102 HABITS OF THE GUDGEON. 



the line is shot into the exact depth, you will catch no 

 gudgeons, although there may be thousands in the 

 swim. The fisherman who goes out in the punt must 

 not be deprived of his glass of ale for his instructions 

 in these matters. 



When out gudgeon-fishing on the Thames, be sure 

 and take a frying-pan, as gudgeons taken out of the 

 water and immediately fried are delicious. Clean, wipe, 

 and flour, then well fiy in boiling fat, or, better, in oil, 

 till they are crisp and of a light brown colom\ Such a 

 fish dinner is always a great feature in a pic-nic on a 

 fine day. 



The habits of the gudgeon are little understood, as 

 some years they are very abundant and other years 

 very scarce ; and it not unfrequently happens that they 

 disappear from localities where they have been plentiful 

 for years. The cause of this is unknown, and I leave 

 it for our friends, to whom we fish cultm'ists would be 

 exceedingly obliged if the cause of these appearances 

 and disappearances of the gudgeon can be explained. 

 The gudgeons are said to spawn in the months of April 

 and May, and the French authorities say they require 

 a month to hatch out. 



The best months for gudgeon-fishing are August, 

 September, October, and even November. The angler 

 will observe that among his catch some may be very 

 little fish, while others are of three times the size. 

 Here, then, is another difiiculty. What is the age of 

 these fish, and to which hatchings do they belong ? 

 in. the winter the gudgeons go into very deep holes. 

 Favourite spots for them when in the biting humour 

 about Windsor are the deep holes di-edged out of the bed 

 of the Thames by the dredging, locally called ballast, 

 barges, from which, by the way, I have often procured. 



