HOW TO ANGLE FOR SMELTS, &C. 149 



pounds a piece 3 and they will take a bait during 

 almost every montli in the year. 



How to angle for Smelts, and Observations thereon. 



Smelts are well known as a most delicious Fish for 

 the table. They are of an elegant shape, covered 

 with loose white scales ; the back is of a dark hue, 

 but the sides and belly are ahnost transparent, and 

 5hine like silver ; the eyes have also the same silvery 

 appearance ; their jaws and tongue have many teeth, 

 and very large for so small a Fish. Though they ar- 

 rive twice every year in the Thames, that is, in March 

 and July, yet, it is said, they do not get above Lon- 

 don Bridge during their last visit. AVhen they arrive, 

 if the season be favourable for the Fishermen to work 

 their nets, they then take, or rather used to take, an 

 immense quantity of them, which enables the poor 

 Fisherman to discharge some of the debts he una- 

 voidably contracts in Winter, in consequence of his 

 not being able to labour in his vocation. Between 

 London Bridge and Lambeth, is the principal place 

 for taking Smelts in nets ; but, for the last twenty 

 years past, those poor Fishermen have been deprived 

 of their resourse for paying off the debts of Winter, 

 by the Smelts not making their annual appearance in 

 the river Thames, previous to the time above alluded 

 to. The river used to swarm with this delicious Fish. 

 \ In July, we used to begin angling for Smelts, in the 

 various wet docks, below bridge 3 but at the floating 

 o 2 



