12 THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 



GKOUND-BAIT. 



The best ground-bait for roach is bread 

 and bran. Take about a pound of bread of 

 any kind, and soak it in water till it is quite 

 soft, then put it into a bag and squeeze all the 

 water from it, then put into the bag with it 

 about a quart of bran, and work it together 

 till it comes to a stiff paste. This you may do 

 at home, if you please, and take it all ready 

 with you to the water. When baiting the 

 ground with it, throw it in in pieces about the 

 size of a walnut, one now and then. If the 

 water be deep, press each piece into the form 

 of a cup, or put into it a small stone, so that 

 it may sink quickly into the place where you 

 wish it to fall; always bearing in mind, that 

 ground-bait, falling into an improper place, is 

 very detrimental to your sport, seeing that it 

 coaxes the fish away from you. Many anglers 

 are not half particular enough in this respect. 

 Your baited hook should always be exactly in 

 the place where the ground-bait is. If the 

 water is still and shallow, the smaller your 

 pieces are the better. If the fish are feeding 

 well, do not throw in any bait, but, as you 



