66 



ANGLING FOR COARSE FISH. 



a small artiJBcial spinning bait, which should revolve very 

 quickly, and be kept very bright. Of worms, the best are 

 thoroughly well scoured lobworms in winter, or at any time 

 when the water is coloured, and redworms or brandlings in 

 summer. I have often found brandlings take better in ponds 

 than in rivers ; they are found in old dung-heaps, and may be 

 known by a number of small rings round their body. They 

 smell offensively, and give off a yellow juice when handled, 

 which sometimes irritates the fingers. A small gudgeon is by 

 far the best all-round bait for large perch ; but sometimes when 

 the water is very low in summer, a small redworm presented on 



very fine tackle is better. Gud- 

 geon are taken either in a cast- 

 net or by angling (see Cbap. YIII.). 

 Minnows are very favourite baits 

 in rivers where they abound. The 

 usual method of catching them is 

 to dip a round or square, small- 

 meshed net (see Fig. 28), attached 

 by cords to a scull, boat-hook, or 

 pole, into about 3ft. or 4ft. of 

 water. A hole among the weeds, 

 and the shallows below weirs, are 

 likely places in summer. The pole must be held very steady, 

 and the bait-catcher must stand quite still. As soon as a few 

 minnows are noticed over the net, the pole should be raised 

 sharply, and the little fish transferred to a bait-can* or pail. 

 In winter, the minnows are found mostly in ditches and small 

 streams which drain into the river. They do not then come 



Fig. 28. Minnow-net on 

 Boat-hook. 



* The best bait-cans have perforated zinc interiors, which enable the minnows to 

 be lifted out without wetting the hands. "When the can is carried, the water is 

 aerated by washing against and through the perforations. I have recently had a 

 bait-can made large and strong enough to sit on ; it is at times a great convenience. 

 If the can has no zinc interior, a small aquarium net is very useful to dip out the 

 minnows. In winter, the water in the can should not be changed more than is 

 absolutely necessary, as changes of water temperature are harmful to the fish. A 

 few minnows can be carried for some time in a soda-water bottle, two-thirds full of 

 water, and tightly corked up. Motion is essential, as it is the shaking of the 

 bottle which aerates the water. A patent has been taken out in America for 

 carrying fish in large quantities according to this principle. An admirable patent 

 aerating bait-can has been designed by Mr. Basil Field, and is sold in most of 

 the tackle shops. 



