Best Months for the Sport. 2 1 1 



down. Indeed, I prefer fishing up to fishing down 

 wherever it is possible in any stream, because it is 

 much the more deadly method of the two ; and in 

 small rivers and burns, when in flood, I always 

 adopt it, casting up and across over all places where 

 fish are likely to lie. 



In flooded waters the minnow may take less or 

 more during the whole season; but the most favour- 

 able time, if not also the most legitimate, is from 

 early spring till the end of June. In these months 

 it is even a more profitable lure in full water than 

 the worm-; but from July to the end of the fishing 

 season trout take it more shyly, even when the 

 water is apparently quite suitable. Only occasion- 

 ally, indeed, is a good basket got then, and that 

 when the water is very dark. October is the worst 

 month for minnow-fishing, and the sport with this 

 or with any lure may well be discontinued from 

 that time on to the 1st of March. For fishing up- 

 stream in a clear water, May and June are the 

 favourite months, though then the " takes " may not 

 be so large as in a falling water after a flood. Out 

 of the whole year, June is unquestionably the best 

 time for minnow-fishing, in either a black water or 

 a clear one. 



There is another method of fishing with the nat- 

 ural minnow which is often found most successful 

 in floods. The tackle required is similar to that 



