BEETLE-FISHING 197 



thing to keep them in ; and there are few tackle shops but sell 

 such boxes. The creeper may be kept either in water or with- 

 out. If you wish to keep a number of them, probably a large 

 box with perforated zinc top, and a layer of large pebbles at 

 the bottom, only half submerged in water, so that the insects 

 may suit their own convenience, would be preferable. For a 

 day's fishing, they may be carried in a dry box. 



BEETLE-FISHING 



Various beetles, both land and water, may be used in pre- 

 cisely the same way as the creeper. Anglers do not, as a rule, 

 pay half enough attention to the various species of Coleoptera 

 on which the trout feed. Yet the importance of this kind of 

 food, not only to trout but to many other sorts of fish, may be 

 seen by cutting open a trout when they are perhaps rising 

 badly, when a large proportion of the contents of the fish's 

 stomach will be found to be beetles ; and a good basket may 

 often be made either with the natural or artificial beetle when 

 the fish are not rising to the fly. In mentioning the real 

 beetle, of course its use would be confined only to those waters 

 where bait-fishing is legitimate. The best land-beetles to use 

 are the coch-y-bondu, Marlow buzz, or fern-webb, of which 

 I have already spoken. It may be found plentifully in many 

 places in June and July. Similar to it is the cowdung-beetle, 

 found under cowdung of some days' standing ; but there are 

 many others which may be used on an emergency, and which 

 will be found to kill well. Water-beetles are very numerous, 

 and will, of course, also be found valuable aids to the fisherman. 

 The method of using them is similar to that described in creeper- 

 fishing. The artificial beetle will be found very useful at times, 

 and I recommend it as much the pleasantest way of fishing 

 beetle ; and as much skill and quickness, and perhaps even 

 more, will be required than is necessary in the manipulation 

 of the artificial fly, because the angler will not have the ad- 

 vantage of seeing a rise, but will have to judge from his sense 

 of feeling and the motion of the line. If the line stops suddenly 

 he should strike at once, not waiting for the tug at the rod-top ; 

 but in all cases he should strike lightly, or he may destroy his 

 bait even if there should be no bite. The artificial beetle should 

 be made by tying three strands of gut, stained almost black, 

 firmly crosswise to the hook shank. Then tie a bunch of some 

 long strands of any brown or mottled feather which will best 



