The angler's instructor : a treatise on the best modes of angling in English rivers, lakes, and ponds, and on the habits of the fish

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THE LIBRARY

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THE UNIVERSITY

OF CALIFORNIA

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PRESENTED BY

PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND

MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID

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THE

ANGLER'S INSTRUCTOR

A TREATISE

ON THE BEST MODES OF ANGLING

ENGLISH RIVEES, LAKES, AND PONDS

ON THE HABITS OF THE FISH

WILLIAM BAILEY, NOTTINGHAM

LONDON
LONGMAN AND Co.

NOTTINGHAM
T. FORMAN, 14, LONG ROW

1857

^ hides'

PREFACE.

Since the days of good old Izaak, the common father, figuratively
speaking, of all piscators, the art of Angling has improved to
such a degree that his " Complete Angler," — although it does,
and shall ever, occupy a prominent position in English literature
for the purity of its style — is not now regarded as a " guide,
philosopher, and friend" in matters relating to the gentle craft.
In fact, the book has long been considered as afibrding more
amusement than instruction ; and during the two hundred years
that have elapsed since Walton wrote, many works have appeared
to correct the errors which he fell into, and to disseminate, what
the writers conceived to be, a better and more reliable knowledge
of the art. In the belief that many of these have promulgated
unsound views, and that the piscatorial directions given by them
are generally erroneous, I have ventured to submit to the public,

ivi37;^591

IV.

in the following pages, the opinions which, after upwards of
twenty years practical experience as an Angler, I have formed
as to fish and fishing. I have, indeed, made it the business of
my life to study the habits of fresh- water fish, and to devise the
best means of Angling for them at all seasons of the year, and in
every condition of the water, — so that the sentiments which I
have expressed in this work are not founded on theory, but based
on long, careful, and diligent personal observation. Unfortunately^
I am no scholar — I am but a "plain blunt man" — and make no
pretensions whatever to having written in a pleasing and
attractive style. If I have succeeded in making myself under-
stood, I have done as much as I expected to be able to perform
in a literary way.

I hope the contents of the book will be found to justify the
title which I have adopted for it. I have described the habits
of the fish — pointed out their haunts at the various seasons of
the year — the best baits to use for taking them, and when, how,
and where they should be Angled for. I have shown what rods,
reels, lines, and tackles should be used in Angling for the different
fish ; and, in short, I have given such instructions, and laid down
such rules as, I think, if attended to, cannot fail to make a good
Angler of the most inapt scholar.

It will be observed that the Salmon is not among the fish that
I have treated of. Although I have had so many years experience

as an Angler, and have killed every fish of any note common to
our rivers, lakes, and ponds, 1 have never had opportunities of
fishing for the King of fresh-waters, and hence the want of aay
allusion to that fish in the following pages. Those who desire
to become acquainted with the style of Angling for Salmon,
cannot do better than consult the admirable treatises on this fish
by " Ephemera," of BelVs Life, With these few words I commit
the " ANGiiEE's IifSTETJCTOE" to the favor of my friends, and,
if I have any, to the merciful consideration of my enemies.

Nottingham, \st Septembery 1857.

Digitized by tine Internet Archive

in 2007 with funding from

IVIicrosoft Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/anglersinstructoOOb^ilrich

CONTENTS.

PAGE

The Pike; his Habits and how to Angle for him .. ,, 1

The Perch 13

The Trout 19

The Grayling 30

The Carp 36

The Tench 40

The Barbel 42

The Chub .. .. 65

The Bream 78

The Roach 87

The Dace 100

The Gudgeon .. .. 107

THE PIKE.

