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The angler will find, on the long run, that he will 

 catch infinitely more fish at a good depth, than he will 

 near the surface ; which is to be accounted for by the 

 disposition to privacy and concealment, natural to all 

 fishes, especially to those which lurk in hiding places, 

 and dart out suddenly on their unsuspecting victims ; as 

 well as to the variety of ambushes and shelters which 

 the weeds and banks afford in those deep holes that are 

 formed by falls of water, by eddies, or by the natural 

 tendency of the soil, in many places, to wash away, until 

 a harder surface resists the stream, and forms a secure 

 ledge, or cover, under which fishes can remain unseen. 



Where weeds, or other obstructions abound, Live 

 I aits cannot be conveniently used j as they would, if 

 half as active, as they ought to be, infallibly entangle you, 

 and even though you should be able to distinguish when 

 you might have a bite, would occasion much risque as 

 to the .safety of your line. 



Nevertheless, where weeds are merely superficial, I 

 never hesitate at using lire tails ; that is, when I use 

 liiein at all , fur I am completely satisfied as to the supe- 

 rior advantages of dead L-aits. But live iaits afford you 

 the convenience of having several rods in use at the same 

 time j for this kind of angling is not so nicely critical as 

 l.ottojn-Jishing in general, wherein, on many occasions, 

 the least nibble should be watched and acted upon. 



When a fish seizes a livti iaii, he must have time to 

 swallow, or, as it is termed, to gorge it ; else you will 

 give him his liberty, by pulling the hook through the lip 

 of your bait, which in all probability he will reject, so 

 soon as he finds any impediment to his free progress., and 

 thenceforth will i>c afraid to bite again, 



B In 



