CHOOSING A SWIM. 5 



methods and tackles employed. In large rivers it is 

 advisable to use a boat or punt, as there are many places 

 which cannot be reached by fishing from the bank. Of 

 punt-fishing, however, we shall treat hereafter ; at present 

 we shall confine ourselves simply to bottom-fishing from 

 the bank. 



The first point the angler should settle is the choice of 

 a swim ; and having once decided upon this, and properly 

 baited it, he should not be in a hurry to quit it for another. 

 He must select a spot where there is the best appearance 

 of fish. He may see the fish sailing about at the bottom, 

 or in mid-water, or jumping about on the surface in 

 which case he will not have much dificulty in deciding ; 

 but it may happen that the water is deep and quiet, and 

 he will not have this method of determining upon his fish- 

 ing ground. Let him, then, if not too lazy, get up very 

 early in the morning, and take a walk by the river-side ; 

 and soon after daybreak, when all is yet quiet, he will see 

 the fish begin to break the water, and roach,, dace, barbel, 

 bream, and other fish will jump about, or put up their 

 heads, as if to see what sort of a day it is to be. Let him 

 then note where these rises are the thickest, and choose 

 that place. The angler can do the same thing late in the 

 evening ; but the fish do not as a general rule move nearly 

 so freely then as in the morning. 



If he has no means of obtaining this information, and 

 knows not whom to ask which are the recognised swims, 

 let him walk along the banks of the river and note where 

 the grass is well worn by the long dwelling or treading 

 of muddy feet ; and let him look out for traces of clay, 

 bran or other debris of ground-baits, which are usually 

 sufficiently visible to point out the desired spot. If none 

 of these serve, then he must rely upon his own judgment, 

 choosing a swim neither too deep nor too shallow as regards 

 the water, nor too swift nor sluggish for the stream. The 



