10 ANGLING FOR COARSE FISH. 



on. Of course, if the water is shallow and slow running, 

 the ground-bait can be thrown in nearly over the bait on the 

 hook, while if the stream is swift and deep, the ground-bait 

 must be thrown in some distance above the swim. The exact 

 position depends on the depth of the water, the rate of the 

 current, and the weight, or, rather, the specific gravity, of 

 the ground-bait ; these matters must necessarily be left to the 

 angler's judgment. 



So far I have only referred to the use of ground-bait while 

 fishing. Ground-bait is very frequently thrown in daily for 

 several days before the swim is fished. The amount thrown 

 in is usually considerable — more in rivers than in still waters 

 — and it is highly desirable to leave the fish unfed (so that 

 they may recover their appetite) for at least twenty hours 

 before the swim is fished. "While the fishing is going on, a 

 little ground-bait is thrown in at intervals, to keep the fish 

 on the look-out for food, but not sufficient to satisfy their 

 hunger. 



In lakes and ponds, I am inclined to believe that ground- 

 baiting for several days in succession does collect the fish 

 in one spot, besides having the other advantages mentioned; 

 there being no stream in such places, there is no difficulty in 

 knowing where to cast in the ground-bait. If more is 

 thrown in than the fish can eat, a portion is likely to turn 

 sour and keep the fish away. 



The secrets of ground-baiting are, shortly — to use ground- 

 bait of the same kind as the hook-bait, but coarser in 

 quality — the reason for which is, I hope, obvious; to cast it 

 in sparingly when fishing the swim — little and often being 

 the rule; to cast it in so far above the swim that it sinks 

 just where the angler is fishing; and lastly, if the swim is 

 baited for several days in succession, to leave it unbaited for 

 at least twenty hours before it is fished. Careful attention 

 to these particulars is half the battle in angling for coarse 

 fish. Shall I insult my readers' common-sense by adding 

 that ground-bait should not be mixed or handled with dirty 

 hands, or even with clean hands if scented with tobacco smoke ? 

 The points which anglers have to be careful about are — not 



