PERCH-FISHING. 259 



at any rale I have never to my knowledge taken them in waters 

 which are absolutely stagnant, though I once caught one under 

 rather droll circumstances in a tributary of the Mole near 

 Leatherhead, which long-continued drought had changed into 

 a succession of small isolated pools. 



When taking a ' constitutional ' with some friends, a ruffe 

 was perceived at the bottom of one of these pondlets, and 

 something led to a discussion as to his ' catchableness.' The 

 upshot was a small wager on my side that I would catch him 

 there and then, though without rod, line, hook, or bait. The 

 first was easily procured from a neighbouring hazel-bush ; the 

 second I manufactured out of the beard of my ' bettee ; ' the 

 hook we extemporised with a pin borrowed from a passer-by ; 

 and the bait, a worm, was not long in being unearthed from 

 under a fallen log. In less than five minutes from the time of 

 making the bet, the diminutive specimen of acerina was lying 

 on the bank — a victim to misplaced confidence and an empty 

 larder. 



The red worm is the most attractive bait for the ruffe. It 

 is of no value to the sportsman, and seldom caught in sufficient 

 quantities to be a matter of interest for the table. In length 

 it rarely exceeds 4 or 5 inches ; spawning about April, and 

 depositing its eggs at the margin of the water amongst flags 

 and rushes to which they adhere. 



PERCH FISHING WITH THE PATERNOSTER. 



The most kilHng bait for perch all the year round is, as I 

 have stated, a live minnow, and of the several methods of 

 fishing by which it can be used, the best is the paternoster ; the 

 other two being minnow-fishing with the float, and spinning. 



The construction of the paternoster has been described at 

 page 165. It is available under almost all circumstances when 

 there is any chance of perch fishing being successfully pursued. 

 It is most strictly however in its ' element ' in deep holes, and 

 under steep banks, in back-waters, eddies, and similar river 



