THE HAUNTS OF THE MINNOW. 58 



CHAPTER VII, 



BOTTOM-FISHING, 



What to fisU for, and where — The haunts of the Minnow, Loach, 

 EufFe, Gudgeon, Bleak, Dace, Roach, Chub, and Bream. 



In suitable waters nearly every description of fish may be 

 caught by the bottom-fisher if he provides himself with 

 suitable tackle, uses it in the best manner, and in the suit- 

 able season. To be successful he should know somewhat 

 of the haunts of the fish, their method and time of feed- 

 ing, and, above aU, when they are in season. During the 

 present year I have been repeatedly annoyed by anglers 

 taking fish when they were not only unwholesome, but 

 spawning, and thereby destroying the poisonous fish and 

 their future sport. I have already touched upon the 

 general habits of fish-^their sense of hearing, sight, and 

 smell, (Chap. II. ;) and to the remarks there made I would 

 again direct the young angler's attention, ere I touch 

 upon the various kinds of fish which will afford him sport 

 with his rod, line, float-bait, and sinkers. Following out 

 the plan I proposed at the commencement, I begin with 

 the smaller fry, which are easily caught, and though not 

 of much value in themselves, are useful as baits for the 

 larger and more valuable fish. 



The Minnow is well known to every schoolboy who has 

 seen a rivulet. Delicate in shape, rapid in motion, and 

 moving in shoals, they are at once bold, gregarious, and vo- 

 racious feeders. For the purposes of the troUer and spinner 

 they are usually caught with a hand-net. A bent pin and 

 a small red worm enables a boy to catch any number. 



