WORM-FISHING FOR TROUT 199 



shaugh of the pipe, and an amazed and charmed gaze at the 

 mountain crags above, and the ever-changing scenery of the 

 hills as the clouds flit over them, with just sport enough to 

 give amusement without enchaining the attention so much as 

 to prevent us drinking in all the delights that nature spreads 

 for us this, this is to my mind the true delight of angling. 

 This was my first experience, my first angling love, and will 

 be my last. What though you never get a fish over half a 

 pound ? Why, the half-pounder is as much the hero of your 

 day as the two-pounder is of your more pretentious friend, 

 who spent the day up to his middle in the main river, and 

 never noticed a thing all day but blue duns and fluttering 

 willow-flies. And you do not indulge in such a ramble for the 

 sake of showing your fish against all comers, but for solitude 

 and self-communion among scenes that tell no lies and brook 

 none. 



There is not much to learn, apparently, in this kind of fishing, 

 and yet it is astonishing what queer and unlikely places an 

 adept will pull the little speckled fellows out of, which a tyro 

 would deem hopeless. A hook of Nos. 5, 6, or 7, or of the 

 straight round Carlisle bend, is all that you need, with some 

 four feet of moderately fine gut ; no shot or sinkers the 

 gravity of the worm itself is sufficient. Any kind of worms 

 do, but the toughest are the best ; and very small dew or lob 

 worms answer the purpose, if you can get enough of them, 

 better than others. Put the hook in at the head (not, as some 

 prefer it, at the side) ; string the worm on down till there is 

 but half an inch of tail left beyond the point. Now you are 

 ready. Yonder is a small cascade some two feet in width ; 

 drop the worm into it, and let the stream take it where it will. 

 Soh ! No sooner is it clear of the down draught, and near 

 the edge of the little basin, than there is a " pluck, pluck " at 

 the line. Drop the point of the rod for a brief second to let 

 him get the worm in his mouth ; then give a short sharp stroke, 

 and a lift of the rod-point, and you pull the little rascal out 

 flopping on the bank, a noble quarter-of-a-pounder. Never 

 mind ; on with another worm and try again. Let it run close 

 under that bank. " Dab ! " your line goes under it with a 

 shoot. Ah ! you did not drop the point quick enough ; he 

 felt the check, and has left it. Don't worry him leave him, 

 and he may take in a few minutes, but not if you show him 

 the worm too often. Now try by the side of that stone, and 

 steer nicely through that little channel, cut between the rocks. 



