L1VEBAIT SNAP-FISHING. 101 



quiet streams and open waters. Livebait snap- 

 fishing is a method much adopted by Thames 

 anglers, and I know of many large pike caught in 

 the Metropolitan river by that way of fishing. At 

 Sonning-on-Thames, I have killed many from 

 12 Ibs. upwards, and thrice exceeded the score 

 pounds ; and there, as elsewhere, my best sport has 

 been on windy days, which, as a rule, are favour- 

 able opportunities, for then pike roam away 

 from their fastnesses in search of food, and lose 

 their habitual caution. The ripples on the sur- 

 face of the water refract the rays of light, and the 

 angler and his punt are but indifferently seen, 

 if at all, by his quarry. But under any circum- 

 stances of wind and weather, if fishing from the 

 bank, it is always best to keep a little distance from 

 the river at first, until the nearest water has been 

 tried ; pike often lie close inshore, even when water 

 is very shallow, provided there is a reedy or rush- 

 grown margin, or the shelter of a bank or bushes. 

 Approach very quietly, for the vibration of heavy 

 footfalls on the margin of a river or lake is trans- 

 ferred to the water, and the fish are disturbed ; cast 

 in your bait Avithout splashing ; for quiet fishing 

 frequently succeeds, while noise and commotion 

 often result in a blank. 



On September 4th, 1879, I fished a little lake of 

 fifteen acres in Buckinghamshire. The weather 

 was very stormy and tempestuous. My punt was 

 rather small and shallow ; and the gale increasing, 

 it was dangerous to keep out in the middle of the 

 lake exposed to the full force of the wind. I there- 

 fore shifted to the leeward side of an island, where 

 in ten feet of water I expected to find a monster 

 pike, which some nine months previously had 



