154 WEATHER FOR FISHING. 



of them, seem to be more sensibly felt passing 

 through water than air; and I am thinking, 

 the inclination to motion in fishes, is immediately 

 affected by their presence. Every fly-fisher has 

 remarked how very rarely, by comparison, trout 

 rise, either in sport or at flies, while the sun 

 shines bright and scorching: and it is said to 

 have been observed by good swimmers, that if 

 their companion merely move the shadow of a 

 hat over their bodies, while they are under water 

 during the feat of diving, so as to intercept the 

 sun's rays, a most sudden and sensible chill on 

 their bodies ensues. The heat of the sun's rays I 

 believe to be inimical to fishes' activity, and this 

 will at once account for their predilection for sha- 

 dowed banks and screening stones during bright 

 sunshine. I recollect taking, many years back, 

 one or two dozen fine roach and dace, on a hot 

 bright day, by thrusting a flat-ended landing-net 

 between the much-worn boarding which main- 

 tained the banks of the Thames near Kingston. 

 I first observed them to be regularly packed, side 

 by side, like horses at a fair, their heads in the 

 shade, and tails protruding into light. How fond 

 perch are of getting under barges, and trout, 

 under the boarding of weirs or mill-tails, evidently 

 avoiding the light and heat. We had best, there- 

 fore, only fish while 



