THE PERCH. 161 



drawn in and allowed to return back through the eddy. If the 

 stream is powerful then fish the eddy only. When you perceive a 

 bite allow the fish a little time to gorge, as the perch is a tender 

 mouthed fish, and if hooked there, particularly in the upper lip, 

 he will be very apt to break clear ; and the larger he is the more 

 likely will this be to occur. Walton indeed says, that too much 

 time cannot be given to a perch when he bites, for that there was 

 scarce any angler that has given him too much, and other writers 

 copying his ideas have written in the same strain. But here there 

 is a medium to be observed, and though, for the reasons already 

 suggested, it is advisable to allow a perch sufficient time to swallow 

 the bait, yet he commonly does this quicker than most other fish, 

 and an angler of experience can easily judge by the manner he 

 plays with the float, when it is the proper time to strike. As a 

 general rule when a fish pauses after taking a bait, and then again 

 moves off, it is most likely he has then pouched it, when you may 

 venture to strike ; but this you must never do with a slack line, and 

 before you attempt to do so, first get it nearly tight with your 

 float. 



The float should be proportioned to the strength of the stream, 

 and should have sufficient lead attached to the hook link to make 

 it stand erect in the water. A small float is generally to be pre- 

 ferred when you fish with a worm, as less likely to check the fish 

 when he bites ; but when you use a minnow, then a larger one 

 will be necessary ; for if too small, the minnow itself, if a lively 

 one, will be continually pulling it under. I have remarked that 

 a perch generally takes a minnow more steadily than a worm, and 

 the larger the fish the more quiet have his proceedings usually 

 been. 



The first indication of a bite is generally a quick dancing motion 

 of the float, caused by the minnow's vainly attempting to escape 

 his assailant's attack ; then the float sinks slowly down and disap- 

 pears, or can be just discerned moving slowly onwards under 

 water ; then is the time to raise the point of the rod, when having 

 the line nearly tight, strike right upwards the contrary way to the 

 movement of the fish, having your reel all clear and ready to give 

 line if necessary, and necessary it surely will be if the fish is a 

 good one, for no fish when first hooked struggles more desperately 

 than the perch : but in so doing he the more speedily exhausts his 

 strength, and may generally be subdued in less time than a trout 



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