THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 79 



are generally those in and about where jack 

 frequent. A corner, a shallow near a deep 

 hole, an eddy, a rough made by a tumbling- 

 bay, or a still hole near it, are all likely places. 

 As it regards the time for perch-fishing, the 

 spring is decidedly the best in rivers, though 

 they will feed in some, more or less, all the 

 year round. In large ponds, docks, &c., they 

 will not feed, generally, until the weather gets 

 warm. They are a fish that is operated upon 

 very strongly by the weather. We have 

 known them to come on the feed quite strong 

 at the springing up of a stiff breeze, and leave 

 off as quickly when it had subsided. But a 

 good wind is always favourable, both for perch 

 and jack, for if the water be quite still you 

 seldom get much sport. When you take perch 

 out of the water, mind how you handle them, 

 for their back fin and part of their head will 

 cut you like a knife. They are a very good 

 fish for the table, and may be cooked with 

 their scales on, if you do not like the trouble 

 of taking them off, and then after they are 

 cooked take them off altogether, skin and all. 

 We prefer to have them scaled before they 

 are cooked ; but it is quite a task, especially 

 for any one who is not used to it, or has not 