Pike spawn in March or early in April, and are out of season
for three or four weeks thereafter, during which time they lie
in a torpid state and refuse to bite. But they ought never to
be angled for at that period as they are then unwholesome and
unfit for food. AVhile Pike are in this weak and listless
condition great numbers of them, I am sorry to say, are killed
by'the net, snare, and gun — a practice which cannot- be suffi-
ciently deprecated, and which no Angler could be guilty of in-
dulging in. If I had the power I would pass an enactment
to prevent fishing for Pike in rivers in March, April, and May,
and in stagnant waters in these months and June. Pike in still
waters, such as lakes and ponds, take a longer time to recover
from the e?thausting eff'ects of spawning, and it is on that ac-
count that I would give them a month's longer rest than I
would such as can frequent streams. But, in fact. Pike caught
in ponds are not at any time in good condition. If Pike caught
in ponds could speak, I fancy they would address the owners
somewhat in this fashion : — " It is cruel of you, gentlemen, to
keep us continually prisoners in this abominable stagnant water,
when thousands of our fellow fish are enjoying themselves in
the pleasant streams. We have scarce anything to eat, and
only the same dirty muddy water to drink over and over again ;
and, of course, we get long and thin, and lose our flavour.
Then the Angler cornea, and when we are caught we are abused

B

for being miserable ill-favoured tilings. It is you, gentlemen,
who, by keeping us in ponds, out of wliicli we cannot get to the
streams, which so much tends to improve our condition, that
have brought upon us a bad name."

Some writers relate wonderful stories about the size to which
Pike grow, and the voracity of their appetite. Many allege
that Pike will grow to the weight of seventy pounds or more,
and that it is a common thing for him to swallow a duck for
dinner, taking by way of dessert a few frogs, newts, and snails ;
rats and mice making a supper which he relishes. As to size,
although I have seen thousands of Pike, I have never looked'
upon one weighing more than thirty-six pounds. The latter
part of the statement cannot be disputed.

But enough of this, exclaims the young Angler, what I want
to know is how to angle for the Pike. Pray come with me for
a day's Pike-fishing to-morrow.

Frofessor. — Well, I will have a day with you to-morrow.
Having studied the habits of the Pike during every period of
the year, and having had twenty years practical experience as
an Angler, I flatter myself I will be able to teach you how and
when he should be fished for.

Fupil. — Well, here we are, and here are the Pike; I can see
them in shoals. We shall have good sport to-day, I warrant.

Professor. — Stop, my young friend, you must not get on so
fast. I admit you can see them, but neither you nor I can
catch them by fair means, and foul means do not become an
Angler. I have merely come with you to-day to show you that
fishing for Pike now is useless.

Pupil. — Why will the fish not bite ?

Professor. — This day is the first of April — ^just the time of
the year that Pike deposit their spawn and will not bite. They
leave the deep waters at this season and run up dikes, small
streams, backwaters, and shallow places, for the purpose of
generation, and deposit their spawn among the weeds over

3

which you now see them. In this state they are, of course,
exposed to much danger, and cowardly fellows taking advantage
of their inertia, destroy them at this period in large numbers ;
but the Angler will lay by his rod for six weeks or a couple of
months, by which time the fish will have got into good condi-
tion, and will afford good sport.

Pupil, — Then, the proper time to commence fishing for Pike
will be ?

Frofessor. — Eight weeks hereafter. You might induce a few
to bite in six weeks hence, but they will be scarcely in prime
condition before two months. But, of course, if you fish for
them at the end of that time you must look for them somewhere
else, for they will be gone from here. They only visit these
shallows for the purpose of spawning.

Pupil. — Then where shall I be most likely to find Pike when
I go a-fishing ?

Professor. — Pike leave their spawning places in May, and be-
take themselves to the streams to clean themselves. Where
you find a sharp stream three or four feet deep with a rest,
or a conjunction of two streams with a rest between them, or
a shallow still water w^ith a gravelly bottom and a little weed,
by the side of a stream, there you will find Pike in May and
June. As July and August approach they will go more into
deeper water — under weirs, and old trees sunk in water pools,
with flags by the side. As a general rule, wherever you can
find flags, reed, or cover of any sort, and a deep water, you will
be sure to find him up till the latter end of October or begin-
ning of !N"ovember. Tow-ards the latter end of summer he will
occasionally sally out from the deeps and chase the small fry
across the water on to the shallows, where I have often caught
him and brought him home to save him the trouble of returning.
About November he gets to the mouths of backwaters. He
does not go up, but remains at the entrance in the still water
by the side of the stream that runs past. This is a favourite
resort of his during winter. In spring he makes again for
the shallows to spawn.

