BRITISH SPORT PAST AND PRESENT 



feed ; so pleased, indeed, was one of the salmon-fishers afore- 

 said, that he exclaimed, " Well, there are only two kinds of 

 fishing, salmon fishing and gudgeon fishing," a dictum worthy 

 of the respected speaker. When we first went out, not a fish 

 could we catch, though we knew there were plenty close under 

 the punt. The reason was that we had not got the hook at the 

 proper depth ; it ought to be an inch, or rather less, from the 

 bottom ; if it is more, the fish, who feed only at the bottom, 

 don't see it, and it passes over them untouched. Gudgeon are 

 curious fish as regards biting ; some days they will bite furi- 

 ously, another day they won't look at the bait. Even when 

 they are biting well, they will suddenly leave off. The remedy 

 then is to " scratch their backs," as Charon says, " with the 

 rake." This will often make them begin again. We have been 

 out and caught eight or ten fish in one day, and a few days 

 afterwards, with two rods in the same place, we catch fifteen 

 dozen — the best day's sport we ever had. Much, however, 

 depends on the bait ; worms, we find, are decidedlj' the best, 

 and those the small red worm from the dunghill. They will 

 be taken by the fish better if they are kept in moss a day or two 

 beforehand, than if used directly they are dug up. We have 

 found that a little cream poured on the moss causes the fish 

 to bite at them with eagerness ; the reason probably is, that 

 the worms feed on the cream and thereby acquire a fine trans- 

 parent look. Something, too, depends on the line ; this must 

 not be too thick, nor of a colour easily seen in the water. The 

 finest line that can be used is made of human hair ; it is much 

 finer and much stronger than gut made from silk-worms ; but 

 it must be made by the fisherman himself ; it cannot be bought 

 anywhere that we know of. It is difficult, also, to get human 

 hair long enough ; the hair-merchants in the City are the only 

 people who sell it ; it is, moreover, very expensive. 



' When the gudgeon are caught, they are placed in the well 

 of the boat, which communicates with the water outside by 

 means of an open grating. The fish seem to know they are 

 captives, for they all crowd to the grating when one attempts 



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