170 THE PERCH. 



tender check. - If the water is very bright and 

 perch are quite off feed, take away the float and 

 substitute a small perforated bullet for a sinker ; 

 throw out the worm across and rather up the swim, 

 and draw it up and down the water slowly towards 

 you, with a motion similar to spinning ; a brace or 

 two of fish may be taken this way when they are 

 very dainty. 



Where there are deep, slow eddies without much 

 stream, some of the largest perch, and now and 

 again fine chub, are captured by using a gut bottom 

 2 or 3 feet in length attached to a fine Nottingham 

 or Derby silk line. Before attaching the gut bottom 

 fit up a cork float on the line, with a small per- 

 forated bullet below it, the hole in the bullet being 

 smooth and large enough for the line to run easily 

 and freely. Then, having looped on the gut bottom, 

 a split shot is fixed on the line just above where 

 the gut is tied or looped on, so as to prevent the 

 bullet running over the loop in the line on to the 

 gut. The float must be so arranged on the line 

 that the bullet just touches the bed of the river ; 

 and the proper depth of the place selected to be 

 fished being obtained, select a flat and nicely scoured 

 lobworm ; put the point of the hook in an inch be- 

 low the head of the worm, and carefully thread the 

 worm until the shank of the hook is just covered. 

 Worms put on this way are much more attractive 

 than when looped up on the hook. Then having 

 cast out the bait, when the bullet has reached the 

 bottom draw it a little towards you, so that the 

 gut lies straight between the 'bullet and bait, and 

 hold the float back a little, especially if there is 

 any current, the line being clear of the water from 

 point of rod to the float. Do not be in a hurry if a 



