34 ANGLING 



BAITING THE GROUND 



Those who live near a river, and especially those 



whose premises adjoin it, should select an even bottom 



and a place moderately deep, and regularly feed the 



fish. Make everything convenient for the sport ; put 



up a hurdle, if there be no bushes, and tuck evergreen 



branches between the bars : make it fast in the ground, 



rather leaning over the water. If there be an eddy, or 



scarcely any stream, you may hang up a liver or a dead 



cat on a sloping stick for want of a tree, so that the 



maggots may drop from it in such a spot that they will 



get to the bottom about where you fish ; or it is better 



to provide carrion gentles and worms, and bait the 



place exactly day after day. If there be a stream, make 



balls of clay, maggots, and worms, bread, greaves, snails, 



and any living things you can get, only use enough clay 



to sink them — in other words, make the ground-bait 



rich : when you are going to fish, put the same quantity 



of bait, but make it poor, and you are as sure of sport 



as you wet your line. Whoever fishes a pond or river 



often should prepare a place; and the object of the 



hurdle is to place a complete screen between you and 



the fish, and it will be the fault of the angler if he is 



seen at all. Land your fish beyond the hurdle, on the 



side which is most handy. When you are on your own 



ground, if there be no holes or deep places, make one 



at any cost ; and this is especially necessary in some 



ponds which are shallow at the edge. When there are 



many weeds, have them cleared, if possible, altogether. 



If no other way presents itself, use your drag, but it 



should be done days before you fish. Make but a hole, 



or small deep, form a good screen, regularly feed the 



fish, and with good clean baits and appropriate tackle you 



will take some of the best in the water. 



Before closing this account of tackle and baits, we beg 

 to remark that attention to these respective objects is of 

 great importance to the angler, and a very necessary 

 ingredient of his success in the pursuit of all kinds of 

 fish. We like to see care bestowed on this part of 



