BUSH OR SHADE FISHING. 79 



coming up together under the shade ; and presently 

 an officer, or man of quality, of double size, ap- 

 proaches from his country seat under a bank or 

 great stone, and rushes among them, as furiously as 

 I once saw a young justice of the peace do upon 

 three poor anglers. As I cannot approve of such 

 proceedings, I have, with some extraordinary plea- 

 sure, revenged the weaker upon the stronger, by 

 dropping my bait half a yard before him. With 

 what an air of authority have I seen the qualified 

 what shall I call him ? extend his jaws, and take in 

 the delicious morsel, and then marching slowly off 

 in quest of more, till stopped by a smart stroke which 

 I have given him ; though there is no occasion to do 

 so in this way of fishing ; for the great ones always 

 hook themselves. 



Here let me advise the bush angler never to allow 

 a fish to get down his head, unless he is sure there 

 are no roots of trees or weeds near. Keep him at 

 the top of the water, where his fins and strength 

 are of little service to him. He can thrust out his 

 rod beyond the bush, and there work him till he is 

 quite tired, and lies still. He may then be easily 

 landed with a hook or net fastened to a handle, 

 which should be two yards and a half long. 



The angler will derive benefit from attending to the 

 following observations: Although the shade of trees 

 and bushes is much larger and more extensive on 

 the south side of the river than on the north, I have 

 invariably found the fish larger and more numerous 

 on the former side. Probably the superior heat of 



