236 THE TROLLER S GUIDE. 



your prize, as directed in trolling with the gorge. — 

 Note. Carry several baits with you in a box, as di- 

 rected in Chap. VIII. 



Seasons and Weather proper for Trolling, and how to 

 bring Jack or Pike ashore. 



Jack and Pike will take a bait in every month du- 

 ring the year, but seldom very freely till September or 

 October, which is quite early enough in the season to 

 troll ; because, though Jack and Pike spawn in March, 

 yet they remain a long time after, very languid, weak, 

 and sickly, and their bodies are long and thin, and their 

 heads large, caring little for food until the cool morn- 

 ings, evenings, and nights, of the Autumn approach ; 

 they then rapidly recover their appetite and strength, 

 and soon become fat and well-flavoured, and are in 

 the best state for the table, from Michaelmas till the 

 middle of February. It is with real regret, that the 

 true sporting or gentleman Angler puts his trolling 

 tackle together before September ; but the misfortune 

 is, that all the waters, within a considerable distance 

 of London, are continually fished by poachers, and, in 

 consequence of such practices, the different subscrip- 

 tion waters allow trolling to commence in June or 

 July. The Angler, from necessity, avails himself of 

 this liberty to troll, because he argues, that he may as 

 well kill a few Jack himself, as to pay an annual sum 

 to a water, and leave them to the unfair Angler, who 

 will kill all he can, and laugh, in his sleeve, at the 

 other's forbearance. In September, the weeds, rushes, 



