MODE OF APPLYING TWO WORMS TO THE HOOK. 185 



an equal chance of taking a dead fish with a living 

 worm, as a living fish with a dead worm : in all such 

 rivers, the fish prefer fresh meat to carrion. 



In sliding the worm over the hook, care must be 

 taken that its point is not allowed to protrude through 

 and wound the bait, as it will then become quickly 

 mutilated and exhausted in the water ; and I defy the 

 most careful operator to avoid this from frequently 

 occurring during the writhings of the worm, unless his 

 fingers are well rubbed over with sand, which will en- 

 able him to keep it completely under control. This may 

 seem a very simple matter to notice, but I am convinced 

 that no worm-fisher will ever succeed without attending 

 to it ; and it is principally a superior knowledge of 

 these little minutiae, that distinguishes the accomplished 

 angler from the bungler. 



If the worms are small in size, it will be better to 

 use two instead of one, when the operator must proceed 

 as follows : Enter the point of the hook half an inch 

 below the head of the first worm, and bring it out with- 

 in half an inch of the tail ; then slip it entirely over the 

 hook, and slide it so far along the gut for the present, 

 to admit of the application of the second ; which is to 

 be accomplished by inserting the hook into it half an 

 inch above the tail, and running it over the bend of the 

 hook till the point is within half an inch of the head, 

 when the first worm is slipped down upon it. The free 

 extremities, left wriggling about, will be found very 

 tempting. This is an excellent plan if small worms are 

 used upon a fine small hook. 



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