152 WHEN AND WHERE TO FISH. 



inch of water whipped, dragged, and thrashed, with 

 every description of bait the ingenuity of man can 

 devise ; when his chance of sport will resolve itself 

 into the merest shadow. The only plan then for an 

 angler to follow, in such a predicament, as is now too 

 frequently the case, is to sit quietly down, light his pipe, 

 and disengaging his pocket-pistol, meditate upon the 

 beauties of the surrounding scenery, the probable occu- 

 pation of the various personages he sees before him, 

 their peculiarities of character and appearance, etc., and 

 wait patiently for a couple of hours or so, until the trout 

 resume their usual haunts and composure. When a 

 river is thus beset with a host of fishers, it will be of no 

 avail to endeavour to pass on before them (setting aside 

 all the rules of politeness), as on observing your in- 

 tentions, every one else will commence playing the 

 same game, in order to circumvent you. I have seen 

 two fellows thus chasing each other the entire day 

 over miles of water, seemingly for no other purpose 

 than a mutual determination to prevent each other from 

 fishing. They returned home, of course, with wearied 

 limbs and empty baskets. 



In all rivers, unless they are large and deep, minnow- 

 fishing can only be prosecuted with much success 

 during a few days after a flood, when the river is 

 clearing off from a muddy state, and assuming a brown, 

 or dilute porter colour. The trout are by that time 

 satiated with worms, caddies, and other bottom food 

 brought down by the swollen waters, and are then 

 more on the watch for minnow and fly as a change. 



