136 THE PRACTICAL ANGLER 



long at a time, he will find it an improvement to 

 divide his worms, keeping one-half in a bag in his 

 basket till required. The repeated thrusting in of 

 the angler's hand, the dangling of the bag, and ex- 

 posure to the sun, will greatly injure the worms 

 before the day is out, if the whole supply is kept in 

 one bag. 



The angler should be very particular about the 

 size and appearance of his worms, and should never 

 start for a day's trouting without a sufficient supply. 

 Nothing is more provoking than to run short of bait 

 at the very time the trout are taking. Under any 

 circumstances, a gross and a half or two gross is the 

 smallest number that should be taken for a day's 

 trouting with worm. 



Worm-fishing is better understood than fly- 

 fishing; that is to say, there are more anglers 

 who fish up stream with the one than with the other. 

 Angling up stream with the worm possesses all the 

 advantages which have been mentioned in fly- 

 fishing, and which it is unnecessary to recapitulate. 

 The objections against fishing down stream apply 

 with even greater force to worm-fishing than to 

 fly, as in fly-fishing the angler can keep out of 

 sight, to a certain extent, by throwing a long line. 

 Not so in worm-fishing ; he must either be opposite 

 or below his worm, so that every trout in the 

 neighbourhood of his line can see him distinctly ; 

 and if he were to fish down a small clear water 

 with the worm, he would hardly catch a trout, 

 while his neighbour fishing up stream might fill 



