ON ANGLING WITH THE WORM 129 



fish one half-hour with the common hook, and the 

 next with three or four small ones ; varying the 

 number and size to suit the worms. The first trial 

 was in Gala, between Bowland and Stow, where the 

 trout are of good size and remarkably wary ; so that 

 the exposure of the hooks would tell with full force. 

 On this occasion we captured 20| Ibs. of trout, of 

 which 9J Ibs. were taken with the common hook 

 and 11 Ibs. with the tackle. The next trial was in 

 Leader, between Earls ton and Lauder, when we 

 captured with the common hook 14 Ibs., and with 

 the tackle 17 J Ibs. The third day was also in 

 Leader, when the result was with the common hook 

 12J Ibs., and with the tackle 13J Ibs. making 

 a total during the three days of 36J Ibs. with 

 the common hook, and 42 Ibs. with the tackle ; 

 leaving a difference in favour of the latter of 5J Ibs., 

 or about fifteen per cent. Had we been fishing all 

 these days with the single hook, we should only 

 have had 19 Ibs., 29 Ibs., and 25 Ibs. respectively ; 

 whereas, had we fished continually with the tackle, 

 we should have had 22 Ibs., 35 Ibs., and 27 Ibs. no 

 small difference. All these trials were made in the 

 middle of July, when the waters were very small and 

 clear, and consequently when every objection that 

 can be urged against the four hooks was likely to 

 tell with full force ; added to which, the stones, as is 

 frequently the case after long-continued dry weather, 

 were covered with green slimy vegetable matter, which 

 stuck to the small hooks whenever they came in con- 

 tact with it, and occasioned considerable loss of time. 



