458 PRACTICAL LESSONS IN THE GENTLE CRAFT. 



he does nothing of the kind. I have frequently heard 

 Thames fishermen say to one another, " Have you had any 

 sport to-day," and shaking their heads mournfully they 

 say, " No, but those confounded dace have been nibbling at 

 the bait all day long." But the nibbling probably arose 

 from a totally different source, and it has been barbel 

 biting when they were in that capricious mood I just spoke 

 of, and when they only bite very gently and tenderly. 

 Now I have a little bit of a dodge by means of which I have 

 tried to find out the weak points of a barbel when he has 

 been in that particularly low-spirited condition with regard 

 to feeding. Instead of completely spoiling my worm by the 

 process of threadling previously spoken of, I take a perch- 

 hook, No. 8 or 9, and then a lob worm, and pop the hook 

 right through the middle. I just nick it through the 

 middle of the worm, and leave the two ends of the worm to 

 work about. Now if you compare the action of those 

 worms in a basin of water, the one being threadled right up 

 the gut with only a little atom of lively flesh at the end of 

 his tail, and my worm with two small punctures only made 

 in his flesh while the rest is wriggling and curling most 

 deliciously, I think you will agree with me that if the fish be 

 delicate and refined in his taste with regard to worms, there 

 can be little doubt which of the two he would be likely to 

 prefer. I venture to think he would take mine. The 

 Thames fisherman also, when legering, throws out the bullet 

 and turns the rod sideways at a distinct angle, so that when 

 the fish bites he pulls the rod right down. Well, a child 

 even could hook him then, but sometimes, when they are 

 not feeding, the little resistance that is offered by the rod 

 frightens them and they are off. Now I hold my rod and 

 bait somewhat differently. Having put the worm on I 

 throw out the bullet, and feeling it strike the bottom I lift 



