WORM-FISHING. 109 
the numbers of fish run, primarily to the circumstance of 
its’ being impossible properly to conceal so large a 
number of hooks ina single worm, and to their being 
consequently seen by the fish. This was the principal 
drawback to the four-hook tackle. As a minor inconve- 
nience, Mr. Stewart also mentions that, from the number 
of hooks often fixed in the fish’s mouth when landed, a 
certain waste of time necessarily occurred. 
“These being the incidental disadvantages of Mr. 
Stewart’s plan, its advantages were, (1) that the worm 
was more quickly baited than with the single hook, (2) 
that it lived much longer—with the large single hook it 
dies almost directly—(3) that it presented a much more 
natural appearance to the fish, and (4) that, owing to 
the superior penetrating tendency of small over large 
hooks, much fewer fish escaped after being once hooked, 
whilst it became possible to use the finest gut, which 
could not be safely done with large heavy hooks. This 
of itself is an advantage the importance of which can 
hardly be over-estimated in Trout fishing in clear 
streams. 
“ As regards the other point—the killing powers—my 
own experience of the tackle was that when fishing pro- 
perly wp stream, and with a shortish line, hardly any fish 
escaped at all, whilst with the large single hook, I think 
the experience of most of my brother anglers will bear 
me out when I say that fully 50 per cent. of runs were 
‘missed.’ On the other hand, I fully recognised the 
practical force of the objections mentioned by Mr. 
Stewart, and accordingly I endeavoured to construct a 
tackle similar in principle but different in detail, which 
should combine all the foregoing advantages, without 
