54 BOTTOM FISHING. 



point of strength, and when slightly stained the colour 

 of the water where it is intended to be used, it is as near 

 being invisible as anything ever discovered. Hair 

 effectually superseded the Indian weed, and silk-worm 

 gut will eventually supersede hair quite as effectually. 

 To return to our subject. Gentles, pastes, boiled 

 grain, cad or straw bait, and small red worms are most 

 worthy the angler's attention as baits. It is necessary 

 to bait moderately the swim fixed upon the evening 

 previous. We emphasise moderately, because it is the 

 custom to sink so much food for the fish under the appel- 

 lation of ground bait, that by the time the expectant 

 rodster " turns up " the whole school will have gorged 

 themselves and dispersed to more secluded nooks to 

 doze off the effects ; hence it is the enterprising angler 

 so frequently meets with scant sport. This is often 

 attributed to the influence of passing electricity, 

 whether in the earth, or atmosphere, or may be both ; 

 failing this, and a thousand and one other abstruse 

 reasons, the weary angler can always comfort himself 

 and explain to his friends and neighbours that as 

 there was scarce anything in the swim in question, it 

 followed in the natural course of things that little 

 could be hauled out of it. After baiting judiciously 

 overnight the fish will have congregated upon the 

 baited spot at daybreak, if not before, when they are 

 on the forage for breakfast. The object in baiting 

 over night, it must not be forgotten, is merely to pro- 

 duce an appetising effect on the next morning. If the 

 object in view be to collect fish at any given spot 

 from more distant localities, a good store of ground 



