CHAPTER III. 



February 



PERCH FISHING ON THE KENNET. 



WHEN writing in the last chapter of " Pike and 

 Piking," I had occasion to recommend certain 

 tackles for the capture of Essex lucius because I 

 had had personal experience of their efficiency 

 in the particular branch of sport then described. 



In writing of perch fishing, the same system will be 

 pursued ; and as the locality mentioned is the River 

 Rennet, only two methods of fishing will be treated of in 

 any detail, viz. : paternostering and ledgering. 



It is as well to say here that the writer has taken perch, 

 and good perch, very frequently by other methods, such 

 as " sink and draw " (see p. 96) and Nottingham float- 

 fishing, but such captures have been either at other 

 periods of the year, or have been merely incidental to 

 some other fishing. 



For still waters such as lakes, &c., undoubtedly one of 

 the most killing methods is " Roving with the Live 

 Minnow," but such is entirely out of place in a river 

 full of deeps, with overhanging banks, and full of eddies 

 swirling rapidly behind piles and camp shedding. In 

 considering the question of tackle for perch-fishing on 

 the Kennet, the ordinary ideas inculcated by the books 

 must be got rid of entirely. 



According to the majority of authors, perch swim in 

 shoals ; and if one is taken the others crowd to the bait 

 and can be removed seriatim. In some lakes, notably 

 Loch Leven, I believe this is the case ; but certainly not 

 in the Kennet. In past years indeed, only a few years 



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