96 



Sixth round. It was now very plain that the gent had not 

 inuch chance, for the odds were against him catching much fish. 

 Her ladyship caught him once more on the potatoe trap, and 

 another on the snout, and got clear away. 



Seventh round. On time being called, it was evident the 

 biting was all over, and he had not a shadow of a chance of 

 winning ; having got his tackle ravelled, he gave up licked. I 

 then threw up the gentle bag in token of defeat, and Mrs. Pish 

 was hailed the winner. Thus ended one of the worst exhibitions 

 of fishing I ever saw. Only fourteen sprats were caught, which 

 did not weigh in all above two pounds. The gent said it was 

 not a Roach fishing day, that the sun was too bright a common 

 excuse with anglers when they get licked by their own bad 

 judgment. 



There are some writers on angling who recommend this ground 

 bait, with several other additions to it, for all sorts of fish that 

 require ground baiting ; but I am of opinion that it is a piece 

 of advice given without knowledge. I will state a few facts, 

 and leave them to the judgment of my readers. In the first 

 place, if you have baited a place with gentles for Roach, what 

 bait do you fancy will catch him best after such a baiting ? 

 What do you think of the worm ? do you think it would catch 

 him better than any other bait ? No, certainly not. He would 

 not take" it ; gentles would be the best. Very well, suppose 

 you bait a place with worms, should you fish it with gentles ? 

 By no means. Now, say you bait a place with greaves, and 

 another person comes three or four hours after you, and gives 

 the fish two or three quarts of gentles, and another follows and 

 throws in a lot of worms, what bait would you fish with next 

 day ? You cannot tell, nor can you invent one which the fish 

 will take. Then suppose you bait a place with bran, soaked 

 bread, and gentles, you would not think of fishing with worms ; 

 it would be absurd to do so. Well, take the London style of 

 ground bait altogether, and add what more you like, what bait 

 would you put on your hook ? Gentles, you say, why not fish with 

 the worm ? Because they would not take it so well you reply. 



