16 



them all, and in many rivers and ponds, but found none to 

 equal the cockspur and dew worm ; and when properly used 

 they certainly are the best. 



THE AET OF ANGLING FOE PEECH. 



Some Perch fishers think that nothing is too stout and 

 strong to Angle for Perch with, and, indeed, sometimes they 

 will bite at every cast be the line ever so thick; but this is not 

 always the case. "When the water is clear and the sun very 

 bright, I have found Perch difficult to get at, and I would ad- 

 vise the fisher always to go cautiously to work and to keep still 

 on the bank, for fish are more sensible .of shakes than is 

 imagined. July, August, and September are the best months 

 for fishing with the Minnow, and the same style may be adopted 

 and the same places fished as I have recommended Angling 

 with the Minnow for Pike. For worm fishing put on your 

 finest line a quill float (never use a cork one), a very fine gut 

 tackle one yard long, and a No. 6 hook. If you fish in a pond 

 or still water let your float be small ; in a stream use a larger 

 one. Before you go to angle for Perch bait the hole you 

 intend to fish with three or four hundred dew worms cut in 

 bits about an inch long, but do not mix them with anything. 

 If you are going to fish in the morning bait the place the 

 morning before. Never bait at night if you are to fish in the 

 morning. I always allow twenty hours to elapse after baiting 

 a place before I go to fish it. Get your depth the morning you 

 bait, and measure it on your rod, so that when you come to fish 

 you can adjust your line for the proper depth at once. But 

 perhaps the reader may say, " How can I ascertain the proper 

 depth ?" Well, I will tell him. The Londoners use a plummet, 

 but they can only plumb the depth as far as they can reach 

 with their rod. Now I can (and I will teach you how to do 

 the same) find the right depth fifteen or twenty yards from 

 the bank. Shot your tackle just enough to sink your float all 

 but a quarter of an inch, and let the bottom shot be a foot 



