THE BEST GROUND-BAITS. 213 



much used for roach and dace. It is made of a 

 mixture of adhesive clay and bran well worked 

 together, and pieces about the size of a small egg 

 are thrown in where you fish. If you are angling 

 in a current, throw in the balls above you, so that 

 their particles may be washed down to the spot 

 where your hook and bait are. 



A good general ground-bait for such rivers as 

 the Thames, Trent, &c., in which there are many 

 kinds of fish. Mix clay, bran, and meal together, 

 into a firm adhesive mass, which divide into round 

 pieces about the size of cricket balls. In the 

 middle of them place as many worms and gentles 

 as you can; as they creep out they are taken 

 by the fish with impunity, which will encourage 

 them to take your bait, whether it be a gentle or 

 a worm. Nearly all sorts of river fish, the coarser 

 kinds especially, are attracted by this ground- 

 bait, which is especially good in deeps where 

 heavy fish abound. 



Other ground-baits are made of soaked greaves 

 and clay, good, when thrown in largely, for barbel, 

 and angling at the same time with prepared 

 greaves ; others for still water, such as ponds, are 

 made of mixtures of sand, clay, and scalded barley 

 or wheat; others are made of chopped worms, 

 gentles, pieces of greaves, and cheese ; and others 

 of a mixture of wet sand and carrion gentles. 

 Experience will soon teach the angler the proper 



