40 SMELT AND PERCH. 



sides, and a satin band running along the sides. 

 They may be called a sea fish, though they run up 

 fresh water streams in the spring to spawn. They 

 are caught in October and November, and in the. 

 winter months by breaking holes in the ice. The 

 tackle used for the smelt is a silk, or silk and hair 

 line, with Limerick trout hooks Nos. 2 to 5, on single 

 gut leaders. The sinker should be pretty heavy to 

 overcome the tide. Shrimp bait is generally used, or 

 small pieces of minnow or frog will answer. If you 

 wish to fish them through a hole in the ice, take ;i 

 piece of small brass wire a foot and a half long, put 

 it through a piece of lead for a sinker, and fasten 

 your hooks at both ends. Tie on a cotton or flax 

 line and then drop your hooks. You can use three 

 or four of these lines at different holes, setting them, 

 while you are either skating or running round to keep 

 warm. In this way you will get a fine string of 

 smelts in a short time. Smelts will live, breed and 

 thrive when transferred to fresh water ponds ; and 

 by some people these fresh water smelt are considered 

 the best eating. They live a long time out of water, 

 and hence are good eating after being carried long- 

 distances. 



The Yellow Pike Perch. 



The color and appearance of this fish show it to 

 be a true perch, though its form and habits are like 

 the pike, or pickerel. Its back is of a yellowish 

 olive, the sides lighter, but mottled with black, the 



