Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 2 is a bait boat, for keeping the bait alive. It is towed behind or kept by the side when fishing. The top and bottom pieces consist of half-inch pine "stuff"; in the centre of each piece square openings are cut; that on the top is protected by a door made of wire-cloth of quarter-inch mesh, fastened to two small staples, which answer the purpose of hinges; over the opening in the bottom piece wire-cloth is nailed, to admit of a free circulation of water. Under the back end of the top piece a cleet is nailed, also two cleets on the bottom piece, as shown in the figure. At the bow of the boat an upright piece of wood is fastened to the top and bottom of the bait boat by means of screws. The sides of the boat consist of one piece of wire-cloth, the ends of which meet at the upright piece of wood at the bow, and are nailed with broad-headed galvanized nails. The top and bottom edges of the wire-cloth are also fastened with nails to the edges of the top and bottom of the boat, as shown in the figure. A tow-line is fastened to the bow, and the boat is complete.
When handling the bait a small hand-net (Fig. 3) is used, consisting of a stout piece of wire bent as shown in the figure; the straight parts of the wire are bound together with fishing-line, and constitute the handle; to this frame netting is sewed to form the net bag.
Fig. 5.
When fish are caught, they ought to be kept in water to keep the scales soft, otherwise they become dry and set, and are troublesome to clean.
For a make-shift float I have found nothing better than a good-sized bottle cork, into which a cut has been made with a sharp knife or razor, extending from the side to the centre of the cork. Into this cut the line is drawn as shown in Fig. 4, A.
