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hear those who know a thing or two say, " we would not give 

 the toss of a farthing for the fisherman who would stand twenty 

 minutes without a bite ; we once believed in that principle, but 

 all faith in it is now gone for ever." I would not, however, 

 advise you young anglers, who do not thoroughly understand 

 the art, to be too hasty in leaving a place. You may have done 

 something or other wrong ; try another dodge or two. That bit of 

 scratching you threw in has perhaps gone down the stream out of 

 your reach ; throw in another bit three or four yardshigherup the 

 stream ; put a fresh bait on ; take a swim of twenty or five and 

 twenty yards ; put two or three inches deeper, and fish further 

 out, or a little shallower, and try closer in. Never fish long on 

 one system ; alter your style in some way or other, and you 

 may find out the reason why you have not been able to get a 

 bite. 



You may fish with pith and brains, in the same style as 

 recommended for scratching, and taking the whole season 

 through, I consider this bait the best of the two, at least I have 

 tested both baits in two or three different rivers, and found 

 pith and brains to be the best. Indeed, in some rivers scratching 

 altogether fails, and even on some parts of the Trent it does 

 not take half so well as pith and brains. As this is a sweet and 

 clean bait, I recommend the Chub fisher to use it when he can 

 get it, in preference to scratching. But whichever bait you 

 fish with, take a towel with you to wipe your hands after hand- 

 ling the bait, for if a bit ever so small touches the rod or line, 

 it will stick to it and mar your fishing. 



