Ch ait, vi. The Bed Months far Fishing. 83 



of ( kstober, or beginning of November, when the rice-field 

 replonghed for the second crop, and the muddy water from them is 

 allowed to ran into and discoloui the river. Where there is a large 



area under riee on the hanks of a river, the discolouration may last 

 as long as a month from first to last ; hut where tin' river runs 

 through forest only, yon will be unite Tree from this nuisance. 

 Prom October to April then, inclusive, may, as a rule, be counted 

 on as good fishing months in all rivers which are led by the south- 

 west monsoon I have found it the same not only in the rivers 

 which run into the sea westwards, hut also in rivers that have 

 their heads near the Western Ghauts, and run away from them to 

 the east through Mysore. 



The right months for fishing in clear water in the rivers which 

 are under the influence of the east coast monsoon will be further 

 noticed in connection with the Bawanny, in the Chapter on 

 Localities ; and the right months lor the rivers of Northern India 

 will similarly be found in connection with those rivers, in the 

 same Chapter, as given from the local knowledge of those who 

 have so kindly supplied the hulk of that Chapter. 



The time of day is also a thing to be considered. Fish will 

 run all day long, especially on cloudy days, hut 1 don't much 

 believe in them between 11 and 3, and I think the best 

 hours are before '.» a.m. and after 4 P.M. till sunset. Directly after 

 Sunset t] running at a spinning bait, though they will take 



a night line. I presume this is because they do not see well 

 enough in the dark for the moving bait, and are guided to the 

 stationary bait of the night line chiefly by scent. As to the use- 

 Lessness of going on spinning after dark, the keenest reader may I 

 think be content to take me on trust, for, when by the river's side, 

 I have been so keen myself as to go on fishing into the dusk and 

 dark, though the place was densely forest-clad, and the margin 

 marked with fresh tracks of crocodiles and panthers, only taking 

 the precaution of having a man behind me with a loaded ritle, 

 and trusting to his having sufficient care for his own vile body to 

 keep a good look out in the rear of mine. 



And now for when'; where, in the two senses of in what wa 

 and in what parts of those waters. Mahseer, I believe, are to be 

 found in every large perennial river in India. 1 know that they 

 are to he found in every river on the west coast that I ever he rd 



TUB SOU IN IM'I I. ('• ^ 



