70 BOTTOM FISHING. 



localities the small lob and red worms are the 

 favourite bait, in others wasp grubs and gentles. A 

 change in the bait, contrary to the accepted rule of 

 the district, we have always found to answer well, 

 often surprisingly so. In river fishing considerable 

 caution should be exercised in bank movements, etc., 

 as they are quick to take alarm, when they imme- 

 diately retire to their holes, or stop feeding. When a 

 boy, we often met with good sport bottom fishing in 

 the Trent. Our method of extracting them was to 

 sink a live blue-bottle, stone, or cinnamon fly some 

 distance in the water upon a fine gut hook, mounted 

 with a very fine shot or scrap of lead wire entwined 

 around the gut above a knot. This would be care- 

 fully let down in some deep quiet hole, whilst we 

 would be rendered invisible by an intervening bush 

 or bough, the bait being always within our ken, not- 

 withstanding. The instant the lure was seized we 

 would strike, and the capture be consummated 

 quickly, to avoid a disturbance of the remainder of 

 the family. By this process takes of large fish, that 

 were often numbered by the dozen, were secured in 

 the autumn months. 



Ground bait may be judiciously used in river 

 fishing, a hundred or two of cockspur or brandling 

 worm thrown in for a day or two previous will amply 

 answer to gather the fish together. In the early 

 morning and late in the evening bream bite the best. 



CHUB (Genus Leuciscus). These fish may be fished 

 for by an almost endless variety of baits. They will 

 take a fly with as much avidity as they will swallow a 



