CARP. 137 



within a yard or two of the spot while any of the 

 ground-bait is left. The reason is obvious. The 

 ground-bait is constantly breaking up, and being car- 

 ried away in small pieces, and this brings together im- 

 mense quantities of small fry, the natural prey of the 

 perch, who will there feed or sport as long as bait or 

 fry remain. You may occasionally throw in some of 

 your ground-bait in loose quantities, well saturated, 

 with great success. The small fish will be induced to* 

 rise to it in large quantities ; and as surely as they do 

 so, they will be observed and pursued by perch. 



When you have a bite, let the fish run the distance 

 of a yard or two, so that he may gorge the bait, and 

 then strike smartly, but never violently. 



When fishing for perch, always have a live-bait 

 kettle, of the kind described in p. 80, and keep your 

 bait-fish in good condition by a frequent change of 

 water. Early in the morning, or late in the evening, 

 is the best time for perch-fishing. To keep shrimps 

 fresh for bait, the best way is to put them into some 

 damp, sandy gravel, in a wicker basket. When gra- 

 velly sand is not easily to be had, a good whisp of hay, 

 straw, or weeds, well wetted, will answer as the next 

 best thing. 



X. THE CARP. 



THIS being called " the fresh-water fox," suggests that 

 it is vigilant and wary, and that some patience, as 

 well as skill, is necessary to take it. Next to the ponds 

 in which carp are bred, the places to angle for them 

 are those parts of rivers where the stream is gentle, and 

 the water deep and weedy. The rod should be a 



