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I do not recommend the worm as being the best bait for 

 summer fishing. On the contrary, I know several rivers in 

 which fishing with the worm for Roach wouldbe a perfect failure ; 

 you would probably not catch a fish in a week. For instance, I 

 fished the Thames and the Lee for five weeks with the worm, 

 and during all that time, although I caught almost every other 

 kind of river fish, I did not get a single Eoach. I put on suit- 

 able tackle, and fished likely places, but it was no use, every 

 other fish took the bait freely, but no Eoach touched it. I could 

 not account for this, because I knew there were plenty of Eoach 

 in both rivers : until one day, when fishing from the bank at 

 Hampton Court, I saw on the opposite side a nice swim. By 

 wading over a small backwater I could get to it, so I doffed my 

 shoes and stockings, and when I got into the water I was 

 astonished to find it as cold as ice. I have stood in the water 

 for hours together, but I could not have stood that for five 

 minutes. I then thought it was no wonder Eoach would not 

 take the worm. The cause was at once discovered. I found out 

 that the Thames water was of about the same temperature as 

 the Derwent and Dove, being twice as cold as the Trent, and the 

 Soar and the Idle, in which Eoach take the worm well nearly all 

 through the summer. It is no use fishing the Dove and the 

 Derwent with the worm for Eoach, except in winter. I have 

 not fished the Thames in winter, but I have no doubt Eoach 

 in that river would then take worms as well as in the former 

 two. I have studied to find out the reason -why fish would not 

 bite in one river as well as another, and I feel sure the cause 

 is, that the water of one river is much harder and colder than 

 another. In my opinion, you cannot fish with a better 

 bait for Eoach for the first two or three weeks after spawning 

 than gentles, and indeed all through the summer you can take 

 Eoach with this bait more or less. Prom the latter end of July 

 to the end of September, creed malt and wheat are very good 

 baits, with grains to throw in. "White and red paste are also 

 good, with chewed bread for ground bait. From October till 

 April the red worm or cockspur, and white paste are the best baits. 



