MAY. 



ANGLING. 



147 



Carp is not in season, nor barbel, till the 

 middle of the month : perch now become fine, 

 and afford good sport till the end of June: 

 their haunts are clear, swift rivers, with pebbly 

 bottoms ; in moderately deep waters, near 

 sluices, etc. They frequent holes by the sides 

 of little streams, and the hollows under banks : 

 they are best taken in cloudy, windy weather, 

 and, as some say, from seven to ten in the fore- 

 noon, and from two to seven in the afternoon : 

 but Isaac Walton says they will bite at all sea- 

 sons, and all hours ; " being like the wicked of 

 this world, not afraid, though their companions 

 perish in their sight." Worms, minnows, boil- 

 ed horse-beans, cadis, and oakworm, (cynips) 

 and gentles," are his baits. The chub will this 

 month take flies, snails, beetles with the legs off, 

 and the black bee, which builds in clay walls. 

 His haunts are streams shaded with trees. The 

 tench is well taken this month, with a red 

 worm, a lob-worm, well scoured gentle, or a 

 green caterpillar shook from a tree. But the 

 pride of May angling is the trout ; which, how- 

 ever is not perfectly prime till next month. 



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