36 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



have found it to possess many advantages. In using 

 it the angler must strike rapidly, as in fly-fishing ; 

 while, in fishing with one hook, he must let the trout 

 have a bite or two before he strikes. 



" Worm-fishing," says Mr. Stewart, " is the most 

 certain and deadly of all fishing; and by it more trout 

 may be captured in the month of July than by any 

 other means in any other month of the year. And he 

 is not worthy of the name of angler who cannot in any. 

 day of the month, when the water is clear, kill from 

 fifteen to twenty pounds weight in any county in the 

 south of Scotland." Tested by this standard, several 

 very worthy persons of our acquaintance, who think 

 themselves no small shakes with the rod, are " not 

 worthy of the name of anglers." 



Worm-fishing may be successfully practised at all 

 seasons when the waters are muddy after a flood, and 

 before they begin to settle into the brown or porter 

 colour which old fly-fishers like. The angler may 

 then load his line so as to keep it at the bottom, and 

 may use a couple of hooks a yard and a half apart 

 fishing chiefly at the side about the foot of streams, 

 and in eddies. 



The CREEPER is a bait but little fished with on the 

 borders, although it is easily got, and is very killing. 

 It is the undeveloped stone-fly (Phryganea), after it 

 has disencumbered itself of the shell of sand and straw 

 in which it lived as a caddis- worm, and before it as- 

 sumes its wings. It is found under the stones in 

 shallow water in most rivers ; and, with a number of 

 legs, runs about with considerable alacrity. It has 



