HAUNTS OF, AND BAITS FOR, PERCH. 345 



Some say that, as regards time, the perch bites 

 best in the latter part of the spring from seven to 

 eleven in the forenoon, and from two to six in the 

 afternoon, except in hot and bright weather, and 

 then from sunrise to six in the morning, and in 

 the evening from six to sunset. In tide rivers, 

 however, and the waters immediately connected 

 with them, as docks, sluices, &c., these general 

 rules as to biting times do not apply ; for it is 

 there during the flow and ebb, when the natural 

 food is principally on the stir, that the fish are 

 most certainly on the look-out for it, let the time 

 be what it may. Perch lie about bridges and mill 

 pools ; in and near locks ; about shipping, barges, 

 and floats of timber, in navigable rivers, canals, 

 and in wet docks ; in the still part of rivers, in 

 back waters, in deep gentle eddies; in ponds 

 about sluices, and the mouths of outlets and flood- 

 gates, liking best sandy and gravelly bottoms. In 

 deep waters and in docks, I recommend the pater- 

 nosterline. If you angle in docks, deep and subject 

 to the tide, use four hooks on your paternoster, 

 baiting the lowest one with a minnow, roach, or 

 gudgeon ; the next with a worm, the third with a 

 shrimp, and the fourth or upper hook with a 

 gentle. In fresh water a shrimp should not be 

 used. Perch have been lately caught with large 

 gaudy lake trout flies, sunk beneath the surface 

 of the w^ater. Fish for t perch with strong tackle, 



