THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 75 



and the line until it comes to the obstruction. If this- 

 is a stump or anything immovable, the clearing ring 

 breaks the line off at this point ; if the obstacles are weeds, 

 small twigs, &c., the ring is allowed to travel off the line 

 on to them, and by means of the strong twine which- 

 holds and guides it the obstruction is pulled away, and thus 

 the casting line, flies, &c., are saved. It is not much used 

 nowadays, but as it takes up little room, it might be 

 fastened to the lid of the fishing basket, and will occa- 

 sionally come in handy. 



Clear Water denotes the peculiar colour of a river 

 when it is free from flood or earthy matter. Streams 

 flowing over granite, pebbles, or chalk are very pellucid, 

 and there is great precaution necessary on the part of the 

 angler to reach and fish such water, as fish, trout especially, 

 are able to see very long distances in these streams. As a 

 rule fishing clear water necessitates the use of very long 

 lines. The angler has a better chance by wading than by 

 walking along the margins, and his chances are still better 

 if he can fish up stream. The dry fly and the worm are the 

 most deadly lures for clear water. 



Close Season, The. This is the period in each 

 year, determined by law, in which fish may not be captured. 

 During this close season the fish spawn, and get into 

 proper condition thereafter. The seasons are different 

 for the various species, as they do not all spawn at the 

 same time, and even fishes of the same species have 

 different periods for breeding. There are early spawning 

 fish and late spawning fish, and this depends very much on 

 the particular waters they frequent. It is found that fish of 

 the same variety will spawn in one river a month earlier 

 than the same breed will, in a river not a mile distant, 