Fupil. — Very good. What are the best description of days
to fish for Pike ?

Professor. -Never go Pike fishing when it freezes sharp.
As soon as you wet your line it becomes as thick as a rope by
becoming coated with ice, and your rings get stopped up. Be-
sides, although some writers on Angling say Pike will bite well
in such a state of the weather, I can assure you they are very
much mistaken. In January and February, when the weather
is open and a little sun shining, and the water clear, with a gentle
breeze blowing. Pike will bite well. A calm still day is bad for
Pike fishing at any time of the year, but particularly in sum-
mer when the weather is hot, but they may be taken on such
days in the morning and evening. A good rough wind will
keep them abve in the hottest weather. As a general rule,
however, you can take great store of Pike in spring, summer,
autumn, or winter, if the water is clear and rippled by a gentle
breeze and the day cloudy.

Pupil. —"What bait do you consider best for pike fishing ?

Professor. — The baits used for taking Pike are very nu-
merous, some Anglers preferring one kind and others another,
but in my opinion a Dace of two ounces is the best, next the
Roach, then the Gudgeon and the Witling or Bleak. The Dace
and the Koach for live bait. Bleak for spinning, and Grudgeon
for dead gorge or trolling. I always use a Dace when I can
get one, as he is very showy and wears well as ix live bait, and
I am sure Pike will take a Dace before any other bait. All
artificial baits are useless. I remember seeing a gentleman
fishing for Pike with an artificial bait on as fine a day as could
be wished for Pike fishing; but although he fished all over the
water he never got a single run. He asked me if I could tell
him the reason why he had such bad luck. I answered by
giving him a few Dace and telling him to try over the same
water which he had already fished with the artificial bait. He
did so, and returned in an hour with five good fish. " Ah,
fisherman," said he, "I am satisfied the artificial bait is useless
wherever the natural one comes."

Pw/)^7.— What do you think of this rod of mine for Pike
fishing ? It seems a nice rod and cost me thirty shillings, but
it makes my arms ache confonndedly.

Professor.— It may well do so. It looks more like the mast
of a fishing smack than a fishing rod. Why, it can't be less than
eighteen feet, and it is as stift' as a prop. I am very fond of
Angling, but if I were compelled to fish with such a rod as that,
I would soon tire of the sport. I have tried all sorts of rods,
but I have found none equal to the one I make myself. It is
twelve feet long, light and handy, and you may fish with it all
day with ease. It is in four parts, two made of lance wood and
two of red deal — the lance wood being, of course, used for the
top pieces ; the deal must be good and well seasoned, and then
nothing in the shape of a fish can break it.

Pupil. — What do you think of this reel of mine ? It is a
brass multiplier and winds up very quick.

Professor. — Your rod and reel match very well. I once saw
a gentleman angling on the Thames with one of those multiply-
ing reels. He was Eoach fishing, but happened to hook a Barbel
about three or four pounds weight — a game fish. Well, off" he
went at a tangent, and I could plainly see what would follow, for
the reel could not give out the line fast enough and easy enough
for the fish, so snap it went, and float, tackle, and fish were lost.
You cannot have a reel too light or that runs too free. The
best is a four inch common wood reel, varnished to keep the rain
from swelling the wood — the only brass about it being the hoop
for fastening it to the rod. Brass inside and out adds to 'its
weight and lessens its utility. To cast a long line you must
have a free and easy running reel.

Pupil. — Well, it appears neither rod nor reel will do. What
do you say to the line ?

Professor. — Your line is too thick, and made of silk and hair
— a mixture that I do not approve of. I suppose if you were
to hook a fish you would (depending upon the strength of your
line) pull him out at once, nolens volens. But let me tell you
there is neither art nor sport in that style of fishing. When a

fish ia once properly hooked, of course you can make him se-
cure if you have got a cable for a line ; but, believe me, you can
never angle well nor successfully with a thick line. You may
require to throw your bait a great distance from you, and after
you have done so you must play it in such a way as to tempt a
fish to bite whether hungry or not ; and, let me assure you, you
can neither do the one nor the other with a great stout line.
A line made wholly of good silk, well plaited, is the best for
Pike fishing. I'ifty yards of such a line ou'ght to weigh no
more than three quarters of an ounce ; and if it is well made
you can kill with it the largest fish that swim in fresh water.

