Fish and Their Fabulous Neighbors [ 175 



ment has always been a popular sport for boys. Furthermore, as 

 summer approaches, sunfish eagerly take a dry fly; fathers find 

 fishing for "pumpkin seeds" an excellent way of introducing their 

 sons to the techniques of dry-fly fishing. 



Catching Fish for Observation 



It is satisfying to catch fish for food or for the sheer fun of it, 

 but taking them for observation makes an interesting hobby. You 

 need a bar bless hook for this purpose, and the simplest solution 

 is to file the barb off a regular or fly-tied hook. When you catch 

 a fish of the right size, remove it quickly with wet hands and drop 

 it into a wide-mouthed gallon jar of water. You can then study 

 the actions of this underwater creature at leisure. 



Another method is to securely cover with wire mesh the top of 

 the jar in which the fish is captive, and place the jar on its side in 

 shallow water with about an inch of air between the water and 

 the top side. Then you can watch the fish for a day or more; if 

 your youngster enjoys drawing he may wish to sketch the captive. 



CATCHING FISH WITH A NET 



An old and widely used method is taking fish with a net, 

 which you can employ if it is not against the law in your locality. 

 A dark-colored net, deep and tapering toward a rounded bottom, 

 is best. 



This is how to use the net: Walk into a shallow pond or stream 

 and hold the net as you would a hoe. Walk slowly, keeping your 

 shadow from falling in front of you and thus frightening the fish 

 away. When you see a fish, twirl the net rapidly in the air so that 

 the opening will cut the water first. Then, with a downward 

 swoop, cover the fish and drag the net briefly shoreward along 

 the bottom. As you lift the net from the water, twist it again so 

 that the opening faces upward; then immediately transfer your 

 catch into a jar or bucket of water. 



KEEPING RECORDS OF FISH 



Keeping a chart of fish found in your region can be as 

 rewarding as a bird or mammal record. To prepare a chart devoted 



