166 BOTTOM FISHING IN THE NOTTINGHAM STYLE. 



occasional^' taken them during Christmas time with the ova 

 in a very forward state. I believe they bury themselves in 

 the sand on the shady and quiet parts of the river to perform 

 this operation, and as breeders they are very prolific. They 

 get in good condition by the beginning of May ; indeed, we 

 generally used to start flounder fishing in this district on 

 "May Fair day," that is, May 14th, if water and weather 

 were anything like favourable ; in fact, some of us used to 

 reckon on it, but now we dare not go until June 16th. 



Taking them altogether, the flounders of the Trent do not 

 run very big, the average being about four or so to the pound. 

 Sometimes we get real good ones ; I have taken them and 

 seen them taken over a pound each. For the table, flounders 

 are very good, being sweet and luscious, if fried in butter or 

 lard, and sprinkled over with egg and bread crumbs. This 

 fish is not to be beaten as a breakfast delicacy. I have known 

 them to fetch as much as 6d. or Sd. per Ib. ; in fact, as Walton 

 says about some other fish, they are a deal " too good for any 

 but anglers or very honest men." 



Flounder fishing is capital sport when you get in a suitable 

 place, and find them well on. The best places for them are 

 slow streams, near the sides, where the bottom is sandy and 

 clean. He does not like mud at all ; a corner away from the 

 main stream where the water is, comparatively speaking, quiet, 

 is almost a sure find ; a row of willows close to the water's 

 edge, with about from three to five feet of water, a couple of 

 yards out, is a good spot, provided the bottom is clean and 

 sandy and the stream steady ; in fact, all the sandy slacks 

 and shallows of the lower Trent contain flounders, more or 

 less. Yet he is not confined to these places, for I have caught 

 him in the rushing waters of a weir when ledgering for barbel, 

 or out of a strong stream fourteen feet deep when float fishing 

 for the same fish ; but when we go for flounders, we generally 

 pick the shallow, quiet, sandy streams, or, I should say, 

 slacks. 



You need not be very particular about your tackle for 

 flounder fishing, no need for drawn gut of exquisite fineness, 

 and floats so nicely weighted that if a fish looks at the bait you 

 can detect it. The rod, reel, and line recommended for chub 



