120 ON FISHING WITH THE WORM FOR TROUT. 



indeed, in many of them, every inch of water ought to 

 be fished, and so it should be, as respects the appro- 

 priate feeding-spots in large rivers. No likely haunt 

 or ripple ought the angler to pass over, no indication of 

 shelter for trout should he regard with indifference ; 

 his eye, hand, and line, must always be kept active, his 

 heart and its hopes always up and alive. 



A few instructions as to baiting the hook and manag- 

 ing the line shall, as proposed, conclude this chapter. 

 I presume the angler to be provided with a quantity of 

 prepared worms. If he intends devoting to the sport 

 the best part of an entire day, let his supply of these 

 be ample. On no such occasion, ought he to venture 

 on a river where trout abound, without five or six 

 scores. Nothing is so provoking as to run short of 

 bait, at a time when fish are in the taking humour ; 

 and yet how frequently does this happen even with 

 experienced fishers ? The worms, I further presume, 

 are confined in a flannel bag ten or twelve inches in 

 depth, and of width sufficient to admit readily the hand 

 of the sportsman. Along with them has been placed a 

 quantity of hart's-horn fog, moistened or otherwise, 

 according to their condition. The bag, for conveni- 

 ence, should be appended to a button or button-hole at 

 the side of the angler. In addition to the bag, some 

 use a tin box affixed to a belt or leather strap, which 

 is buckled on round the waist. To this, the best and 

 liveliest worms are transferred, free of moss, so that they 

 can be taken out at once and without injury. 



In baiting, let the operator hold the hook either in 

 his right or left hand, betwixt the thumb and forefinger, 

 and, having extracted with the other from its place of 

 confinement a worm of suitable dimensions, let him, 

 beginning not far from the head of the reptile, thrust 



