8 SEA-FISH. 
only being left up to keep the boat head to the 
wind. 
The north wind has, of course, the effect, being 
then aland breeze, of calming the Channel grounds ; 
but I do not like it for all that, for it seems to drive 
the fish out of the bays into deeper water, in 
addition to which it has the undesirable effect of 
making the inshore water both clear as crystal and 
cold as spring water,—a combination fatal to sport. 
The north-west wind, however, is on the whole 
about the best that Channel fishermen can wish for, 
as it brings no rain, and at the same time keeps 
the sea calm without making the water either cold 
or too clear. Moreover, it very rarely goes to the 
south, as the wind shifts as a rule with the sun, 
not in the opposite direction. 
The sea breezes have the effect of stirring up the 
bottom and thickening the water, but this is accom- 
plished in far less time by a few hours of heavy rain. 
Of the effect of thunder on sea-fishing, which 
has been much written about, I regret to 
have no interesting data to quote. My 
diaries are absolutely conflicting on the subject, for 
they show under these conditions almost as many 
bad days as good; the general opinion among 
the fishermen—and I give it without comment for 
what it is worth—is that the fish bite well during 
“thunder weather,” especially pouts. On the other 
hand, I have had many blank days when the 
thunder only threatened without actually rolling. 
In concluding these few introductory remarks, 
Table I would say a word on a subject which I 
fish confess to having somewhat at heart. The 
sca-angler will soon make acquaintance with a 
number of excellent table fish, among them the 
dory and garfish, which, having tried at first out of 
Thunder 
