Fish and Fishing 



fresh air to enter from the top, and the fish being 

 a soUd mass at the bottom are perfectly fresh and 

 bright at the end of the fishing. When that is 

 over and no other fish are to be put in the basket, 

 another layer of dock leaves should be laid on top 

 to keep the sun and dust from the fish on the re- 

 turn tramj) or ride home. All small fish, especially 

 perch, bass, pickerel, and trout, soon dry up when 

 taken from the water. The slimy substance on 

 trout soon becomes absorbed in the skin, the tail 

 and fins dry as a stick, and their whole appearance 

 not half so pleasing as when first caught. 



Every day the creel should be well washed; if 

 it is not, flies will blow in the crevices of the 

 wickerwork, and in a few days maggots appear 

 before the angler is aware of it. Never leave small 

 fish in the creel overnight, because if 

 Creel ^ ^^^^ °" ^^^^ ground, ants and other in- 

 sects swarm around, get inside the 

 fish and so rot them. Some anglers make a bed of 

 ferns do for the entire trip of several weeks, with 

 possibly a few stray little fish lost in the bed, so 

 that in a few days the creel is a foul, ill-smelling 

 thing, not fit to have in a room ; much less is it fit 

 to have fresh-caught trout laid in so vile a place. 



If the angler makes a full day's sport, he should 

 at lunch time take the creel from his shoulder and 

 place it in the cool water, two inches deep, of 

 some running spring, after he has quenched 

 his thirst. Let it lie there, shaded by trees or 

 plants, while he lunches. When through, take 

 the creel out, and let it drip well before resuming 

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