THE BREAM. 



45 



constantly, and keeping the rod in the same place, 

 and at the same angle, the hands get so accustomed 

 to the touch that bungling becomes almost im- 

 possible in striking ; and as the position of every 

 little weed or rush-top gets to be known, you can 

 frequently tell if any one has interfered with 

 the swim in the least degree. Where bream are 

 shy, or not very plentiful, it may be some time 

 before you get a second fish, particularly with the 

 larger ones. When very large shoals are passing, 

 or are in the hole, they may be caught more freely ; 

 but my experience in the Wey is that you will have 

 to wait a while. In the Norfolk Broads, where the 

 shoals are vast, and the waters extensive, I have 

 caught bream almost as fast as roach ; and I have 

 caught them fairly quickly in the Thames, but it 

 depends chiefly on the number of fish about. I 

 find I get more fish by the waiting plan than by 

 moving about. While moving about, your line is 

 out of the water, and while it is so, you certainly 

 cannot catch fish ; and moving about creates a 

 certain disturbance, all prejudicial to fishing, and 

 worse in narrow than in broad streams. It is a 

 question of a passing shoal, unless they happen to 

 harbour for some time in one spot, which is rare ; 

 you get one, and the rest go away, as the old catch 

 has it ; it is no good walking about after them, you 

 may be going from your fish, while the angler who 

 sits still and occupies all his time in fishing will 

 generally show the best bag of bream at the end of 

 the day. Where you have to reach out to some 

 distance, where the water is very deep, or where no 

 shelter can be obtained and you have to sit further 

 back, the longer rod must be employed ; but the 

 forked stick arrangement is a good one, though it 



