THE IGNOBLE WORM 233 



but letting them go just as you have discharged 

 your throw. Thus the line is short at first, but 

 the weight of the shot and worms carries out the 

 folds to the extent required. Having thus cast 

 beyond the run of the salmon, let the stream carry 

 round your bait easily, without any jerk on your 

 part whatever, or any further motion than humour- 

 ing it towards the shore. Contract the line as the 

 bait comes near you, by gathering it up in folds 

 with your left hand, and holding them fast against 

 the rod with the fingers of your right, letting them 

 go again at the proper time when you cast, in the 

 manner I have before described. Thus you may 

 throw a very long line without endangering its 

 safety by coming in contact with the ground or 

 any objects in your rear. 



You may fish to any depth you please merely 

 by elevating and lowering the point of your rod, 

 according to the run of the water. When the 

 weather and water are quite fit for the sport, the 

 fish seizes the bait briskly, and returns with it to 

 its seat or elsewhere : you must give him the line 

 by pulling from the reel with your left hand, and 

 letting it run smoothly between the fingers of your 

 right. A check at this time may lose him ; but let 

 him alone a few seconds, and he will have gorged 

 the hook ; then strike and kill him as soon as you 

 can : he is safe enough. Fresh open weather is the 

 best for this sport ; but fish will sometimes take 

 well even in a frost. 



Many excellent and credible fishermen have 

 informed me that they have had good sport with 

 the worm in northern rivers, and in those of Ireland, 



