HOW- AND WHERE TO SPIN. 129 



Many plausible rules on these subjects have, however, been 

 laid down by other authors. Nobbes recommends to fish in 

 the morning and evening in hot weather, and all day long in 

 cloudy weather, and pleasantly remarks that ' it's the wind and 

 the cooler clouds when Zephirus curls the waves with a brisk 

 and delightsome gale that invites a fish to repast. 5 This quaint 

 author says, 'A northern wind indeed is sharp and piercing, 

 and will weary the fisherman's patience, because Boreas his 

 breath is more nipping than that of his fellows, and the north- 

 east carries a proverb with it enough to discourage a fresh- 

 water shark.' 



Another author favours the sharp breeze that sweeps the 

 half-frozen dyke 



And hungers into madness every plunging pike. 



Whilst the majority are of opinion that 



When the wind is in the south, 



It blows the bait into the fish's mouth, 



and pronounce that Eurus is neither good for man or beast. 



Stoddart, writing principally with regard to Scotch waters, 

 says : 



As to the weather and state of water best suited to pike-fishing, 

 the former I esteem the most when dull and warm ; there being at 

 the time a breeze from the south or south-west. Sunny glimpses, 

 now and then, are not unpardonable, and the approach of thunder, 

 so inimical to the hopes of the trout-fisher, may be held auspicious. 

 On cold days, however windy, pike seldom bite well, although in 

 Teviot, during the spring season, I have met with exceptions. In 

 this river also I have noticed that these fish are in high humour 

 for taking immediately before a flood, and when the water is just 

 beginning to swell. This is owing no doubt to the anticipations 

 entertained by them, through instinct, on being deprived for some 

 length of time of their usual food, which, during a thick muddy 

 water they are unable to discern and secure. They moreover bite 

 freely when the river is of a deep-brown colour, and I have caught 

 them in pools highly impregnated with snow ; in fact, there is no 

 state of water, actual flood excepted, during which the river pike I 

 allude to (Scotch) may not be induced to take. 



II K 



