How to Attract Perch.--Perch-fishing.--Pike.--Good Sport.--
Plaster Casts.--Model Eggs.
"I say," said Frank, "you remember when the minnows ran at the
caddis-worms in their transparent cases, but could not eat them?"
"Yes."
"And you know what shoals of perch there are about the broad, and how
difficult it is to drop upon them, because the water is so shallow and
clear?"
"Yes."
"Then what would you say to putting a quantity of minnows in glass
bottles, and sinking them in the broad, in a good place, for two or
three days? I think a lot of perch would collect together and prowl
about trying to get at them, and then we could go and catch any quantity
of them, live baiting with minnows."
This project was agreed to unanimously, and after a day or two, the boys
were busily engaged in collecting wide glass bottles, or wide-mouthed
jars, and in fishing for minnows, of which they got a considerable
number by diverting the current of a brook, and baling the water out of
a pool in it.
They had managed to obtain about a dozen large glass bottles or jars.
They filled these with water and put a number of minnows in each, and
then corked them up, making holes through the corks to admit fresh water
and air to the prisoners. These bottles and jars were conveyed to a spot
where perch were in the habit of congregating,--near an island of reeds,
where the water was about five feet deep, with a fine gravelly bottom
such as perch delight in. The large shoals of perch which roamed about
the broad were very often to be met with here, and it was a favourite
fishing place of the boys.
One Friday night they took the yacht to this spot and moored her there
in a convenient position, sinking the bottles and jars from six to
twelve feet distance from her, so as just to be within easy reach of
their rods. Leaving the yacht there they rowed back in the punt. The
yacht was pleasanter to fish from than a small boat, and they took her
there overnight to avoid making a disturbance in the morning.
On the Saturday morning they rowed to the spot in the punt, armed with
their rods and bait-cans filled with minnows. Getting quietly on board
the yacht, so as to avoid any concussion of the water, they peered into
the clear depths. Two of the jars were easily to be seen, and round each
of them was a circle of perch, or rather several circles, for next to
the jar were some very large ones with their noses placed against the
glass. Behind these large perch were others, in circles of gradually
lessening size, until they came to the very small ones, which were
there, not so much attracted by the minnows as hanging on of necessity
to the tails of their elders.
The boys laughed quietly to each other at the success of their
experiment. They had certainly succeeded in drawing the fish together.
Dick was the first ready. He had baited his hook with a live minnow, the
hook being run through the skin of its back near the back-fin. As the
minnow sank through the water, and before the float touched the surface,
there was a general rush of the perch up towards it. Dick pulled his
bait out of the way of some small ones which were rushing at it, and
then the largest of the shoal, a patriarch of about four pounds in
weight, came hurtling at it, dashing the others to right and left of
him. The poor minnow made a futile attempt to escape the wide open
jaws, but it was of no use, and they closed upon it and the hook
together. Dick struck and hooked the perch, which immediately made a
spirited rush straight away. On being hooked it had blown the minnow out
of its mouth, and it was eagerly snapped up by another perch. Dick's
perch fought very gamely, and Frank and Jimmy forbore to put their lines
in until it was secured, for fear of fouling. After a very sharp
struggle Dick drew the perch within reach of a landing-net, which Frank
slipped under it and lifted it out. It was a beauty, in splendid
condition, its black bars being strongly marked across its golden
scales.
[Illustration: PERCH AND GUDGEON.]
Frank and Jimmy now put their lines in, while Dick was rebaiting. In
less time than you can say "Jack Robinson" they each had a fish on, both
of them good ones. And now the sport was fast and furious. As fast as
they put in they had a bite, the perch even following their struggling
companions to the top of the water as they were being drawn out. The
very large ones soon grew wary, but the smaller ones, fellows of about
half to three-quarters of a pound, seemed not to have the slightest
shyness, and rushed to their fate with the greatest eagerness. The
floats lay for a very short time on the water before they went under
with that quick dash which characterizes a perch's bite.
"Here's a gudgeon in the bait-can," said Jimmy. "I will put it on my
hook and try for a big one. It may be tempting."
He did so and threw it in. Immediately the float went under water with
such swiftness that he knew he had hold of a big one and he struck, to
find his rod bending double and his line running rapidly off the reel
with the rush of a large fish.
"You have got a big one," said Frank. "Let him have line."
Jimmy did so, until the line was nearly off the reel, and then he was
compelled to give him the butt. The line stood the strain, and the fish
was turned and came back slowly and sullenly, while Jimmy wound in his
line. The fish allowed himself to be drawn up close to the yacht, and
they saw it was a large pike, and then it went off again. This time the
rush was not so long or strong, and after two or three rushes of
lessening power, the pike was drawn within reach. Frank unscrewed the
net and fixed the gaff-head on the stick, hooked Mr. Pike through, and
hauled him in. It weighed nine pounds. Jimmy was proud of having
conquered it with a light rod and line not very well adapted for
pike-fishing.
[Illustration: PIKE.]
Towards noon the wind began to rise, and as the clearness of the water
was then destroyed by the ripple, the big perch lost their caution in
consequence. The small ones now left off biting, possibly beginning to
see that it was not a profitable occupation. Presently the sport
altogether grew slack, and as it was then three o'clock, and the boys
had been too busy to eat anything, they left off for lunch. After lunch
Frank said,--
"I am sated with slaughter; and as there is such a nice breeze, let us
sail about the broad."
"Frank would give up anything for sailing," said Dick laughing, as he
put away his tackle.
I forget how many fish they really got that day, but I know that both
number and weight were very great indeed.
They took up the jars and bottles the next morning when the water was
clear and still, and released the prisoners which had done them such
good service.
It was worth while preserving a memento of a four-pound perch, and as it
was a pity to spoil it for eating by skinning, it was resolved to make a
plaster-cast of it, and this was done in the following manner:--
They bought some plaster-of-paris and mixed it with water until it
became a thin paste. This they poured into a box, and when it began to
set they laid the fish on its side in it, so that exactly one half of it
was covered by the plaster. The fish had first been well oiled, so that
the scales should not adhere to the mould. When the plaster was set and
hard the fish was taken carefully out. Several holes about an inch deep
were then bored in the plaster round the imprint of the fish. The
plaster-cast was then well oiled, the fish laid in it, and more plaster
poured in, until the fish was covered. When this in its turn had become
hard it was taken off, and both sides of the fish were now represented
in the mould. The holes which had been bored in the first mould, now had
corresponding projections in the second mould. This was to insure
accuracy of fit when the pieces were put together for the final cast. A
hole was then bored through one side of the mould. The interior of it
was well oiled, the pieces fitted together, and liquid plaster poured in
through the hole. In a couple of hours the moulds were separated, and a
perfect cast of the fish was the result. This Mary painted in
water-colour to imitate the natural fish, and the final result was very
creditable to all concerned.
While upon the subject of plaster casts, I must mention an occupation
which the boys resorted to in the winter-time. Their collection of
birds' eggs was almost as perfect as they could hope to make it for many
years to come, but at Frank's suggestion they added to it, for
additional perfection, a representation of the egg of every British
bird. They made these eggs of plaster and coloured them very carefully,
and varnished them with white of egg. These artificial eggs could not
have been distinguished from real ones as they lay in the cabinet, but
each egg was marked with a label, signifying that it was only a model. I
recommend this plan to all students of ornithology.