314 NOTES ON FISH AND FISHING. 



tackle and bait to be used, and proper places to be re- 

 sorted to. The season is July, August, and September, 

 at least on the Thames, and even the first month might 

 be omitted, for gudgeon are seldom well on the feed till 

 the water may be said to have got thoroughly warm. A 

 river like the Thames, after a cold April and May, does 

 not arrive at the proper temperature for gudgeon-fishing 

 in June, or even in July. The Thames takes longer to 

 warm than to cool, and probably its temperature is 

 higher on an average in August and September than in 

 June and July. I have noticed, too, that gudgeon in 

 the Thames seem each year during the last few seasons 

 to have been getting later in coming on the feed. Such 

 was the case particularly in 1875, to be accounted for partly 

 by the unusually cold spring and summer months. If you 

 want to make up a large tale of gudgeon for the sake of 

 adding to your piscatorial reminiscences, and being able 

 to recount how many dozen dozens you took in one day, 

 August is your month, and the Thames is your river. 

 The best depth of water to angle in is from four to six 

 feet ; the bottom should be clear sand or gravel without 

 weeds ; and the pitch should be where there is only 

 a medium stream ; for in very swift water your float 

 is almost to the end of the swim before your bait 

 is fairly at the bottom, and consequently the continual 

 drawing home and starting afresh is irksome to the 

 generally lazy gudgeon-fisher. You may often find a 

 good swim from the bank, but the best gudgeoning is to 

 be had from a punt; and if you have a professional 

 Thames fisherman as your humble servant for the day, 

 leave it to him to select the pitches. If he does not know 

 the "wheres," you may take it for granted that you do 



