CREEPER FISHING. 1 G 1 



advantageously. Without a sinker there is little 

 danger of the hook getting fast on stones or the like ; 

 and when the angler sees his line stop, he should 

 strike almost on the instant. 



We have many a time been amused with the 

 timidity shown by anglers, even anglers, when they 

 took a creeper in their hands for the first time. The 

 poor animal is generally thrown to the ground as if it 

 were a livefcoal, and often with a profane ejaculation 

 accompanying it. It certainly is not a pretty ani- 

 mal, and its nimble legs tickle the palm of the hand ; 

 but the angler soon gets over his timidity when he 

 finds the reptile-looking innocent a deadly trout- 

 bait. 



The stones, large and small, under which creepers 

 are to be found, are embedded loosely among clean 

 and generally pretty coarse sand ; and where the in- 

 sects lie the water is always running, and that, from 

 one inch to five or six inches deep ; and when the 

 river gets less as the season advances, they retire with 

 the river, but still keep under stones of a similar kind. 

 Places abounding with stones and sand, as described, 

 are in rivers generally plentiful ; and in such places, 

 in a dry spring season, no difficulty need be experi- 

 enced in procuring abundance of creepers. When 

 taken, they should be kept in a perforated tin box, dry 

 11 



