"SUNNING" THE WATER 



perfectly requires a bright and calm day. You 

 cannot see a fish lying even at a very moderate 

 depth when the surface of the water is ruffled by 

 the wind. As soon as the river is thus fairly in 

 order, take the first good day that occurs ; you 

 may not have many more ; and if you have, you 

 will not mend the matter by waiting too long, as 

 after a continuance of hot weather a green vegetable 

 substance rises from the bottom, which lessens the 

 transparency of the water. 



If you have a man sufficiently clever with the 

 leister, let him stand in the water at the head of 

 the stream whilst you are trying below, that he 

 may strike the fish which endeavour to pass out of 

 it into another cast. If you have no such man, 

 and there are very few who can see a fish pass up 

 a rapid gorge, you may hang a net in the stream ; 

 but you must not bar the river by stretching it 

 quite across, as that is illegal. If you sun a large 

 pool where there is deep water, and various runs 

 and eddies in it, it is advisable to place nets in such 

 situations as are most favourable for fish to strike 

 into when they are disturbed by the boats, and the 

 other means in use for frightening them. The 

 pass being thus in part secured and all prepared, 

 the next thing is to rout about, and endeavour to 

 frighten the fish by every means in your power, so 

 that they may hide themselves under the rocks and 

 stones, or even lie, as they sometimes do, half 

 stupified beside them, when you may strike them 

 with the leister. To effect this, it is usual to begin 

 by rowing your boat or boats over the pool with 

 some white object hanging in the water from the 



