172 Worm -Fishing. 



reason to believe that his worm has reached the 

 bottom, the point of the rod must be raised gently 

 and gradually as the bait is carried down-stream. 

 The length of line he should have in the water 

 will depend on circumstances, but, in general, more 

 danger is to be apprehended from a long line than 

 from a short one. In a rapid current there should 

 be just as much as will allow the worm to reach 

 the bottom, for a greater length of line exposed to 

 the action of such a stream would result in bring- 

 ing the bait at once to the surface. If to fish an 

 eddy the angler requires to cast across a stream, he 

 must keep his line out of the rapid run, and allow 

 the worm to be acted on only by the quieter water 

 in which it is cast. There is less risk in permitting 

 more of the line to touch the water when fishing an 

 open gentle stream, as a short line is more likely 

 to withdraw the bait from the natural action of the 

 current. In wind it is imperative to have some 

 length of line in the stream, and the reason is 

 obvious. In determining, therefore, the amount to 

 be immersed at any time, the angler must be guided 

 by the nature of the current in which the cast is to 

 be made; and the considerations that will weigh 

 with him in every case are that the worm should 

 trundle along the bottom, that it should maintain 

 the motion imparted to it by the stream only, and 

 be neither accelerated nor retarded by any action 



