THE PERCH OF THE RIVER 24$ 



and finally, after a terrific downpour, which flows 

 rapidly off the saturated land, becomes yellow and 

 turbid. The time is unpropitious now for perch 

 fishing, but a few enthusiasts will swim float-tackle, 

 baited with lob-worm, round the very small eddies 

 close against the bank, as, for instance, where the 

 horses and cattle come down to drink and there is 

 no great depth a foot or two of water at the outside. 

 In such resting places fish of many kinds retire to 

 escape from the force of the current, and doubtless 

 also from the filth which it is bringing down. In a 

 day or two the depression passes off, the weather 

 clears, and there is a succession of calm, brief winter 

 days when the sun shines through a yellow haze. 

 The solid matter held in suspension by the winter 

 flood has cleared away, leaving behind it only that 

 colour so dear to the eye of the angler. Now is the 

 time to once more launch the old green punt on the 

 flowing river. Fishing dexterously with paternoster, 

 punting with extreme caution, dropping down from 

 eddy to eddy, and finishing up in the great hole below 

 the eyot, we may make a truly noble bag of perch, 

 which, by virtue of their cunning, the excellent sport 

 they give, and their excellence on the table, should 

 surely no longer be allowed to rank among our 

 British ' coarse ' fish. 



R 2 



