AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 141 



were there, and not one was visible. Even when 

 the depth was such that we could easily make out 

 the conformation of the rocks, with their beautiful 

 and many-coloured coverings, fish-life took no part 

 in those gorgeous gardens. This to the ordinary 

 fisher would have been a settler, and he would have 

 said or thought, * I can believe my own eyes ; 

 there are no fish." 



The practised pollack fisher who has often seen 

 these sights on days like this knows that the change 

 will come. He smokes his pipe, has waking dreams, 

 tells tales, or lets his fancy go free to guess the size 

 and number of the fishy monsters that are hidden 

 beneath the long leaf pattern carpet of these sea 

 hollows. 



This perfect calm in air and sea, and the 

 consequent lassitude of fish and fisher, is but a 

 repetition of hot, calm days in other places that 

 have been followed by wondrous evenings. 



Just as the sun is lowering in the west these 

 very spots may fairly boil with rising fish that will 

 seize your bait almost before a yard of line has left 

 your reel. And it may be you will not have to wait 

 for evening. The change may come at midday or 

 any other time. Let but the tide commence to 

 flow, the waving green curtains and the deeper- 

 down carpets will then be drawn aside, and wakeful 

 life, motion and appetite will soon be everywhere, 

 so that within an hour you may have a load of fish 

 beyond your easy comprehension. 



