TO BAIT THE HOOK. 15 



must gently squeeze or work the worm up the hook 

 with your left thumb and finger, while with the right 

 you are gradually working the hook downwards, the 

 small lively piece of the worm at the point of the hook 

 moving about, will entice or attract fish j but note, if 

 too much of the worm hangs loose, though it may en- 

 tice Fish to nibble, yet they will seldom take the whole 

 in their mouths, so as to enable the Angler to hook 

 them ; on the contrary, he is frequently tantalized with 

 a bite, and when he strikes, finds part of the worm 

 gone, the hook bared, and no fish ; therefore, to bait a 

 hook well with a worm, is necessary to insure hitting 

 a fish when you strike, and consists in drawing the 

 worm, Avithout injuring it, quite over and up the shank 

 of the hook, leaving only a small lively part of the tail 

 below the point thereof. If you bait with half or a 

 piece of worm, prefer the tail end, and enter the point 

 of the hook into the thick part of it, and bring it down 

 nearly to the end of the tail, leaving only a small piece 

 loose. But if you bait with two worms on ahook, draw 

 the first up above the shank while you put the second 

 on (in the same manner as directed with one worm), 

 but enter the hook near the tail of the second worm, 

 • hen draw the first one down on the second, the shank, 

 hook and all, will be then well covered, and will be a 

 very enticing bait for Perch, Carp, Chub, Barbel, and 

 all large fish ; but when angling for Gudgeon or other 

 small fish, half a red worm is sufficient, and the tail 

 end is best ; if blood worms are used, put on two or 

 three, in doing which be very tender, or you will burst 



