FISHING AT HOME AND ABROAD 

 burned) until hard and dry, then grinding in a coffee mill to powder. 

 To prepare it ready for use, take the quantity you may require, put 

 it into a clean bowl, add just a little water to miake it damp — ^mind 

 you, as little as possible — ^then rub it with the hands until it works 

 smooth, no lumps, so that it does not stick to the hands or fall to pieces 

 when you throw it in, and of such consistency that as soon as it strikes 

 the water it falls to pieces like dust, and spreads around. To get this 

 ground-bait just the right consistency requires practice. If wanted 

 for running water, add more water and press into a hard lump; it will 

 then break away with the action of the water after reaching the bottom. 

 The great advantage of this bait is it is too fine for the fish to get a 

 great deal at a time, so your hook-bait has a good chance. It will 

 also keep good for any length of time if kept dry, and, being in a con- 

 centrated form, a large quantity goes into a small space. Many take 

 two bags, one for the dry stuff, and, after getting to the river, put a 

 small quantity into the other bag and damp it at the riverside. With 

 practice this can be done nearly as well. This is the ground-bait 

 usually used for match fishing. For pleasure fishing I do not think 

 there is anything to beat scalding some bran with boiling water, 

 then cover down until the bran has swelled to its utmost capacity. 

 Then add the dust until the proper consistency required. Of course, 

 many of our anglers add other condiments to the above, as they fancy; 

 but, as I have said before, after years of experimenting, ' Don't ' 

 is my advice; for if you cannot catch fish after using this bait properly 

 prepared, the fish are not there, or absolutely off the feed. 



*' I have been told that our idea in using ground -bait is to throw 

 more in the water than the next man to you. It all depends upon how 

 the fish are feeding and the condition of the water. A general rule is, 

 if a good colour and the fish well on the feed, keep dropping a bit in 

 about the size of a walnut, and as soon as the fish appear to slacken 

 off biting, stop for a time; if fine water, great care is necessary to 

 prevent overfeeding or frightening the fish." 

 A killing bait for roach is bread crust; take the bottom crust of a loaf 



and cut it into small cubes; by slightly moistening the crust you can easily 



put the hook through it. 

 The modern very white, starchy, odourless bread is not nearly so good 



as that made from the old farmhouse stone-ground flour, which kept 



moist and sweet for days; it is not nearly so good for bait or for making 

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