48 COARSE FISH. 



the next, having either come down the run or been 

 shifted out of some eddy through the closing or 

 opening of some of the weir-gates altering the runs 

 of stream. It is next to impossible to get out a 

 heavy obstruction ; and the disturbance caused by 

 trying to do so, or by actually dragging it out, 

 effectually spoils a bream-swim for some time to 

 come. When it gets dusk, eels are a great nuisance 

 when baiting with worms ; they bite at the bait 

 very sharply, and nearly always spoil the fine 

 tackle. I usually cut the hook off without further 

 ado, if possible without getting the eel into the 

 punt, as this not only saves much time, but eel- 

 slime on the boards or treads of a punt may easily 

 put you overboard if you slip on it when punting. 

 Besides frequenting the lower, bream will come 

 into the upper eddies, so all possible places should 

 be tried, as the fish wander about considerably. 

 I once gave a weir a thorough baiting, tried the 

 best spot for some hours, then moved to another at 

 the other side of the weir, fishing both places with- 

 out success. Trying the first pitch again, I got 

 half a dozen or more bream of three pounds or so 

 apiece ; then the shoal moved again, and I got no 

 more that day. Almost the only way to fish a 

 weir with success is to leger ; the bottom alters so 

 quickly that float-tackle, in the majority of places, 

 cannot be properly used. The holes are mostly 

 too deep for rypecks to hold a punt, so I employ 

 two weights, either mooring the punt in the runs 

 and fishing down, or throwing towards the weir 

 and fishing up, according to the eddies. The punt 

 must be kept as steady as possible, leaving little 

 slack on the weight-lines, just tying the punt down 

 so that she will not lift the weights. If the weights 



