42 FISHERMAN'S LURES 



about it — in particular the work of W. C. Stewart, 

 the Scotch expert — in very truth that the earth- 

 worm is not really so efiFective as it is supposed 

 or said to be. 



The worm is of greatest service when the water 

 is colored, and in flood and just after a flood. Its 

 greatest danger and harmfulness is when being 

 used as a bait to float down a small brook to at- 

 tract and capture large quantities of undersized 

 fingerling trout. Sometimes, at early season, be- 

 fore insects are abundant on fair-sized running 

 streams, worms will attract the brook-trout, less 

 often the brown trout, but rarely the rainbow. 

 If sunk to the bottom of deep pools, a kicking 

 worm will entice large fish; not always, however; 

 certainly less often than if the artificial fly is skil- 

 fully played in the same spot. 



Under normal conditions of water, season, and 

 weather, should two anglers go together down- 

 stream — on one side the worm-fisher, on the other 

 a fly-fisher; the latter wifl, if fairly skilful, always 

 bag the fullest creel. I have proved this many 

 times, and the reason is obvious: Insects are the 

 natural food of trout; worms are not. We would 

 never dream of digging for worms alongside a 

 river, but go directly to the nearest corn or potato 



