THE BEST SEASONS FOR TROLLING. 231 



would have it, though upon such a nicety I scarcely 

 ever denied myself a day of diversion. A northern 

 wind indeed is more sharp and piercing, and will weary 

 the fisherman's patience, and the north-east carries a 

 proverb with it, enough to discourage a fresh-water 

 soldier ; yet this I have observed, that in a right and 

 seasonable time of the year, the fish will bite, let the 

 wind stand where it will. The south and the south, 

 wf st have the general applause, because they are more 

 pleasing to the Troller; and it is granted that the fish 

 are more brisk and quicker at the bait, and perhaps 

 they may then have more sport than when the wind is 

 contrary ; yet this is certain, that the colder the wind 

 is, the closer the fish lie to the bottom, and farther in 

 their harbour, which may hinder you from having so 

 many 4)ites as when they lie out and more open in * 

 warmer day; yet the air being cold and sharp, it 

 makes them hungry ; and if you are careful, you may 

 have as many fish as bites : besides a fish of any bigness 

 is too cunning to be cheated of his life, if he lies not 

 securely in the deeps, or invisible among the weeds ; 

 for as old birds are not to be taken with chaff, soan 

 old fish that hath been already pricked in the gills or 

 pouch, is very cautious in making a second adventure. 

 All the principal and chiefest time for Trolling may be 

 epitomized into four months, two of which attend the 

 Spring, and two the Fall : part of March may con- 

 veniently be left out, which will only tantalize with 

 runs and afford you no fish, if you use the .Pouch ; 

 neither will they then bite so freely as they will about 

 a fortnight after, they are then very averse and indif. 

 ferent in their feeding; the reason of which, some do 

 ascribe to the multitude of frogs which then engender 

 and breed in the waters : though I have not been of 

 that opinion ; for supposing the fish feed upon frogs, 

 which I could seldom observe, especially in the deep 

 streams ond running waters, where the frogs very 

 rarely come ; for they generate for the most part in 

 pits and standing pools, amongst filth and mire : yet 

 notwithstanding this, the fish prey upon them at that 



