26 ANGLING. 



very good plan to have a heap of this mixed with some 

 very rotten old manure, covered over with a bit of carpet 

 to keep it moist in the summer. The worms will soon 

 tyreed in it, and the angler can then choose what he 

 iv.jiiires from time to time. They keep well for a week or 

 more, in a few bits of old rag or rotten net, which is the 

 best thing to scour and cleanse them in, provided they are 

 kept fairly moist and in a cool place. 



The tackle to use for gudgeon fishing is a light taper 

 cork float, proportioned to the stream, and a yard or two of 

 tolerably fine gut. Plumb the depth, and set the float so that 

 the bait shall just drag the bottom, the hook must be a small 

 one, number 9, 10, or 11 ; the rod, of course, must depend 

 upon whether you are fishing from a punt or from the 

 bank. The ordinary rods used for these means will do, 

 and last, but not least, the angler must have a large heavy 

 iron rake, with a long stout handle, to rake the bottom 

 with. All else being ready, the bottom, for a space of 

 some two or three square yards, is vigorously raked, so as 

 to disturb the sand and earthy particles, and to send them 

 down stream in a cloud. This attracts the gudgeon, who 

 expect to find fresh food in the freshly turned up gravel, 

 and they flock to the spot from some distance down. 

 Then, the raking finished, the angler drops in his tackle, 

 and if the gudgeon are there, and are feeding, his float 

 will not move a yard before it will bob down with a dash 

 that there is no mistaking. A quick short stroke and a 

 brief pull will bring the little brown fellow wriggling to 

 the top, when a touch at the bait to re-settle it on the hook 

 is all that is required, for the same bait will often take six 

 or seven or more fish before it is worn out. When the fish 

 begin to grow tired of biting, another turn of the rake 

 may bring them on afresh for a short time, and even a 



