48 THE SCIENTIFIC ANGLER. 



ficial spinning bait and spoon, the roving live bait, the 

 fly,* both artificial and natural, maybe successfully used. 

 The more advanced methods of bottom fishing may also 

 be resorted to in the case of the perch; indeed, this is a 

 matter of necessity in river fishing, where the large fish 

 exhibit a degree of wariness akin to that of the acute 

 carp. Whipping with the cad-bait, fresh-water shrimp, 

 and other aquatic insects in nymphas form also affords 

 capital sport, even in clear water, under the overhanging 

 banks, trees, or bushes, amongst well-educated shoals of 

 these fish. 



THE GUDGEON (Genus Gobia) are very prevalent in 

 slowly-running waters, those having gravelly or sandy 

 bottoms being the best adapted for them. They increase 

 wonderfully, and like most small fish, they spawn twice 

 and often three times in the year. Upon most of our 

 large rivers, as well as upon the majority of our small 

 streams, gudgeon fishing is a popular pastime in its sea- 

 son, which commences with July and ends with Septem- 

 ber. The following is the system mainly resorted to upon 

 the Thames and Trent. A punt is moored in a moderate 

 flowing stream, four or perhaps five feet in depth. The 

 bottom is disturbed by a large and heavy metal rake,f 

 brought for the purpose, when the fish (which are grega- 

 rious, going in large shoals), congregate in great numbers 

 in the water thus discolored to feed upon the grubs and 

 larvae of insects. But little skill is needed to catch this 

 fish. Its excessive gullibility is well known. The mean- 

 ing expressed by being "gudgeoned," is, as everybody 



* The American yellow perch will take the fly freely. I have caught 

 them on the rocky shoals of Lake Champlain and in the rivers of the 

 Middle States, on almost every variety of black bass flies. 



t A most excellent plan to adopt when fishing for flounders in salt 

 water. It is used by a few New York City anglers, and in no other sec- 

 tion to my knowledge. 



