The lob, or dcw worm, is found in gar dens and pastures, late in summer even ings, by using a lanthorn and candle. They are also dug up in fields, and by the sides of drains and ditches. To scour and preserve them for use, take some moss, dip it into clean water, wring it dry, put half of it into an earthen pot, then put in the worms, and the rest of the moss at top ; cover it close, that they may not get out, and keep it in a cool place in summer, and in a warmer in winter; the moss should be changed every fifth or sixth day. a week the worms will be fit for use. These directions will also answer for other species of worms.
Brandlings, red-worms, and gilt-heads, are found in the same dunghills together, which consists of hogs' dung, horses' dung, and rotten earth. Ilnt the WOM1S which are found in tanner's bark, after it has been used and become quite rotten, are the best of all ; but they are generally better for angling without any scouring.
Long white worms, found chiefly in tur nip fields, are good bait, especially in muddy water. They are preserved best in some of their own earth, kept damp, with some moss over it.
Marsh worms, found in marshy grounds and rich banks of rivers.
The red worms, found in cow dung, and dock worms, found about the roots of docks, flags, and sedges, are all goocl bait. As are likewise the grubs found in cow dung, called cow-dung bobs, which are of a yellowish white, with recl heads, and the short bobs, or grubs, found in mellow sandy land, which have pale red heads, yellowish tails, and bodies of the colour of the earth wherein they are found, but which n hen scoured are of a pale white. These layst are an excellent winter bait ; the best way to render them tough is, to put them into boiling milk, for about two minutes, on the morning which they are to be used.
Caterpillars, found by beating the branches of oaks, and other trees, that grow over highways, paths, and open pla ces, and the cabbage grubs found on and in the hearts of cabbages, are also excel lent bait; these last are to be fed, and preserved, with th e same kind of leaves on which they are found. Shad-roe is like wise a good bait ; but the numerous pastes and oils, which many have prescribed for enticing fish to bite, are, in the opinion of the most experienced anglers, only idle chima:ras.
Worms are best putt on hooks, by run ning the hooks in at the head of one worm, and out about his middle, drawing it up over the shank, and putting on a se contl worm beneath the first, in the mid dle of whose body the point of the hook is to be concealed ; the tails of both worms hanging loose will entice the fish.
Ground bait is often used with good effect, particularly for barbel and for perch. It should be a general rule, that the ground bait should be always inferior to thatwhich is used OD the hook ; greaves therefore should not be used, as is cus tomary with some ; but for this purpose, malt grains, bran, blood, parts of lob worms, and clay, all worked up together and made into small balls, is the most proper composition ; and two or three of these balls, thrown into the place where you desire to fish, is sufficient at a time. This may be repeated now and then, but much should not be used, for if this should be done, the fish will glut themselves, and become less eager for the bait on the hook.
A good ground bait is made for perch, by taking three or four balls of the stiffest clay that can be procured, making holes in them, putting one end of a lob-worm into each hole, and closing the clay fast on them. These balls should then be thmwn into the water, about a yard from each other, when the worms, being alive in the balls, will move and twist about, which tempts the fish to feed upon them. But by angling with worms of a superior kintl, the fish will on sight of them leave those in the clay, and seize the others with the greatest avidity.
The tackle necessary for angling con sists of fishing rods, lines, links ofhair, and of other materials usual ; hooks, floats, spare-caps, split shot, bait of different sorts, including ground bait, shoemakers' wax, twine, silk, a cleanng ring, which being passed over the rod, when the hook is entangled, and drawn down the line by a strong twine attached to it for the pur pose, to the hook or below it, if the ob struction is caused by weeds, will either free the hook or break the line near it, and prevent its being strained in any other place, by pulling the twine with sufficient three. A landing net is also useful to land large fish : and a gaff; when fishing for salmon, to be used for the .same pur pose ; which instrument consists of a large hook attachecl to the end of a pliable stick ; by passing the hook into the nose or gills of the fish, it may be easily lifted out of the water, for hich purpose a landing net is too small. A disgorger is also necessary, to put down the throat of' a fish, when he has gorged the hook, till you touch it, when on pulling the line it will be free. The disgorger is fortned by a piece of flat wood, about six inches long, and half an inch wide, forked at the ends. To these articles a fish-basket should be added, to carry the fish in.