THE YOCTNG ANGLES. 255 



Whipping is finished off by slipping the end of the silk through 

 the last circle, and drawing it tight. Knotting, by laying two 

 pieces of gut or hair together, one overlapping the other some three 

 inches or so, then holding one end in the left hand, while forming a 

 simple slip knot on it ; then turning the other end to the right, and 

 doing the same; after that drawing the two together, which makes 

 the knot complete. No direct pull will ever unloosen this water- 

 knot, though it can be undone easily. Gut is obtained from the 

 silkworm. Gimp is any kind of tackle covered with fine brass wire, 

 to protect it from the teeth of fish, sharp stones, or other injury. 



LANDING-NET, GAFF, ETC. 



The landing-net is simply a hoop with a handle to it, to which a 

 net is fixed, to lift out the fish, when hooked, without loosing it, or 

 breaking the tackle. The gaff and landing- hook are used for the 

 same purpose. The basket or creel, as every boy knows, is slung 

 over the shoulder with a belt, and may be bought big enough to hold 

 a whole family of salmon, or little enough to hold all a boy at first 

 catches, and which he might put in his eye and see none the worse 

 for. Bait kettles are made of tin, and if you haven't one, go 

 into the kitchen, and take the cook's flour dredger, it is a capital 

 make-shift. Drag-hook, clearing-ring, and disgorger must be seen 

 to be understood ; any clever boy used to angling will show you how 

 to use them. The drag-hook will pull up a weed in which your 

 fishing- hook has got entangled. The clearing-hook is for a similar 

 purpose, and often saves the casting line when the hook is fast. 



COMMON BAITS, AND GROUND BAITS. 



Fish, in their natural element, take such baits as the changing 

 seasons produce, and will not at one time of the year bite at the 

 same bait which they may be caught with at another; for instance, 

 in spring and autumn, worms may be used all day long, and night 

 too, if you can keep awake long enough to fish while the moon and 

 stars are shining; but in summer, worms must only be used early 

 and late, morning and evening. An earth-worm is naturally the 

 first bait the young angler looks out for ; it is always to be had, is 

 put on the hook without difficulty, and (excepting at the times 

 above stated) may always be used for certain kinds of fish, with 

 the certainty of hooking something, if proper patience is used. The 

 dew-worm or garden-worm every boy knows, also the marsh-worm 

 or blue-head, which is found at night, by taking a candle and 

 lantern, in moist, un drained places ; while the tag- tail must be 

 sought for in strong clays, where turnips and mangold-wurzel are 

 grown ; and the brandling in any kind of decaying vegetable matter ; 

 as for the red- worm, that is always to be dug out of sewers and the 

 banks of ditches. When baiting with a worm, the hook should be 

 put in close to the top of the worm's head, and then passed carefully 

 down, gently working the worm up the hook at the same time. Not 

 more than a quarter of an inch of the worm should be left hanging 

 over the hook. To scour or starve these worms, and get rid of the 



