THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 13 



would do in more important circumstances, 

 "leave well alone." I have sometimes found 

 that in still waters, a little bread, chewed very 

 fine, and thrown in, is a very enticing ground- 

 bait. 



THE DEPTH. 



The general rule is, to let the bait just 

 touch the ground ; but we have frequently 

 found that they will take it, at certain times, 

 much better two or three inches above it, 

 though at others, they will not touch it unless 

 it be on the ground. You must, therefore, 

 use your own judgment according to the 

 feeding of the fish, for they do not feed in 

 all waters, places, and times alike. Generally, 

 however, you take the largest fish with the 

 bait on the bottom. 



It is a good plan in still waters, especially 

 when they are very fine on the feed, to raise 

 your float now and then, four or five inches 

 out of the water, several times, and then let it 

 settle, for if anything will tempt them to take 

 the bait it is that manoeuvre. We have fre- 

 quently been fishing for them when we could 

 not get a fish in any other way ; they see the 

 bait moving and are excited to take it. 



