44 THE SMALL-MOUTHED BASS 



seemingly of small importance from the angler's point of 

 view, is a fatal defect, as the bass has exceedingly keen vision, 

 and as soon as it sees the point of a hook becomes frightened 

 and swims away. 



Walton's method, although it prevents the worm from 

 being broken at the point, is open to the objection that the 

 tail of the worm is liable to be snapped off by some small fish; 

 the natural appearance of the bait being thus destroyed; 

 but, if the point of the barb be entered, not at the very end 

 of the head but about an inch from it, then the head of the 

 worm will be placed in juxtaposition with the barb of the 

 hook and the worm may be drawn along uneven ground 

 without danger of being broken at the point. 



When a worm is too long to put on the hook entire, it 

 should be cut in two and threaded on the hook by starting 

 at the severed end, thus leaving the head or tail portion 

 close to the barb. In the case where small earth-worms are 

 used as bait, two are necessary, and should be threaded on 

 the hook according to the following scheme given in 

 the " Compleat Angler," and no doubt due originally to 

 Walton : 



"You are first to run the point of your hook in at the very 

 head of your first worm, and so down through his body till he 

 be past the knot, and then let it out, and strip the worm above 

 the arming (that you may not bruise it with your fingers) till 

 you have put on the other, by running the point of the hook 

 in below the knot, upwards through his body towards his 

 head, till it be just covered with the head; which being done, 

 you are then to slip the first worm down over the arming 

 again, till the knots of both worms meet together." 



This arrangement is likewise open to the objection that 

 the tail of the worm on the shank is liable to be bitten off 

 first; although the fish will then, as a rule, proceed to attack 

 the tail end of the other worm lying near the barb and doubt- 

 less be hooked. 



