202 
FOREST AND STREAM 
BAIT FISHING FOR TROUT 
THE ART OF DANGLING WORMS NEED NOT 
BE DESPISED BY THE MOST EXPERT ANGLER 
H OW to fish effectively with worms is 
a topic certain to be welcomed by 
many anglers, not only beginners, 
but some of the more experienced, whose 
minds have not been turned upsidedown 
by their enthusiasm for fly fishing of one 
kind or another. 
It is several years since I practiced 
worm fishing seriously. I abandoned it to 
give the study of trout insects and 
nature flies exclusive practice and 
attention. But for many years be¬ 
fore that, I had given the subject 
careful study and practice, and read 
all the great masters of the art, 
notably W. C. Stewart, the famous 
Scotchman, and many of the more 
modern British anglers. 
There is a finer art in worm fish¬ 
ing, but in this country it is not held 
in such high estimation as it de¬ 
serves, a circumstance entirely owing 
to its being but very imperfectly 
understood. Fly fishers are apt to 
sneer at what they call “worm plug- 
gers.” They fancy it to be a thing 
so simple that anyone may succeed 
in it. So anyone can—at times. But 
those times are very few, and re¬ 
quire the most favorable conditions. 
[ But it is an undeniable fact that a 
live worm is the most effective, 
deadly allround bait available : for all 
fishes that swim, either in fresh or 
in salt water from the plebeian and 
lowly catfish to the lordly salmon, 
at all seasons, daytime or nighttime; 
it is resistless and bound to be seized 
with avidity, especially when it is 
properly impaled on a hook of the 
right size. Of course, the highest 
art in worm fishing is that practiced 
by the expert who captures the wary 
trout in low and clear water during 
June and July, when the fish are 
over gorged with insects, and often 
refuse any selection of fly you offer. 
And one great advantage the worm offers 
over the fly is the superior size of .the 
trout caught. So it is just as important 
that the bait be prepared properly, so that 
the angler may succeed in landing more 
The Right Way- fish of lar § er size ’ at 
any season. 
How to prepare 
worms — 
HE worm re¬ 
quires some 
preparation as 
well as due care in 
placing it before the 
quarry. In using 
worms for trout, 
perch, dace, chub, wall 
eye, and sunfish there 
is a great advantage 
in having them well 
scoured and of 
By LOUIS RHEAD 
proper size. There are four kinds of 
worms most esteemed by anglers. The 
black-headed worm, found in good garden 
soil, is free from the knot which most 
worms have, and is rather dark in color; 
it is the most durable of all worms. Then 
there is the branding, found in old dung 
hills or similar places. It may be known 
by being ringed all round, with a knot a 
o^\o ^ 
Angle-Worms Can Be Found In Any Barnyard 
little above the middle, and it is somewhat 
flat, and dark in color. One objection to 
it is its extreme softness; it is incapable 
of being toughened. The marsh worm 
when taken from the earth is of a pale 
blue color with a whitish knot a little 
above the center. It is a very small worm, 
and when kept long enough becomes a 
lively pink color and most killing for trout, 
chub, dace and sunfish. It is most plenti¬ 
ful and may be found in any garden 
among heaps of decayed leaves or rubbish 
Baited Pink- 
Worm, on No. 10 
Eyed Hook, for 
Ciear-water Fish¬ 
ing in Rivers 
and below stones. The red headed worm 
is only found plentifully in the very rich¬ 
est soil about the edge of dung hills. It 
is thick in proportion to its length, and a 
dark red color down the back, pale blue 
underneath. It is not so good as the 
others mentioned, for it soon loses its 
color after being a short time in the 
water; it is best suited for perch, wall eye, 
and eels. When worms are newly 
dug they are so full of earth as to 
be unfit for use. Brantlings may be 
scoured in a day or two, but the 
other kinds require to be kept at 
least a week. Immediately on being 
dug, they should be well washed in 
clear water and placed in an 
earthen or glass jar with plenty of 
soft moss. Tl)e moss should be well 
washed and wrung as hard as pos¬ 
sible, all the sticks and straws pulled 
out, as they are apt to cut the 
worms. The jar should be examined 
every second or third day, dead or 
sickly worms removed, the moss 
changed, and a few pieces of bread 
soaked in milk provided for their 
nourishment. They will also eat 
fresh, tender grass, until it is dried 
or dead, when it should be replaced 
with fresh. 
The process of toughening worms 
can only be accomplished by keep- 
ing the moss dry, yet cold, so that 
the worms may lose some of the 
moisture of their bodies, thus be¬ 
coming tough and more durable. Of 
course, if carried to any great ex¬ 
tent it impairs their vitality, which 
gives them a withered look. 
When thoroughly divested of 
earthy matter, worms are more 
easily baited, and will last longer. 
It is most important that the worm 
jar be kept always in a cool place. 
For eels and catfish, there is no need 
to scour them; but for trout, chub, 
dace, wall eye, perch and sunfish, it is of 
great value. And it is important to use 
the right kind of worm; the red headed 
worm is best for wall eye and perch; the 
brantling is better for trout, chub, dace 
and sunfish. 
F 
Worm fishing imple¬ 
ments — 
OR trout fishing 
in brooks, the 
entire rig 
should be delicate, 
consisting of a four- 
ounce, eight - foot 
bamboo rod; so 
short and light be¬ 
cause it enables the 
angler to creep 
through bushes, get 
under boughs, and is 
altogether easier tio 
handle along a nar- 
—and the Wrong 
