84 THE BREAM. 



even more force to bream, particularly during the late autumn: 

 or early winter months. I remember one morning in early 

 October, getting up at daybreak to join a friend at a bream 

 swimu The rime frost hung heavy on the grass ; the weather 

 felt nearly like chilling us to the very bone, and to tell the 

 truth I felt very much inclined to go back to bed ; but we 

 found on starting operations that the temperature of the water 

 was in startling contrast toi the outside air. By breakfast-time 

 we finished off with 6olb. of fine bream. The would-be 

 breamer should pay particular attention to these little matters, 

 as his success or non-success may depend on a very simple 

 thing ; and I find that the temperature of the water plays a 

 very important part in bream fishing. This is more parti- 

 cularly to be noticed in lakes, or deep quiet rivers. The best 

 sport is obtained when a warm^ breeze ripples and disturbs the 

 surface. 



My directions for bream fishing in still waters can be 

 sum.med up in a few brief sentences : use tackle as fine as you 

 dare, fish well on the bottomi, and ground-bait well a few 

 days before you start to fish. And alsO' rememiber that bream 

 are very sensitive to vibration : a reckless stamping up and 

 down the bank must be avoided, and w-hen fishing, from a 

 boat or punt extra caution must be exercised. It will be 

 as well to' have some old worn-out sacks, or even door-mats 

 on the bottom of the boat to deaden the vibration of the 

 angler's feet. And, lastly, have an old coarse apron to wear 

 w^hen bream, fishing; one that reaches fromi the chin down 

 to the feet, or the birdlime-like slime that will stick to your 

 clothes after a successful day will make you wish that you 

 had never gone breaming, so awful is it. A friend of mine, 

 w'ho fishes in a small weedy lake that contains a very great 

 number of large and slimy bream,, has a special suit for the 

 purpose ; this is made of some washing material (drabbett, 

 or jean), and is worn as overalls on the top of his ordinary 

 clothes, and most certainly the advantage; i'^ very great. This 

 friend has a special method of ground-baiting his bream 

 swim. As soon as the season gets w^ell in, he takes a large 

 punt and moors it in the deepest and clearest part of the lake, 

 leaving it there as a fixture the whole of the season, going 

 backwards and forwards to it by means of a sm.aller punt.. 