Pupil. — One question more, good fisherman, and then I go.
What tackle ia the best to use for Pike fishing ?

Professor. — Take your time, my young friend, I have not
done with your initiation yet. Tnere are many kinds of tackle
used, and Anglers difier very much as to which is best. Many
allege that the dead gorge, or trolling tackle, is the most killing,
but that is mere " bosh," and those who hold that opinion are
very much mistaken. The principal Pike fishing tackles are :

The spring or dead snap.

The dead gorge or trolling,

The saddle or live snap.

The live bait or gorge,

The spinning or dead snap^
and

Single hook spinning.
I have tried and proved all the above, and my opinion is that
the best of the lot is the spinning or dead snap ; the next
best being the live bait or gorge. These two kinds will be
found to surpass every other description of tackle invented for
capturing Pike. Many Anglers will, I know, be unwilling to
concur in my opinion ; but I will just relate how I convinced a
brother of the angle of the correctness of my- belief. Taking
a fancy for a day's Pike fishing, I started ofi" for the river
with my rod in my hand and a few dead baits in my pocket.
The wind was to my mind, and the water was in fine condition.

I speedily commenced work, and in a cast or two hooked and
landed a very goodfish weighing sevenpounds. Just as I had done
so, up came my friend. "That's a fine fish," said he, "I have
fished down all this side of the water, and have not had a single
run. Would you have any objection to my accompanying
you ? " " None whatever," I replied. So we both started to-
gether, and in a short time I landed three more fish — one five
pounds, and two three pounds each. "How is it," he said,
" that although I throw in the same places with you I never get
a ruu?" Now, my friend was trolling or dead gorge fishing.
There was a sharp stream, and over the^ stream a rest, in which
place the fish lay. He threw his gorge into the still water, but
while he was permitting it to sink a little the current pressed on
the line and dragged the bait away before he had a chance of
working it. My tackle was spinning or dead snap, which can be
worked attractively the moment the bait drops into the water,
which cannot be done with the dead gorge. I recommended
my friend to put on a spinner, which I lent him, and at the
second throw he killed a fish of six pounds. "Ah," said he,
" I see ; no more dead gorge for me. I always thought trolling
was the best mode of fishing for Pike, but I see I have been
wrong, but I shall be wiser for the future." Yes, dead gorge
is the old style of Pike fishing, and a very indifferent style it is.
It may do very well for bobbing about the side among weed,
but something on a more improved principle is required for
fishing at a distance in a river. My two favorite tackles are
made in this style : — The spinner is twenty-eight inches long,
made of gimp, not too stout; two treble hooks and lip hook ;
the bottom treble hooks are eleven inches from the first swivel,
there being seventeen inches from the first swivel to the top of
the tackle ; the distance between the top of the lip hook to the
bottom of the treble hooks is four inches, but you can have two
or three different sizes so as to suit large or small baits. The
live bait tackle is eighteen inches long, also made of gimp; two
large hooks and a small one brazed together, the lead in the
middle and the swivel at the top. As gimp is very bright

when new and shines very much in the water on a sunny day,
you had better, before using it, hang it outside for a few days.
Exposure to the air will give it a pale brown hue, which is
preferable to a bright glaring colour.

Pupil. — Now, I suppose I know all that is necessary to enable
me to commence Pike fishing ?

