NIGHT-FISHING ANTICIPATION 87 



into a blackthorn bush on the opposite bank. I tried 

 every dodge to dislodge the minnow, but there was 

 nothing doing/' 



" I remembered that you said there is a bridge farther 

 up, so I propped my rod against a tree and bolted. I 

 found the bridge, crossed it and came down the bank. 

 I knew approximately where I had left my rod, and soon 

 I saw my line stretched across the river. I tried to get 

 through the bushes, but they are too dense. I had to 

 give up the job. Why, I'm like a butcher's shop. Well, 

 I came back, and the only thing to be done was to pull 

 the line, and hope to lose as little of it as possible, but 

 my only spinner went west. You see, when I'm at home 

 we fish a fine open reservoir, and there are no ghastly 

 trees to watch. Father carries a spare, but we never 

 lose a minnow, so I did not think of packing an extra 

 one. Now I've spent a morning for nowt, and lost a 

 minnow into the bargain." 



This is not the only angler whom I have met who has 

 been caught napping by depending on a solitary minnow ; 

 hence you are advised to profit by other fishers' lapses. 



CHAPTER IX 



NIGHT-FISHING ANTICIPATION 



NIGHT-FISHING for sea-trout seems to me to be 

 more of a business of catching fish than pleasant 

 sport. I am prepared to agree that, all things being 

 equal, more sea-trout can be taken by night than by 

 day, for to return with a basket of four brace as the 

 result of a night's toil is nothing unusual, but I would 



