CHAP. xvni. T/ie Bbmm Committee. 241 



not know that there are any Bahmeen about till the tide begins to ebb or 

 flow, bringing, up or down with it shoals of small fish, principally young 

 grey mullet, and on these latter, while they are running, the Bahmeen 

 principally seem to feed. In fishing for Bahmeen these small grey mullet 

 form the most attractive bait that the fisherman can use. 



"At such times of tide and at such places as I have described, you 

 will not be long in doubt as to where the fish are, or the proper spot to 

 fish for them, for as soon as the ebb or flow settles into a steady stream 

 you will see the Bahmeen dashing up at the small mullet every minute 

 and throwing themselves completely out of the water. They will continue 

 to feed in this way till slack water. 



" I have heard it discussed whether Bahmeen feed and take best on 

 the ebb or the flood tide ; in some waters, possibly at certain times of 

 the year, these fish seem to take more readily on the flood than on the ebb 

 tide ; such I found to be the case once on the Mahd river when fishing 

 from the bridge there in the month of April, but, as a general rule, I think 

 it will be found that Bahmeen take best on the ebb tide, though it is also 

 possible to catch them on the flood ; but, after a good deal of experience, 

 the ebb is the tide I recommend, though when the tide is flowing it should 

 not be neglected, as you are always likely to get a run or two even on 

 that tide." 



This question of the right time of the tide has exercised many great 

 minds, and I have quite a bundle of letters on the subject from 

 observing fishermen kindly wishing to help me to a right decision in 

 the matter. Their views differed from time to time, but the end of it 

 was that certain of them, personal friends, well known to me as good 

 fishermen, met together for a combined Bamm attack, and after putting 

 their own several experiences, and those of their friends together, wrote 

 me what I shall call the report of the Bamin Committee. It entirely 

 confirms Colonel Osborn's view, for though it may seem to limit it 

 somewhat, it will be seen that a subsequent quotation from the same 

 pen qualifies the limitation just as Colonel Osborn has qualified it. 

 After so much diversity of opinion as there has been, a concurrence of 

 opinion is satisfactory. " The reason I had never succeeded before 

 was that I was always told to go at low tide just at the turn, whereas 

 the time is two or three hours before the low tide. An hour before low 

 tide they are quite off the feed, and probably not there." These views 

 are again confirmed by another fisherman, R., who tells me that not 

 only has he fished for Banrin with advantage during the last quarter of 

 the ebb tide, but has, in a boat, followed them down with the tide, and 

 caught them all the way down to the very sea. 



THE ROD IN INDIA. R 



