HOW TO BAIT THE CREEPER. 265 



always collect the angler a good stock of them for a con- 

 sideration, if they are to be obtained. Or the angler may 

 collect a store himself by using a small-meshed landing- 

 net, placing it upright across the stream, and then walking 

 into the stream where creepers may be plentiful, scuffle 

 with his feet in the gravel, which dislodges the creepers, 

 and they (if the net be properly placed) drift down into it. 

 A largish box, with a perforated zinc top for air, half rilled 

 with fresh wet weed, is the best way of keeping them. 



The method of using the creeper very much resembles 

 that used in brandling fishing in the larger brooks and 

 rivers, but with this remarkable difference, that whereas 

 the brandling is most deadly when the water is coloured 

 slightly, the creeper is most deadly when it is low and 

 bright, The later the creeper can be fished in the season 

 the better the chance is with trout. The method of using 

 it is as follows : The gut should, of course, be of the 

 finest, some two or three yards ; the hook a straight-bend 

 No. 7, with a longish shank. Some people prefer two 

 smaller hooks, one above the other, the lower hook hooked 

 crosswise through the tail, and the upper through the 

 thorax ; and doubtless, with a tender bait like this, this 

 plan is worth consideration. I generally, however, when I 

 have used it, employed but one hook, as above ; but to pre- 

 vent the fly slipping down to the bend of the hook, I lash 

 into the shank of the hook a short bristle, leaving about a 

 quarter of an inch of it pointing out and upwards towards 

 the gut, and this prevents the bait from slipping down, 

 while it forms no resistance whatever to baiting. Choose 

 the creeper with the most yellow about it (as I believe 

 do the trout) for preference. This, I fancy, is the female, 

 and trout favour the feminine gender with more flies than 

 the stone fly. Take the hook and insert the point at the 

 top of the thorax, threading the bait upon the hook, as it 

 were, until the point comes out about the middle of the 



