50 



ANGLING FOR COARSE FISH, 



deep as the punt is long. By the grate of the punt pole we 

 can hear that the bottom is sandy gravel. The keeper takes 

 great pains not to disturb the fish while moving the punt. Just 

 before arriving at the swim he lets the punt swing across the 

 stream, over the weeds on the left hand, and going up into the 

 bows, takes a very heavy pole, called a rypeck, pointed 

 with iron, and drives it into the bottom, at the point A 

 (Fig. 23). As he does so, the punt swings round into the position 

 shown in the first diagram. As soon as one pole is in he takes 

 up another, drops it gently overboard, on the left side, about the 

 middle, and pushes the punt across and rather up stream, the 

 pole A, of course, coming nearly to the stern of the punt, where 



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Fig. 23. Mooring a Thames Punt. 



my friend fastens it with a piece of cord. In the meantime 

 the punt swings at right angles to the stream, the second pole is 

 fixed in at the point B, and tied at the end of the bows.* 



After the punt is moored, my companion and I remain 

 quietly on our Windsor chairs, and the keeper takes his 

 seat between us, on the lid of the well. By his direction 

 we put our floats (we are using our light rods, without the 

 extra butt) 6ft. or so from the hook, and then plumb 

 the depth. Having done so as quietly as possible, we find 



* In the Eastern Counties the boat or punt is usually moored down, and not 

 across, the stream ; the anglers then sit facing the opposite bank of the river, 

 and are, as regards the stream, in the same position as they would be on the 

 bank. 



