in my experience very much a matter of locality. That is to say, in other words, that it is only in certain rivers and lakes in which the spinning bait can be used with any probability of success. For example, on the Clare-Galway river, which debouches into Loch Corrib, when there is a little freshet on in September or October the spinning eel-tail is considered the most attractive bait On the Tweed, again, the real minnow, spun as I am about to describe, is most deadly, though, unfortunately for the spinner, not allowed, I believe, to be used. On the Aberdeenshire Dee, again, where it is permitted, the minnow is exceedingly effective, whilst on other waters, as, for example, on the Awe and Lochy, two of the most celebrated salmon rivers of Scotland, it is of no earthly use, and the minnow spinner might, for all practical purposes, as well fling his hat in. Still, as I have said, there are some salmon waters, and those good ones, where the spun minnow is an exceedingly deadly bait, and a few hints as to tackle and the best mode of using it, may, therefore, not be unacceptable.
With regard to the eel-tail bait, to which I have already alluded, this is best made from the last 3 or 4 inches of the tail of an eel 11 to 14 inches long; and the best way to apply it is as follows;
Skin the said eel 1 downwards to the 3- or 4-inch point alluded to. Cut the body off there, together with a small piece of the spine bone below the level Then pass a large salmon hook in at the orifice, and run it down the middle of the tail (until the shank is entirely embedded in the fish) bringing the point out about one and a half inches from the end of the tail, so as to make the bait follow the curve of the hook. Now tie the loose skin tightly and closely round with a piece of waxed silk just over the top of the hook shank; then turn it downwards towards the end of the tail, and cut it off all round at a point about an inch from the last-named lapping. Now sew the rough edge of the turned-over skin carefully down with Holland thread, or, perhaps, better, red sewing silk, and the bait is complete.
I have found it convenient, in order to make sure of the bait not slipping down over the hook, to put a small pierced shot above the top of the latter on the trace. The first tying of the eel skin being made above this pierced shot makes it impossible for it to slip down. If the bait is nicely made in the proportions that I have described it ought to spin excellently well on any ordinary spinning trace, which should, of course, consist of salmon gut. The inside colour of the eel skin is blue, and this, so far as the turned-over portion is concerned, becomes the outside on the bait, forming a very good head, It also, of course, materially increases the durability of the bait.
Mr. Hughes, the well-known fisherman of Galway, who was a great proficient in this mode of spinning, was in the habit of keeping the eel for three or four weeks in plenty of dry coarse, salt before making up the bait. He was of opinion that it rendered the skin both tougher and bluer. If this salting process is gone through it should be soaked for some hours in fresh water before being baited with in order to make it plumper and better filled out. The eel-tail bait requires considerable nicety of construction, and should always be made, if possible, before starting to fish. Two or three baits at the outside ought to be enough for a day s fishing, barring breakages. If not lost or used, they can be preserved in dry salt for another occasion.
The salmon will also occasionally take the parr tail or a very small trout, three or four inches long, or a loach, or other spinning bait used in the ordinary way; for which, as also for the flight, and for the trace applicable to the eel-tail bait, and generally for the modus operandi -in which there is, so far as lakes are concerned, little appreciable difference-the reader is referred to the article on Lake Spinning for Trout.
I used to be of opinion that the eel-tail bait was the most killing spinning bait for salmon, but we live and learn, and a year or two ago I was fortunate enough to meet a great professor of the art of salmon-spinning with the natural minnow, who made me a convert to his views in favour of the natural minnow when spinning for salmon, so far as regards rivers. By this gentleman, Mr. Augustus Grimble, I was also shown how to use and bait the tackle, of which engravings, of the actual size, are attached.

FIG. 1, 2.-SALMON MINNOW-SPINNING TACKLE.
Fig. 1 is the flight of hooks, with a leaden sinker run on to the trace, but, of course, in baiting the minnow this has in the first instance to be slipped off altogether. The mode of baiting is as follows:
Having attached a baiting needle to the loop of the strand of salmon gut on which the flight is tied, pass it in at the vent of the bait and out at its mouth. The baiting needle is now taken off, the leaden cap slipped over the gut into the position indicated in fig. 1 , and pushed down the bait s throat until it occupies the position shown in fig. 2 , the whole bait being then pressed, or pushed, downwards on to the triangle, sufficiently to curve it, by a bending of the back, in the manner represented in the diagram. The nicks or slices on the bottom part of the lead are made with a penknife for the purposes of keeping the lead in its place in the bait s throat and belly, but some spinners prefer it smooth.
The trace consists of two or three yards of picked salmon gut, with a good sprinkling of swivels at convenient intervals-N.B. double swivels best-and attached to a light well-dressed silk plaited running line, such as would be used in fine spinning for pike. When using the above tackle for spinning in lakes, c., if the lead is insufficient, weight to any extent can be added by twisting lead wire round the reel line, two or three yards above the bait.
This tackle besides being excellent for spinning for salmon with the minnow in both river and lake is also one of the best I know for spinning that most deadly bait in Irish waters, the stone loach or colley, as it is locally termed. The loach, however, to spin well must not exceed three and a half inches in length as a maximum. Some further remarks as to the proportions to be observed between the length of the bait and that of the lead will be found farther on under the heading of Lake Spinning for Trout.
The rod cannot be better than that described for worm fishing for salmon.
The best times of year for using this minnow-spinning bait are the spring and late autumn months. For some reason hot weather appears to be destructive of its killing properties, and as a rule it is of very little use, or of none at all, during summer.
The minnow may be used successfully in almost any state of water which is not too thick and not too rapid, A moderately full water is, however, the best; what would be considered good water, in short, for the fly-i.e. porter coloured. The rapidity of the current in the stream or pool should be such as to be sufficient to spin the minnow without, as it were, tearing at it.
The importance of this point will be understood when it is explained that it is upon the current of the stream itself that the minnow spinner practically depends entirely for the working of the bait. He throws the bait down and across, and lets it swing with the current. He does not draw it in with his hand until the moment of taking it out of the water, for the simple reason that it is found salmon will not run at a bait when it is being drawn in. In order, however, to increase its lifelike appearance, the spinner should continue, as the bait moves with the current, drawing the line in a little and then letting it go back-making a sort of see-saw, that is-with his left hand, although not actually shortening the line. Some spinners make this movement with the point of their rod.
It will be seen from the engraving that the minnows to be used should be large ones, and the fresher the better; in fact, I should advise their being carried in a small bait cart by the side of the river-Field s aerating bait can being very much the best for the purpose. Of course, if there is a sufficient supply they may be killed before starting and kept fresh for the day s work in a pocket-handkerchief frequently wetted, but they are apt, after a certain number of hours in this condition of dampitude, to get flabby, and certainly lose a part of their brightness and silveryness. A little oatmeal, put every morning into the bait can or tank in which the minnows are kept, will help to make them plump and in good condition.
For this sort of minnow spinning th