80 THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 



pose you should throw sufficient length of line 

 into the water. Flounders and Eels seldom 

 take a bait unless it lies on the ground : the 

 best bait is a red worm ; indeed, no other bait 

 than worms is likely to succeed. Fishing in 

 this way, you may use half a dozen lines at a 

 time, by casting them in a few yards from 

 each other, and tying the line to a weed or 

 a small stick, stuck in the ground or bank. 

 It is necessary to have a short rod with you, 

 three or four yards long, to the top of which 

 is fixed a small iron crutch or fork; with this 

 rod you take up the lines in the following 

 manner : take the line in your left hand, 

 and with the right pass the crutch or fork 

 under the line, pushing it forward in the water 

 some distance, by which means you can easily 

 lift out your line over weeds, or any other im- 

 pediment. Without this rod or crutch, you 

 would be compelled to drag the lines up the 

 side or bank, where the hooks would catch 

 and spoil the baits, and occasion you infinite 

 trouble. It is astonishing how great a number 



