THE TWO BEST MONTHS. 5 



channels, and therefore, in very dry seasons, the fish work out 

 towards the middle to be in the stream. As a general rule, 

 the higher the water, the nearer the fish are to the bank, 

 and vice versa. 



September and October are, all things being considered, 

 the two best months of the year for bottom fishing. In the 

 earlier months the angler has been handicapped by the great 

 majority of fish taking up impregnable positions in the weeds ; 

 but now the weeds begin to rot, and become unpalatable to 

 the fish, which therefore leave them. A few frosty nights 

 have a great effect in causing the weeds to rot, and perch 

 and jack to feed. Slightly deeper water must now be 

 fished, but the angler must still take care to keep out in the 

 stream, unless fishing for pike, tench, carp, bream, or eels, 

 which are often found in almost still water at this time of 

 year. 



There are a few other points connected with summer fishing 

 which I should mention. The angler can hardly fish too 

 early or too late (except for gudgeon and chub) during the 

 hot months. Many a man who might have become a reputable 

 member of the fraternity has been "choked ofE" — to use an 

 unclassical expression — by making his first attempts at the 

 gentle art in the broiling heat of a July or August sun. 

 From sunrise to breakfast-time, and from sunset to supper- 

 time, are the hours which should be devoted to angling in 

 hot weather, but I need hardly say that during the summer 

 occur dull, showery days, with a gentle breeze from the south- 

 west, when the fish feed on and off all day. One great 

 advantage of wind or rain is that these otherwise unpleasant 

 elements ruffle the surface of the water, and thus hide the 

 angler from the fish. Fish rarely feed well before a very 

 heavy fall of rain. They seem to have an instinctive know- 

 ledge that a great feast of worms is coming, and that they 

 need not trouble themselves about trifles. I have repeatedly 

 noticed that after a very bad day's sport, when the weather 

 has seemed favourable, torrents of rain have come, and caused 

 the water to rise and colour. 



Another point to be remembered in summer is that, the 



