ON SMALL FISH, PRINCIPALLY USED AS BAITS. 281 
The best, indeed the only good Gudgeon bait, is the 
worm, and of worms by far the best is the brandling. 
Any small worm, however, will do if brandlings cannot 
be obtained. It will generally be found that the lower 
half will be better than the whole worm, and that fewer 
bites will be missed when the hook is thus baited. The | 
only ground bait which I am acquainted with that is of 
any use for Gudgeon is small broken worms, mixed with 
soft clayey mud, which will dissolve rapidly on reaching 
the bottom, and will cause a thickening or muddying of 
the water. This result, however, is much _ better 
achieved by raking the bottom of the river before, and 
occasionally during fishing, with a long, heavy iron 
rake, which is kept by all Thames puntsmen for this 
purpose. The Gudgeon are attracted by the animalcule, 
worms, caddice, &c., which are turned up in the 
operation. 
While Gudgeon fishing, it is a very good plan to put 
out a paternoster (see p. 238) for any Pike or Perch 
which may be roving about, and whose presence would 
effectually check the “biting” inclination of the smaller 
fish. 
In the lower reaches of a river flounders are not un- 
frequently taken whilst Gudgeon fishing, the same baits 
and modes of fishing being best for both fish. 
The Gudgeon spawns in May, usually in shallow 
waters amongst stones. 
