66 BOTTOM FISHING IN THE NOTTINGHAM STYLE. 



one who may happen to follow you soon. In fact, I don't 

 like the plan at all, but as it is used a good deal on the Trent, 

 I have thus referred to it. The best of all ground bait, in 

 my opinion, for barbel is about a thousand or so of large 

 lob-worms. These are procured at night out of the meadows 

 where the grass is short after a heavy fall of rain or dew, by the 

 aid of a lantern and candle. In gathering them, step as carefully 

 as you can, and by the light from the lantern you will see 

 the worms stretched out on the grass, or at least partly out 

 on the grass and partly in their holes. Seize each one firmly 

 but carefully, and draw it out of its hole. Drop them in a 

 bag or whatsoever you have with you, but be as still as you 

 can, for at the least noise they will disappear like lightning 

 into their holes. A pair of creaking boots are fatal to the 

 success of the worm-catcher ; he must be prompt in his actions 

 and move about as stealthily as a mouse. 



When you have a sufficient quantity of them, and they 

 have been scoured for a few days among some clean moss, 

 you may then proceed to bait the swim. To do this, some 

 cut them up in pieces and scatter them down the swim, and 

 also a little above the hole, if it be a hole you are going to 

 fish, so that the stream may carry them down fair and square 

 into it. If possible, the angler does this three nights before 

 ne fishes the pitch. About five hundred the first, three hun- 

 dred the second, and two hundred the third is a good pro- 

 portion. "When he comes to fish the next morning, he must 

 be sure, before he puts his rod and tackle together, to cut up 

 a dozen or so and scatter them down the swim. This is an 

 important point ; the reason will be given further on. 

 Some anglers throw the worms in whole, for this reason — 

 they say that they live longer in the water and will attract 

 the fish better, whereas the cut up worms soon turn bad. I 

 think myself it is the best to use whole worms, but I prefer 

 to bait the place first thing in the morning, before or at sun- 



