236 MODERN PRACTICAL ANGLER. 
ficial than by the natural spinning-bait. Formerly 
a “ spoon” about three-quarters of an inch long was 
very killing in many waters; but as with Pike and 
Trout so with Perch, this bait seems latterly to have 
lost much of its attractiveness. A stone Loach, a 
Minnow, or a very small Gudgeon, are all good spinning- 
baits, and should be used both in lakes and rivers with 
the tackle described for fixe lake spinning (p. 123), or for 
river Minnow-spinning (p. 116), as the case may be. 
With a gaudy red fly dressed on, say, a No. 10 hook, 
I have also had good sport, but its Jegitimate province is 
confined to large shallow lakes, and then is only prac- 
tically worth consideration in bright hot weather and a 
dead calm. The flies may be either “trailed” or cast 
by hand; the former plan being usually best until the 
position of a shoal of fish is ascertained, and the latter 
afterwards. As already observed, however, both the 
methods of Perch-fishing above described, are only really 
much worth consideration in the great lakes, where they 
often come in very opportunely to fill what would other- 
wise be a blank day, the most impracticable weather for 
Trout being commonly the most favourable for Perch. It 
certainly does occasionally happen that good baskets may 
be made with the spinning-bait in rivers. I have done 
it repeatedly in the Kennet, below Hungerford, but 
then the fish of this river—in my opinion the best Perch 
water in England—run very large, averaging from ong to 
two pounds, and, owing to strict preservation, are compa- 
