LURES FOR PERCH. GUDGEON. 45 



appendage, is experienced ; but this is an unusual 

 occurrence, more particularly if sound and strong 

 casts be used. 



The best way to land a string of perch is to secure 

 the endmost one in the net first, and when this is 

 done the rest seldom get into mischief, and are 

 generally easily landed. There are numerous 

 methods of extracting perch, and if it be true that 

 the amount of diversion derived from sport is 

 in proportion to the novelty introduced, perch 

 fishing presents important attractions. The artificial 

 spinning bait and spoon, the riving live bait, the 

 fly, both artificial and natural, may be successfully 

 used. The more advanced methods of bottom 

 fishing may also be resorted to in the case of the 

 perch ; indeed, this is a matter of necessity in river 

 fishing, where the large fish exhibit a degree of 

 wariness akin to that of the acute carp. Whipping 

 with the cad-bait, freshwater shrimp, and other 

 aquatic insects in nymphse form also affords capital 

 sport, even in clear water, under the overhanging 

 banks, trees, or bushes, amongst well-educated shoals 

 of these fish. 



The GUDGEON (Genus Gobia} are very prevalent 

 in slowly-running waters, those having gravelly or 

 sandy bottoms being the best adapted for them. 

 They increase wonderfully, and, like most small fish, 

 they spawn twice and often three times in the year. 

 Upon most of our large rivers, as well as upon the 

 majority of our small streams, gudgeon fishing is a 

 popular pastime in its season, which commences with 



