CREATURES THAT GAME-FISH EAT 41 



morning they again seek their watery homes. 

 There are several beetles pictured in Trout Stream 

 Insects, one, in particular, for May, called the 

 red bug, of which the artificial is a most taking 

 fly for trout. Another, somewhat smaller, called 

 the red-headed gnat, is quite as effective for hot- 

 day fishing. Both are abundant on the water dur- 

 ing May and June, though not bred in the water, 

 being land-beetles. The subject is one in which 

 I hope to make further studies. 

 This chapter on "the relative value of baits," 

 would be incomplete without reference to the 

 garden and night-walker earthworms as trout 

 food, though strictly speaking they are not natural 

 fish food, as they are found most abundant away 

 from water. It is rather from centuries-old as- 

 sociations as to their use as trout baits that they 

 are mentioned here as having been — up to the 

 present time — almost universally used by every 

 trout angler, young and old, from the time of 

 Izaak Walton. Their continued wriggle in the 

 water after being impaled on the hook is what 

 attracts trout. It would be idle talk — nay, false 

 — to say that the earthworm is unattractive, yet 

 I can say, after long and earnest practice of its 

 use, also from the study of many books written 



