110 Gram-Fid iiif/ for .)/, //,<,, ,-. Chapt. vnr. 



bottom feeder, ae already explained, he is much more predatory in 

 his habits than are Barbel, consequently you may expect to do 

 more with a live fish bait ; and if you must bottom fish for 

 Mahseer, in preference to other styles of fishing for him, I would 

 recommend Colonel Parson's way of bottom fishing. 



If you are a poacher, I commend to you the following ingenious 

 dodge for which I am indebted to one who has since risen above 

 such practices: — 



" I am ashamed to say that we do not catch them here by 

 " spinning, but by bottom fishing : I regard it as a kind of poaching 

 " as compared with fly fishing or spinning. The method I follow is 

 •• this, and is the same as the natives employ, improved. 



" A shingly bed in the deepest pools is ground-baited (not 

 "actually necessary) for some evenings, with balls of ragee paste. 

 " The fishing is night-work. I usually have 3 or 4 reels out, with 

 " 300 or 400 yards of line each. They should not be thrown out too 

 " far : the reels are planted vertically on the bank, and have an 

 " arrangement of bells to signal a fish on. The hue has a couple of 

 " turns round a stone of 3 or 4 lbs. to strike the fish. I have seen 

 " these stones jerked 10 feet away into the water. The bait used is 

 " a bunch of big crabs, a fowl's entrails, or a ball of ragee paste as 

 " large as the fist. From 8 till 12 P.M., and again towards morning, 

 " are the most likely times. "With a mattress and coffee and cheroots 

 ' one can pass the night in tine dry weather very pleasantly. I have 

 had 1 1 tuns in three nights from heavy fish. One cleared out 

 ' with 350 yards, despite every effort to stop him. The river there 

 " was about I'm) yards broad, clear of rocks, but running 11 feet 

 " deep, and strong. As the reel was all but out, I was obliged to 

 " call a halt, when the line went like rotten thread. I have no 

 " doubt my big fish was a minnow compared to this one " 



