ON THE PRACTICE OF ANGLING. 49 



less to angle after a long drought in summer, or in the autumn 

 or spring, when the high east, or cold north winds blow. 



In fresh water angling the best time is early in the morn- 

 ing, or at the close of the day. The proper time for salt 

 water angling depends upon the tide. The best time is at 

 the last of the ebb or the first of the flood, whether at morn- 

 ing, at mid-day, or at night. 



In all kinds of angling it is necessary to be very cautious, 

 but particularly in taking the wily trout. Many novices hi 

 the art wander up and down streams, and wade creeks, with 

 little or no success, from the want of this a proper requisite 

 of every good angler. The more skilful, also, sometimes fail 

 from the same fault. 



A story is told, which serves well to show the necessity 

 of caution. An Angler, who had risen with the sun, and 

 fished till near noon-day without success, was outdone by a 

 knowing one, who, with proper precaution, passed his rod 

 and line between the legs of the Angler (which like his line 

 were pretty well stretched) into a hole underneath the bank. 

 He soon had a bite, and succeeded in taking a two pound 

 trout, almost before the astonished tyro was aware of his 

 presence. 



Some are of opinion that trout, and similar fish, can hear* 

 the tread on the ground. It is certain that it will start 

 at the least noise, when nothing can be seen. Salter, in his 

 " Angler's Guide," says: " Keep as far from the water as 

 you can, and go quietly and slily to work, for fish have so 

 many enemies that they are suspicious of every thing they 

 see, feel, or hear ; even the shaking the bank of a river (un- 



* Smith, in his " History of the Fishes of Massachusetts," says that 

 the acoustic apparatus is boxed up in the solid bones of the skull, so that 

 sound propagated through the water, gives a vibratory motion or tremor 

 to the whole body, and which, agitating the auditory nerve, produces 

 hearing. 



