OCTOBER 155 



do). If the reader turns up page 51 (3rd edition), he 

 will find a diagram of how to cut up his bait ; the full 

 diagram shows half of the bait for large fish and the 

 diagonal lines show the small pieces, each with a blue 

 and silver half, as used for the small hook. Always 

 remember, in baiting these pieces, to enter the hook on 

 the flesh side of the blue, and back through the skin side 

 of the silvery belly ; this puts the gleaming portion on 

 the outer curve of the hook. Should any enthusiast 

 care to try the living sand-eel as bait, plenty may be 

 got up the estuary by digging in the light shelly sand 

 at low water. They should be kept in a courge or sand- 

 eel basket fastened to the stern of one of the boats at 

 anchor. 



In digging sand-eels it is useful to have a sieve on 

 which to put the spadeful of sand otherwise a large 

 number of eels will escape by burrowing downwards. 

 If a sieve is not to be had a common piece of matting 

 will do at a pinch. With rag-worm as bait I have 

 personally had but little sport, though the small pollack 

 will occasionally take them. I am perfectly convinced 

 that better sport is to be got out of drift-line rod-fishing 

 than railing or whiffing can ever give ; and am inclined to 

 give it a trial round our other coasts. 



GRAYLING AT HUNGERFORD. 



" TICKETS 2s. 6d. per day." This was the announcement 

 that struck my eye, some years ago, when glancing idly 

 through the pages of an October Fishing Gazette, 

 " Kennet and Dunn. Grayling Fishing. Tickets 

 2s. 6d. per day." I thought it was worth trying, and 

 have had many pleasant autumn days in consequence. 

 The spring and early summer trouting is indeed a 

 form of angling without its equal in the writer's estima- 

 tion, but July sees practically the end of it. Of course, 

 exceptional days occur in August when the well-fed 

 trout, which during that month usually disdain to look 

 at the angler's fly, suddenly go mad for an hour or two, 