Professor. — Not quite. Eor live bait fishing you will require
to use a float. A cork float is the best for that purpose, and
it must not be in the bung shape, but cut long and thin and
nicely smoothed. I would recommend you to take a landing-
net with you when you go a Pike-fishing. Many a good fish
has been lost for the want of this useful article. If you can't
fish from the bank ano. wish to keep dry feet, put on a pair of
water boots. When buying a fish basket take care to get one
large enough, for it is a bore when you catch fifty or sixty
pounds weight of fish to have no place to stow them in. Take
a bite and a drop with you when you go out, for your stomach's
sake; but do not eat and drink too much else there will be little
sport. And now, my young friend, you can be ofl" to the water
as soon as you like. When you do go out for a day's fishing
make a day of it, and be not daunted at the first or the second
failure ; fish here, there, and everywhere, and persevere so long
as there is a moment of daylight rather than come home with
an empty basket ; and, let me beseech you never to lose your
temper at the little difiiculties you may have to encounter ; the
learning how to overcome those difiiculties will enable you to
attain to a knowledge of the art, and by-and-by make you a
good Angler.

THE AET OF ANGLING EOR PIKE.

If any one expects to be here informed how to capture Pike by
foul and ungentlemanly means, he will find himself very much
disappointed. I am surprised so many writers on angling not
only make mention of the various snares used for poaching
pike, but also accurately describe how they may be made and
put into use, — a piece of information that, I feel assured, no

9

disciple of Isaak Walton will thank them for disseminating.
I have no respect for the man ^^ ho can brntally and cowardly
kill this excellent fish by means of the snare, trimmer, net,
and gun. I am, I hope, a true Angler, and it is the fair and
gentle art of Angling that I profess to teach, not the coarse
and sanguinary method of massacreing fish.

The spinner is the best to fish with from June till October
in rivers, but in ponds and lakes the live bait can be advanta-
geously used occasionally. Lay out in some cold exposed place
whatever dead baits you intend to spin with, so as to make them
stiff and keep better on the hooks in the form you desire. Select
the bait you think most likely, Dace oV Bleak, and put the lip
hook through both lips, and one of the first treble hooks in
one of the shoulders, bending the bait a little at the same time;
then take the bottom treble hooks and put one in at the tail
on the other side of the bait, giving a slight curve in doing so
to the tail. You are now ready for a cast. Select a place you
consider likely, and throw the bait into the spot you desire to fish.
I would here recommend the young Angler to fix a plummet or
any sort of weight to his line and practice throwing at a mark.
Let him begin at twenty yards and increase gradually until
he can throw forty or fifty yards, when he will do. Well,
having cast your bait as far as possible, allow it, if you are
fishing in a pond, or lake or deep water, to sink a little, say two
feet, then wind away at a brisk rate, holding your rod on one
side rather low ; if no run wind out and throw again, but this
time wind brisk four or five yards, then all of a sudden stop a
moment, then off again, doing so three or four times in one
cast. I h-ave often found this a good plan. If you still have
no run try another throw and wind brisk as before, but occa-
sionally giving your rod a sharp but short twitch. I have also
found this an excellent method of using the spinner, but should
it prove unsuccessful, here is another style : Throw as before,
but on this occasion wind slow four or five yards, then with
your rod drag the bait one or two yards sharp through the
water, stop a moment and wind slow again ; you will sometimes

]0

fiDd when resuming the slow winding process that your bait is
brought to a dead stop, wliich of course you must answer with
a jerk of your rod. If you feel you have got a fish give him
one or two more as quick as lightning, for you can seldom put
the hook firmly in at the first strike. When you have got a run
you will sometimes feel a sharp tug, but you will invariably be ap-
prised of.it by your line coming to a sudden stop, as if you had
hooked a clump of wood. When you do hook a fish give him
line, but keep one finger on the reel so as to preserve the line
taut, and play him artfully. Do not use brute force as I once
saw an Angler do. He had hooked a Pike which, from the
rushes it made, I judged to be about twelve or fourteen pounds.
I said, " Do not let him get away." " Why, it's only a fish,"
says he, " and I think I can pull as hard as he can." So at it
they went pell-mell, now fish now fisherman, but only for a
short time, for crack went the line and off" went the fish, leaving
the defeated Angler to exclaim, with an astonished air, " who
tvould have thought it ? " When spinning in rivers where there
is a strong current, take care to wind very slow, otherwise your
bait will be always on the surface of the water. You may kill
more fish with the live bait than with the spinner in ponds
and lakes at all times from July till February, but you cannot
in rivers. From October till February, when the fish have left
the streams, and are in the still waters, the live bait is then, no
doubt, the best. I consider November the best month in the
year for Pike fishing ; the Pike are then in better condition
than at any other time of the year. On the 13th of November,
1856, I accompanied two gentlemen to a back-water on the
Trent, and with two rods we succeeded in taking, with the live
bait, in five hours, twenty-three Pike, weighing together one
hundred and fourteen pounds — the largest being 10 lbs weight.
To preserve your live bait, you will require to keep them in
a good sized bait tin, changing the water frequently, or what
is better, put the bait tin into the water while you are
fishing. They will keep stronger and more lively in this
way than in any other. When you wish to fish with the

