BAITS FOR NOTTINGHAM ANGLING; 71 



In ground-baiting a pitch, the Nottingham fishermen 

 seldom use clay or any substance of that kind, but break 

 up the worms and cast them in loose. The number used 

 runs from eight to twelve or even fourteen hundred, as the 

 case may require. They are not distributed too widely, 

 but kept within the limits it is desired to fish, and twenty 

 hours at least are allowed for the ground-bait to be con- 

 sumed. Having baited their pitch, if the water be low 

 and clear, they take care, when they approach to fish, 

 not to come too close to their swim or to make any dis- 

 turbance ; but they stand well above the place where they 

 expect to find the fish, often fifteen or twenty yards above 

 it, striking thirty or even forty yards off. Thus they do 

 not alarm the fish, but often manage to get good sport 



position of the bait is wrong ; that the float is so checked that the bait 

 instead of dragging slightly somewhat behind it, acquires precisely the 

 reverse position, bending just as much in front of the float as I have shown 

 it behind. Now I do not hesitate to say that this is simply impossible, for 

 no bait and float could continue to travel so. If the bait touches the bottom 

 at all, the line must bulge or project slightly over in front of the hook and 

 bait, however slightly ; and if the float be held back so tightly that the line 

 is kept back, and the bait travels before the line, then I aver that the 

 laiit must absolutely be swept off the bottom altogether, and that it would 

 be impossible to keep up such a constant nicety of alternate tension and 

 giving off of line as should keep the bait to the bottom, and yet btfare the 

 line and float. Besides, so much tension would draw the float and bait 

 nearer to the bank, and therefore out of the swim in most cases. The whole 

 of this theory is founded upon a considerable misapprehension as to the 

 manner in which a fish takes a bait. The idea is, that as the line projects 

 rather in front of the bait, it would come in contact with the fish's nose 

 before the bait did, and scare him. Now that is supposing that every bait 

 comes straight down the stream directly upon the fish's nose. Let anyone 

 stand upon a bridge and look down at fish feeding, and he will see that 

 nine baits out of ten are taken sideways, the fish making a side dart either 

 to one side or the other, as he sees a worm, grub, &c., passing him, and con- 

 sequently, save once now and then, his nose would not need to come in 

 contact with the line at all. The float should be checked so that only the 

 bait should drag, to achieve perfection ; but as to the bait curving down- 

 stream and drifting along the bottom before the float, it is easier to imagine 

 it than to practise it I feel sure. F. F. 



