84 MAKING A FISHERY. 



has been neglected, it is, however, most 

 necessary, as a considerable number of pike are 

 thus captured just before or during the spawning 

 season ; but when once their number has been 

 reduced to a minimum the spring netting may 

 be omitted, and only the autumn netting carried 

 out. Whether for the spring or the autumn 

 netting the same preliminaries are required, 

 the same nets are used, and all the special 

 methods and details are identical. 

 Preliminary It is desirable that all arrangements should 



be carefully planned some time beforehand, and 

 it is necessary that the riparian owners and 

 tenants, whether farmers or millers, should be 

 consulted before fixing the dates for com- 

 mencing the netting. For the autumn netting 

 the weeds must, of course, have been cut, not 

 only in the main stream, but also in all bye- 

 streams, tributaries, carriers, and ditches wide 

 enough to hold pike. To net effectually, the 

 entire control of hatches and sluices should be 

 in the hands of the fishing keeper during the 

 netting, as he must be empowered to draw the 

 water down to the low level requisite, and, in 

 some cases, keep it at this low level for some 

 days, thus temporarily preventing the mills 

 working. He must make himself fully acquainted 

 with the state of the meadows adjoining the 

 river, as otherwise' the lessee of the fishery may 



