68 SPINNING FOR TROUT AND PERCH. 



CHAPTER XL 



SPINNING FOR TROUT AND PERCH THE ROD AND 

 TACKLE REQUIRED BAITS, ETC. 



THE TROUT (Salmo Fario). 



THIS style of fishing is much practised in the 

 Thames, with occasionally great success; early 

 in the morning, and towards sunset, are gene- 

 rally the best times. When dropping down the 

 stream quietly in a punt on a fine summer's 

 evening, while the setting sun tinges the 

 distant water with gold, the Trout may be 

 observed feeding on the shallows, and driving 

 the minnows and other small fish in shoals 

 towards the shore, being as voracious in that 

 respect as their mortal enemy the Pike ; their 

 mouth is admirably adapted for the purpose, 

 the jaws and tongue being studded with small 

 teeth ; they are thus enabled to destroy multi- 

 tudes of small bleak, minnows, and gudgeons. 

 Next to the lordly Salmon, to which, to my 

 mind, it is quite equal in beauty, the Trout 

 may be considered the most game of fresh- 

 water fish. The reader should observe a first- 



