230 ANGLERS' EVENINGS. 



The most deadly hook for making the tackle is a 

 small size of sneck-bend, but the great drawback in using 

 it is its liability, with any sudden jerk, to break oft" at the 

 bend. The round-bend will answer the purpose pretty 

 nearly as well, and is perhaps a safer hook to use. I 

 generally tie them for my own fishing with a smaller size 

 of hook than that in general use, with the lowest a size 

 larger than the upper two, taking care to attach them to 

 long and fine threads of picked gut. The best kind of 

 worm for this size of Stewart tackle is what is known as 

 the marsh worm, which is found in abundance in ordinary 

 garden soil: those should be selected which are about two 

 inches long. They are easily recognised by their pale, bluish 

 colour, though when scoured they become of a beautiful 

 pink. When newly dug, they should be put into a basin 

 of clear cold water, which will cleanse them from any dirt 

 that may adhere to them. A (qw handfuls of fine moss, 

 from which all impurities have been removed, should then 

 be placed in a jar, after being rinsed through water 

 several times, and well wrung by the hands. On this, 

 when teased out so as to cover the bottom of the jar, the 

 worms should be spread, care being taken to exclude all 

 mangled or broken ones, as they only contaminate the rest. 

 In a few days they will scour quite pink and become a 

 very deadly lure for trout. They also attain a nice degree 

 of toughness, and can, if sufiicient care be taken, undergo 

 the strain of casting without the risk of being injured. 

 The only other worm worth mentioning is the brandling, 

 easily distinguishable by the yellow rings round its body : 

 it is found in rich leaf-mould or in dunghills. Some fishers 



