SPINNING AND BAIT FISHING. 383 



np stream, letting the current, with an occasional assistance 

 from hand and line, bring it down almost to his feet, or parallel 

 with him to right or left, and if he gets a bite he strikes almost 

 at once or at any rate after three or four seconds down 

 stream, and retires with the descending fish until he has safely 

 transferred it to his creel, usually without quitting the water. 

 He then returns cautiously to his former standpoint and re- 

 news his attentions to the still unfrightened fish above thus 

 gradually ascending the stream step by step, and fishing every 

 yard of water in front of him. 



I would not be understood to advocate for a moment the 

 use of the worm, even if practicable, in our highly stocked 

 southern streams, nor would I personally exchange it for the fly 

 whenever there is a reasonable chance of making a bag with the 

 latter, but it frequently happens in such conditions of water and 

 weather as 1 have described that this is in fact impossible, and 

 there are hundreds of miles of wild river and stream scattered 

 over Ireland and Scotland, and some of our Border counties, 

 where worm fishing finds its legitimate scope and opportunity. 

 And thus pursued I unhesitatingly assert that it is a branch of 

 the sport which is in every way worthy of encouragement. 



As the ' Fishing Gazette ' has observed : ' There are more 

 ways than one of fishing with the worm for trout, and it 

 depends very much upon local circumstances whether the plan 

 employed is fair or unfair. The man who by up-stream fishing 

 on such waters as the Yore, the Coquet, the Eden, in June, 

 July, and August, can in low clear water kill a basket of trout 

 in the daytime is not less scientific or sportsmanlike than the 

 fly fisher.' 



As I have pointed out, an extreme refinement of tackle and 

 niccness of manipulation is required of the successful practi- 

 tioner in the modern school of worm-fishing. For short rods, 

 coarse gut, and a single big hook must be substituted a long, 

 light, and more or less pliant weapon, the very finest gut, and 

 hooks but little larger than those on which the fly fisher dresses 

 his gnats and midges. 



