THE PERCH 115 



nothing comparable to a well-prepared dew-worm. It 

 will often tempt the perch, late in the evening, when 

 he is roving about shallow places in search of prey ; and 

 a large eel will rush at it greedily. 



Perch may be caught nearly all the year round ; but 

 perhaps August, September, and October are the best 

 months, as the fish are then in high season, splendid in 

 colour, and full of condition and vigour. In cloudy 

 weather, this fish will bite all day ; but, generally 

 speaking, early in the morning and late in the day, far 

 into the evening, are the most favourable periods. The 

 largest perch we ever saw taken, were caught with a 

 dew-worm, near a public ferry, where the bottom was 

 gravelly, and the water not too clear. They were 

 caught between three and five in the morning, in 

 August, whilst the thick, heavy dew was on the water, 

 and before it had been disturbed by the usual traffic. 



The hooks commonly recommended for perch are too 

 small. No. 4 will be found the most efficient size ; for 

 this fish has a large mouth, out of which a small hook 

 may very easily slip. 



As to the float, if he must have one, the angler should 

 be guided by circumstances, such as weight of shot, 

 nature of bait, current, depth, etc., but on no account 

 should it be very large; indeed, as an ordinary rule, 

 every part of an angler's apparatus, which may be seen 

 by the fish, should be as small as the exigencies of the 

 case will permit. 



In many countries the perch is esteemed a very 

 dainty dish. In Italy, Androvandus praises it. Gesner 

 prefers it to the trout. He tells us that the Germans 

 have a proverb, " More wholesome than a perch of the 

 Ehine " ; and adds, that the river-perch is so wholesome, 

 that physicians allow him to be eaten freely by wounded 

 men, those suffering from dangerous fevers, and by 

 women in childbed. 



