64 BAIT AND FLY FISHING. 



retreat to which it resorts, according to the 

 height of the water. The knowledge of 

 these facts gives a great advantage to the 

 fisher residing on the banks of a river, over 

 one who may visit it once or twice in a sum- 

 mer. When I went to a strange river in a 

 flooded state, and did not get a nibble in 

 ten minutes, I moved on; if I caught no 

 fish, I caught no cold. As long as my 

 legs were willing to act, I tried every eddy, 

 not unfrequently walking six or eight miles. 

 I will now make some remarks on clear 

 stream fishing, at an ordinary or mean 

 height of water. On reaching the river, I 

 went to a pool that, according to its locality, 

 appeared to have fish in it. I tried fly or 

 minnow, according to circumstances ; if these 

 failed me, I generally resorted to an ordi- 

 nary small hook round bend, No. 6, using 

 as a bait the red hay worm or brandling. 

 These worms when used as bait ought to be 

 kept in a flower pot a few days amongst 

 damp moss, in order to purify them from 

 earthy matter, and to make them tough, so 

 as not to be easily torn from the hook. I 

 drew the worm up over the hook about an 



