THE CHAR CHAR FISHING 207 



Entomostraca have been found in the stomachs of 

 char, also the larvae of aquatic insects. The minute 

 fry of other freshwater fish are also known to form 

 part of its sustenance ; and in Windermere, stickle- 

 backs and tiny perch have been proved to con- 

 stitute its food at times. Upon one occasion a 

 perch, three inches in length, was taken from the 

 stomach of a char, and another individual, which 

 rose to the fly, was found to be gorged with stickle- 

 backs. That it feeds on minnows is well known, 

 these being frequently used as baits. At one time 

 char were regularly caught with worm at night, and 

 I have recorded in the chapter on " Mountain 

 Tarns " an instance of a resident angler taking 

 seventy fish, in Gaits Water, with a grub. This 

 he "threw like a fly, letting it sink a little, 

 and then drawing it towards him in jerks when the 

 char took it instantly." The minnow is fed upon 

 principally in autumn. 



Whilst the bulk of the char's food is taken at or 

 near the bottom, it occasionally takes flies from 

 the surface. This is mainly in early summer. In 

 May they frequently feed upon a small black fly 

 with light wings. On a calm morning myriads 

 of these dead insects have drifted into long streaks, 

 and upon them the fish may be seen feeding. A 

 teal and red body has, in certain instances, proved 

 successful in taking char ; and when they have 

 been taken accidentally, a small but brightly 

 coloured trout-fly has almost invariably been the 

 lure. In Ennerdale they take the red ant. 



The rise of a char is very unlike that of a trout. 

 There is no splash just a gentle breaking of the 

 water. When char are rising in this way the 

 Windermere fishermen call it " belbing." 



