THE WHITE PERCH 



in numbers and feeding-powers. A few years ago, 

 at this place, two other fishermen and I caught 

 700 perch, averaging over half a pound each, in 

 about two hours. Two boatmen were kept busy 

 preparing crab-bait, baiting the hooks, and taking 

 the captured fish from them. Our tackle was a 

 species of ' paternoster ' (so called by English 

 fishermen), a hand-line with a heavy lead at the 

 bottom (the tide is very strong at Betterton). 

 Prom four to six hooks were attached to each hne, 

 about five inches apart, and when the pluck of a 

 fish, always a strong one, was felt, the barb of the 

 hook was fastened into its jaw with a jerk. Before 

 the line could be hauled aboard, another, a third, 

 fourth, fifth, or sixth fish would take a hold. Perch 

 scores were then estimated by peach-crates, as when 

 that fruit was in high season the perch was most 

 plentiful and they were packed in the baskets used 

 in shipping peaches to market." — Harris. 



Ply-fishing is most productive in fresh-water 

 ponds not connected with the sea, or well up fresh- 

 water streams. A variety of small flies has been 

 employed — dark midge, gray drake, red ibis, 

 grizzly king, oriole, coachman — tied on Nos. 7 

 or 8 hooks. 



