ON THE PRACTICE OP ANGLING. 49 
less to angle after a long drought in summer, or in the autumn 
or spring, when the high east, or cold north winds blow. 
In fresh water angling the best time is early in the morn- 
ing, or at the close of the day. The proper time for salt 
water angling depends upon the tide. The best time is at 
the last of the ebb or the first of the flood, whether at morn- 
ing, at mid-day, or at night. 
In all kinds of angling it is necessary to be very cautions, 
but particularly in taking the wily trout. Many novices in 
the art wander up and down streams, and wade creeks, with 
little or no success, from the want of this — a proper requisite 
of every good angler. Tire more skilful, also, sometimes fail 
from the same fault. 
A story is told, which serves well to show the necessity 
of caution. An Angler, who had risen with the sun, and 
fished till near noon-day without success, was outdone by a 
knowing one, who, with proper precaution, passed his rod 
and line between the legs of the Angler (which like his line 
were pretty well stretched) into a hole underneath the bank. 
He soon had a bite, and succeeded in taking a two pound 
trout, almost before the astonished tyro was aware of his 
presence. 
Some are of opinion that trout, and similar fish, can hear* 
the tread on the ground. It is certain that it will start 
at the least noise, when nothing can be seen. Salter, in his 
“ Angler’s Guide,” says: “ Keep as far from the water as 
you can, and go quietly and slily to work, for fish have so 
many enemies that they are suspicious of every thing they 
see, feel, or hear ; even the shaking the bank of a river (un- 
* Smith, in his “ History of the Fishes of Massachusetts,” says that 
the acoustic apparatus is boxed up in the solid bones of the skull, so that 
sound propagated through the water, gives a vibratory motion or tremor 
to the whole body, and which, agitating the auditory nerve, produces 
hearing. 
