THE PRACTICAL ANGLER 



would at a fly. The only occasions in which the use 

 of sinkers can be defended are, either when the wind 

 is blowing so strong that it would be impossible to 

 keep the line in the water without them, or when 

 it is necessary to fish water so deep that the trout 

 would not see the worm unless they were used. 



Besides giving an unnatural motion to the worm, 

 sinkers are highly objectionable in other respects. 

 They are constantly hanking below stones, and 

 occasioning the angler a great deal of annoyance 

 and loss of time. With them also the angler gets 

 over the ground at a much slower rate than when 

 his worm comes down almost at the same rate as 

 the stream. This opinion about sinkers is held by 

 almost all the best worm-fishers ; and some Tweedside 

 adepts never use them under any circumstances. 



Many different kinds of worms are used by the 

 angler, but the four following are held in highest 

 estimation, and are also to be found in greatest 

 abundance. In Edinburgh they may be had ready 

 for use at a very moderate price ; but in country 

 places the angler will frequently require to dig and 

 prepare his own bait, or he will be but indifferently 

 provided, and therefore it behoves him to know the 

 places where he may find them, and how to prepare 

 them. 



THE BLACK-HEADED WORM. This worm is usually 

 found in good garden soil, or among heaps of 

 decayed rubbish, and may be known by being free 

 from the knot which most worms have. As its 

 name signifies, it has a black head, and when taken 