11

live bait put on a cork float and live bait tackle. Take the
small hook and remove a scale by the side of the back, or
dorsal fin, at which place put the hook carefully in, but not so
deep as to touch the back bone, which would kill the bait. Fix
your float about two feet above the bait, if the water is from
four to five deep ; and higher or lower according to the depth of
the water. Cast your bait from your reel to a likely place. If
you have not a run in the course of a minute, remove it two or
three yards this way or that Never allow the bait to remain
longer than a minute in one place. When you get a run, the
float will sometimes vanish as if shot ofl", but you must not
strike when the float disappears. If the fish runs give him line
slack from the reel. As soon as he has done running allow
him a minute to gorge ; then wind up the slack of your line
and strike sharp, but not too hard, or you may cause a break.
If you find you have got him strike again twice, sharp and quick,
so as to make sure of having him fairly and securely hooked.
By always adopting this plan I do not loose a fish out of twenty.
Spinning the Minnow is considered by some people a capital
mode of fishing for Pike. Indeed, I know several gentlemen
who never angle for Pike with any other bait but the Minnow ;
using it either as a live or dead bait. I have myself had excel-
lent sport with the Minnow. I have seen Pike snap the live
Minnow as frequently as cast. In the summer months when
the fish are in the streams, spin the Minnow in the same way,
and in the same places, as recommended for spinning with the
Dace; but your tackle must be lighter. A one-handed rod,
twelve feet long, and not very stifl', is the best. As you have
little weight to throw you must cast from the hand. Tour line,
which must be made of the best silk, must be finely plaited, and
one hundred yards of it should weigh about three quarters of
an ounce. Your tackle must be made in the same form as that
recommended for spinning the Dace with ; but instead of gimp
use Spanish gut. Here is an explanation : — Take two lengths
of stout gut, join them, and put a swivel and small lead in
the middle, and a swivel at the top. Lap your bottom gut five

12

or six inclies up, with fine tinsel, before you tie on the hooks,
so as to prevent the Pike's teeth coming iu contact with the
gut. Let your hooks be small, say No. 8. There is another
tackle made for spinning the Minnow, which I think is prefer-
able to the above. It is made thus : — Take two lengths of gut
as before, put the two swivels and lead on the top gut, and
tinsel five or six inches of the lower, next the hooks. Make a
noose at the top end of the gut large enough to allow the Minnow
to pass through; tie a single hook on, say No. 1, and take a baiting
needle and fix it to the noose, then pat the needle in at tlie end
of the tail on one side, and bring it out at the mouth, drawing
the shank of the hook inside of the bait, and causing the bend
of the hook to bend the tail ; put the noose through the swivel,
and the Minnow through the noose, and draw up. This, in my
opinion, is the best tackle for spinning the Minnow with. You
must strike as soon as you feel a run. You will require a quill
float on your line in fishing with the live Minnow. A large
turkey or swan quill float without cork is the best. Your
tackle must be made of two strong guts joined together, tinsel
at the bottom, and a small lead in the middle. No swivels are
required. A single hook. No. 2, put in at the mouth will do;
or you may use a No. 2 hook with a small one. No. 9, tied to
it, and put under the back fin. AVhen you get a run with this
tackle, half a minute is quite sufficient to give the fish before
striking. Pish with the live Minnow for Pike in the same
places as I have recommended fishing with the live Dace.

