PERCH-FISHING. 267 



thus avoiding the chance, such as it is, of the bait being quitted 

 by the fish after closer examination. I think in any fishing 

 where it is especially desirable, as in the case of pond fishing 

 for carp and tench, that the bait should actually lie on the 

 bottom, that a great advantage ought to rest with the two -hook 

 tackle, with which the worm would be able not only to present 

 a life-like appearance to the fish, but actually to crawl about. 



Perch, being gregarious, where one fish is brought to bank 

 others frequently follow, and it is of the utmost moment, from 

 the point of view of the basket, to make play while the sun 

 shines, that is whilst the shoal remains within reach. In this 

 respect, also, the two-hook tackle would possess a marked 

 advantage, as it can be baited in half the time, or less, and, as 

 observed, requires no interval before striking. 



These shoals can frequently be perceived with the naked 

 eye even in deepish lakes, when the water is calm and the eye 

 can be brought close to the surface of the water ; indeed, I 

 have known oil put upon the water with the object of producing 

 an artificial calm. Another plan is to look through a square 

 lidless box with the bottom of plain window glass, the latter 

 being immersed a few inches in the water. As success or 

 failure frequently depends upon being able to 'spot' the 

 wandering perch shoals, the above hints, which may at first 

 sight appear fanciful, are worth remembering. I have some- 

 times thought of trying a telescope or opera-glass with the 

 object end under water. 



In Windermere I have often followed about these shoals 

 from place to place catching them all the time as fast as I 

 could pull in the line and I have noticed the shoals not un- 

 frequently to consist of many hundreds. The Windermere 

 perch, however, as a rule run very small ; on Lough Corrib, 

 on the contrary, where smaller shoals are to be met with, the 

 fish often run from i Ib. to \\ Ibs. or even occasionally to 

 upwards of 2 Ibs. Here, however, in consequence of the great 

 depth of the water, it is sometimes better both to observe 

 them and catch them at the surface than at the bottom, and 



