60 A BOOK OF THE RUNNING BROOK: 



On the Norfolk Broads, besides the numbers 

 of tench that are caught in bow-nets, there is a 

 curious local way of catching them, which, 

 though not so common as it used to be, is 

 still resorted to by the Broadmen. During the 

 hot summer days, and especially at the 

 spawning-time, tench love to bask on the 

 surface of the water. The approach of the fisher- 

 men in a boat disturbs them only sufficiently 

 to make them seek the shelter of the nearest 

 bed of reeds, to which the angler cautiously 

 follows them. He can see where any particular 

 fish has paused in his flight by the bubble 

 which rises when he stops, and, lowering one 

 hand cautiously under the fish, just behind the 

 gills, he raises it gently, yet rapidly, out of the 

 water and into the boat. The tench seems to 

 think that the fingers creeping under it are only 

 bits of weed ; but the tench-tickler must be 

 careful of two things one is, not to touch the 

 fish on the tail, as a violent dash away is the 

 immediate consequence ; and the other is, to 

 be cautious, in lifting the tench into the boat, 

 not to touch the gunwale with his knuckles, as 



