THE STEWART WORM-TACKLE 37 



than that used for float-fishing, and is baited with a clean and 

 lively lob worm : though greaves and even gentles are some- 

 times used for a change, worms are the greatest stand by. 

 In baiting the hook, some people take off the head of the 

 worm, if it be large, preferring only to cover the hook well. 

 As I have said, in baiting a barbel hook generally, only the 

 smallest portion of the tail of the worm should be allowed 

 beyond the point of the hook. The tackle is then swung and 

 pitched forward to the requisite distance i.e. where the fish 

 are supposed to be the most plentiful ; and the lead is allowed 

 to remain upon the bottom, a tight line being kept on it, so 

 that the fisherman may just feel the lead, without lifting it 

 at all from the bottom. The moment a bite occurs, the angler 

 will feel it, as the line is not checked at all between the bullet 

 and the point of the rod. At the first touch he should not 

 strike, as the barbel nibbles a little at a stationary bait ; but 

 when he feels two or three sharp jogs at the rod-point, he may 

 strike upwards sharply, as he has to strike the lead from the 

 bottom, as well as to stick the hook into the fish. For the 

 first half-second he should hold the line firmly, so as to fix 

 the hook securely in the fish's mouth ; after which he may 

 let him run, if he be a big one, and play him to the best of his 

 ability. The weight of the lead will help him much in tiring 

 the fish ; the hold seldom gives if the hook be of good size, as 

 the mouth of a barbel is very leathery and tough. 



I will now recommend a species of tackle for this sort of 

 fishing, which I deem to be very superior to the single hook 

 usually employed. One of the greatest annoyances the angler 

 experiences in ledgering, is the constant occurrence of nibbles 

 or short bites, at which he is often induced to strike futilely ; 

 the consequence of which being that the bait is torn or dis- 

 arranged, and the hook so exposed that it becomes necessary 

 to draw it up and bait afresh. If the fish are well-fed and 

 shy, he will get three or four or more nibbles for one bite : 

 and as the bait is a rather long and large one, and the hook 

 likewise, it is useless to strike unless the fish has it in his 

 mouth. Let the angler then adopt the Stewart worm- 

 tackle, shown in Plate IX, Fig. 2, page 211, consisting 

 of three small fly-hooks tied on one above the other, at in- 

 tervals of half an inch or so (the hooks should be rather 

 larger and stouter than those used for trout) and let him 

 fix his worm on these and strike at every nibble, and the 

 result will astonish your Thames puntsman considerably. 





