52 BOTTOM OR . FLOAT-FISHING. 



ning-bait. Formerly a "spoon" about three- 

 quarters of an inch long was very killing in many 

 waters ; but as with Pike and Trout, so with Perch, 

 this bait seems latterly to have lost much of its 

 attractiveness. A stone Loach, a Minnow, or a 

 very small Gudgeon, are all good spinning-baits. 



With a gaudy red fly dressed on, say, a No. 10 

 hook, I have also had good sport, but its legitimate 

 province is confined to large shallow lakes, and 

 then is only practically worth consideration in 

 bright hot weather and a dead calm. The flies 

 may be either "trailed" or cast by hand; the 

 former plan being usually best until the position of 

 a shoal of fish is ascertained, and the latter after- 

 wards. As already observed, however, both the 

 methods of Perch-fishing above described, are only 

 really much worth consideration in the great lakes, 

 where they often come in very opportunely to fill 

 what would otherwise be a blank day, the most 

 impracticable weather for -Trout being commonly 

 the most favourable for Perch. It certainly does 

 occasionally happen that good baskets may be 

 made with the spinning-bait in rivers. I have 

 done it repeatedly in the Kennet, below Hunger- 



