98 ARTIFICIAL BAITS FOR PERCH. 



of eggs the female perch will void ; they are very small, 

 and about the size and of the appearance of little seed 

 pearls. Perch spawn about the end of April, and get 

 into fair season again by the end of June. 



Perch may often be caught with a spinning minnow, 

 but it is not a very common method of angling for them, 

 though the best fish are usually so caught ; and I have 

 known good execution done in lakes by spinning, either 

 with a minnow (real or artificial) or a spoon. Indeed, I 

 almost think, from my experience, that I am justified in 

 saying that they take a spoon better than almost any 

 other spinning bait; but I have found them prefer the 

 triangular spinner made of spoon metal (commonly called 

 the * otter ') to the regular spoon, the only reason I can 

 give for it being that it spins better and more evenly 

 than the spoon, which wobbles a good deal ; and though 

 this is liked by pike, and not always objected to by trout 

 (particularly lake trout), it would seem that it is not a 

 strong recommendation to perch. 



A handful or two of gentles or broken worms will be 

 found useful as ground-bait, when float-fishing with worms. 

 But whatever you do, do not take your wife's or sister's 

 gold-fish globe out with a muslin cover on it, and a stock 

 of lively minnows inside, under the supposition that the 

 perch will rub their noses against the glass, like cats at a 

 dairy window, according to the old superstition. 



Perch are commonly taken with the fly in some parts 

 of the country, and I have known them to be taken thus 

 in the Thames, but this is a less general method of fishing 

 for them even than spinning. A showy fly with tinsel on 

 the body is most to be commended, the fashion being of 

 no great consequence, perch not being very particular in 

 this respect. 



Perch in this country seldom exceed four pounds in 

 weight, but one of three pounds is a rarity, while a two 



