372 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



for us to judge in this matter by a comparison with terres- 

 trial creatures ; but, fishes being inhabitants of the watery 

 element, it is not reasonable to suppose that a rain makes 

 any difference with them at all at the time though they 

 profit or not, by the subsequent rising and roiling of the 

 water, more or less, according to circumstances. 



The multitudes of insects which are said to be beaten 

 down from the overhanging trees and from the air, into 

 the water, during a shower of rain, must be taken cum 

 grano salis; for insects, like most other mundane creatures, 

 know enough to " come in out of the wet." We really 

 find no more insects floating on the water during a rain, 

 than at other times, though it is true that many are col- 

 lected and swept by rains from the surface of the ground, 

 and washed into the streams by swollen brooks and 

 branches; but with the insects, go, also, the washings, 

 debris, and particles of soil to discolor and thicken the 

 streams, so that the fish may really fast in the midst of 

 plenty, not being able to see the sudden influx of food by 

 reason of the turbidity of the water: and, again, it is doubt- 

 ful if fish feed much on dead insects 



The fish, however, on the other hand, are enabled to ex- 

 tend their range in foraging for food, during seasons of 

 high water, when the water has cleared sufficiently to 

 allow them to discover it. 



I have noticed that fish usually bite better just before a 

 shower ; especially if the weather be murky and warm, and 

 I think this can be accounted for in this way : It is gen- 

 erally quite calm, for a longer or shorter time previous to 

 a summer shower, and the water being still, the fish do 

 not bite, as they see the angler too distinctly and this is 

 why some have said that it is not a good time to fish before 



