In swift or flooded streams fish are less easily scared than when the water is quiet. Under these circumstances a worm is often better bait than paste, or even than gentles.
Again, in clear water which is swift and not deep it may be desirable to let out line by using running tackle. In this way you may reach fish which are too shy to let you get within casting distance of them.
The Nottingham anglers are particularly expert at this sort of fishing, and use rods and reels which are specially adapted for it. They are very successful on their own river, the Trent, and have introduced their style on the Thames, and even the Lea, and have sometimes taken fish when ordinary fishing was useless. They are very skilful in casting from the reel without unwinding any line first; but many different circumstances must be studied before the sort of fishing most effective can be chosen.
Rules are very necessary; but the young angler will soon find that the most important thing is to find out when the exceptions, which are so numerous and important, come in. This can best be learnt by careful study of the habits of the fish, carried on patiently, day after day, at the water-side.
The Fishing Season.—On June 16th the “close” time comes to an end, and boys may fish in free water for any kind of fish, from bleak to barbel.
If we have had a very genial spring, many fish will have finished spawning and be getting into condition, so that there will be no harm in taking advantage of legal permission, and beginning to fish as soon as opportunity occurs.
It will be found that many fish, especially chub and dace, can be caught much better at this season by flies, either natural or artificial, than by the usual float and shot system.
A common house fly, used either on the top of the water or sunk by a single shot, will be found very effective, both for these fish and for roach, rudd, and bleak. Chub will take any large insect readily, if it is presented to them in an artistic manner—that is, in such a way that they can see little of either tackle or angler.
On some parts of the Lea the wooded banks and deep holes afford capital chances for dapping for chub—a kind of fishing in which a boy with some patience and ingenuity should be very successful.
No cumbrous tackle is required, only a long, light, and stiff rod, and two or three yards of medium gut, ending in a foot or two of finer stuff, with a largish hook, about No. 6 or 7. Running tackle would seldom be of use, as the awkward places, overgrown by bushes, in which the best chub are usually hooked, make it very desirable to keep your line short. If the chub run large (two pounds or more), you will have to use stout tackle, or even carry a landing net.