60 AN ANGLER'S YEAR 



had just missed striking the bait. For bright summer 

 weather nothing beats a minnow, or preferably two, as 

 described in the last chapter. I have thus taken a trout 

 5f Ibs., which had refused to look at a spinning or live 

 bait (bleak or gudgeon) for days before. The modus 

 operandi of weir fishing is probably known to all. It 

 may be briefly described as running the spinning-bait 

 down the main rushes of the weir, and casting and 

 working the bait in all the eddies, choosing especially 

 those pieces of slack water where trout delight to lie 

 hidden. Of course, should a fish be seen to feed he 

 should be cast over at once and may usually be run, 

 especially if for any reason he misses the prey he is after 

 at the moment. 



With live-baiting the same system should be pursued, 

 save and except that the water should be made to carry 

 the bait, so that it may be as little injured and as lively 

 as possible. Far different is fishing in the open river. 

 Here one is dependent on one's fisherman. He must 

 have previously observed the fish and noted his feeding 

 hour, for Thames trout are regular in their habits ; then 

 he informs his patron, and getting him aboard the punt, 

 drops down towards his troutship's parlour as the fatal 

 hour approaches. If the live-bait is preferred, it is made 

 ready and sent on its journey, being checked a short 

 distance above the fish, awaiting his appearance. A 

 boil, and the live-bait is dropped down right over the 

 trout. If the angler is fortunate there will be a dash, 

 a screech of the winch, and the fun has commenced. 

 With the spinning method other tactics are pursued, 

 and much more latitude is given to the angler to display 

 his individual skill. When the fish feeds, the angler 

 should cast just across the fish and spin the bait quietly 

 and evenly across the feeding fish. This is much more 

 likely to tempt trout than any live-bait, and with what a 

 rush the grand fish does take the bait ! No need to 

 strike. A screech, a splash, and the line is simply 

 melting off the reel while one's fisherman endeavours to 

 manoeuvre the punt so that the angler can get on terms 

 with his fish 



