PUTTING WORMS ON HOOKS. 239 



worms, if they are large lob or blue-heads, you 

 may leave a third part of the worm beyond the 

 point of the hook, as you will thus afford it more 

 room to wriggle and appear more lively in the 

 water. The tails of small worms should scarcely 

 project beyond the point of your hook. In put- 

 ting on the worm hold the hook, its point down- 

 wards, between the up-lifted ends of your left 

 fore -finger and thumb, and take the worm by the 

 back of the neck, as it were, by the same fingers 

 of the right hand, and when you have got the- 

 head of the bait up the shank beyond the bend of 

 the hook you may draw it gently further with 

 the left fingers, pushing the worm on at the same 

 time with the right hand fingers. Take care not 

 to perforate, after the first perforation, the body 

 of the worm with the point or barb of the hook. 

 Never try to get the worm on by, so to speak, 

 stitches. Endeavour as much as you can to make 

 the tail of the worm fall inside the barb of the 

 hook, and not on the outside of the point. If it 

 hangs on the outside the hook will soon penetrate 

 the upper part of it, and the point being exposed 

 the fish will either refuse the bait altogether, or 

 nibble off the part that is hanging partly dis- 

 severed and clear of the hook. In fishing for 

 carp, dace, and gudgeons, use a small showy, 

 lively worm, drawn up on the hook, the tail 

 almost to the very point. 



