Baits. 167 



much of the want of sport complained of,, 

 in such well-stocked and well-protected 

 rivers as the Lea, Thames, and Trent, i& 

 due to the continual use of the same baits 

 and ground-baits, and the overdosing the 

 fish with the latter. The British angler 

 treats the fish pretty much as his wife 

 treats him : it is beef and mutton one 

 week, and mutton and beef the next. 

 Walton taught the use of a great variety 

 of baits ; and when worms, paste, and 

 gentles failed, knew a dozen as good to try. 

 Most of the wild fruits and berries are 

 food for birds when ripe, and some kinds 

 of fish take them also. I remember once r 

 when fishing for large bream in a deep pool, 

 being unable to obtain even a nibble with 

 the three stock baits of to-day gentles, 

 worms, and paste ; but noticing some ripe 

 blackberries overhanging the water, I 

 determined to try them as bait, and very 

 soon had two or three good fish, and often 

 afterwards made good use of that and 

 similar pleasant baits to which the fish 

 had become accustomed, after a little 

 trouble on my part in baiting a place 

 or two. I think the sense of smell is 

 very strong in some fish. Tench, for in- 

 stance, I often found would take a paste 

 made of brown bread when one of white 

 was not touched. 