THE PERCH.

Perch cast tbeir spawn at the latter end of April, or beginning
of May, and ought not to be fished for until the latter end of
June, or beginning of July. I have taken them, however, in
good condition early in June, when fishing for Bream with the
worm. Three or four wTeks after spawning, Perch are very
voracious, and will run at anything ; no matter what it is, or
what you are fishing for, if it comes within his sight, a Perch
will greedily seize it. They deposit their spawn amongst
weeds, and in shallow spots with gravelly bottoms and weeds
rear. In fact, they resort to the same places as Pike do to
spawn. I have seen them in hundreds in places which I knew
to be regularly frequented for spawning purposes by Pike. But
Perch are more wary than their big friends, and will not ven-
ture to run up every dike, or small stream, that comes in their
way as Pike will do. I have seen them, indeed, in rivers spawn
in spots that I knew to be good places to fish for them. But in
ponds and lakes Perch always seek the shallowest parts with
weeds for spawning, and after the operation is over, the deeps
and shallovrs are alike. But in rivers this is not the case.
After remaining where the spawn is deposited they go to the
streams, where they stay for a short time, say in June or July.
They then make for their regular haunts, under weirs, and by
the side of sharp streams, where there are flags, and a deep heavy
current ; but at the end of summer they seek stiller, but not

14

still, water, where there are flags and reeds ; or a gravelly bot-
tom by the side of wdllow beds, trees, bushes, or anything that
will afford cover. I'rom October till April Perch will be found
in such places as I have previously mentioned Pike resort to in
winter ; except in the depth of winter, when they like a sandy
bottom. The months for Perch fishing are July, August, and
September ; but I have caught them very freely in March, and
in the beginning of April. Perch seldom bite in sharp frosty
weather ; but when the weather is open and mild you may take
Perch, more or less, all through the winter. I have seen them
bite well on a still misty morning in summer ; but as a general
rule, a dull day, with a gentle breeze blowing, is the best for
Perch fishing. They do not fancy feeding on bright sunny
days.

The rod for Perch fishing should be made light and handy —
not stiff as some Anglers prefer. The best is a light rod,
twelve feet long, that will hit sharp from the top ; every joint of
which, when a fish is hooked, will take a proportionate share of
the labour. In fact, a Koach rod is strong enough to kill a
Perch. There is nothing so formidable in a Perch that you
should require a rod as stiff as a prop. The rod which I use is
just a light Eoach rod. I have killed Perch from three to four
pounds weight with it, and I have no doubt I could land with
it the largest Perch that ever swam, and never fear a break.

I would recommend a three-inch common wood reel for Perch
fishing. Generally speaking, you do not require so much reel
work for Perch, but it is well to be prepared for anything that
might happen. If, in some rivers that 1 know of, you were
spinning the Minnow for Perch, a Trout eight or ten pounds
might pay you a visit, in which case it would be all over with
you unless you had a good and free running reel.

Tour line for spinning the Minnow should be made entirely
of silk plaited, one hundred yards of which should weigh about
half an ounce. This is a good fine line, but the line for bottom
fishing must be much finer, and one hundred yards should only
weigh a quarter of an ounce. Of course, if you hook a fish

15

with this line, you must not attempt to throw him over your
head, else you will break it, but play him carefully. This is the
line I always use myself for bottom fishing, and I find it to
answer admirably.

The same tackle as I have recommended for spinning the
Minnow with for Pike, must be used for spinning for Perch, as
you will take them both in the same water, and often as many
Pike as Perch. But if you should hook a Pike you must be
careful that he does not break your line. Give him line and
allow him to go where he likes, and he will soon exhaust him-
self, and then you can draw him carefully to the landing net.

The tackle that I have recommended for fishing with the live
Minnow for Pike will also do for Perch, but the hook smaller,
say No. 4 instead of 2. Some Anglers use the Paternoster
tackle and laud it very much for Pef-ch fishing, but I do not
myself think much of it. I have seen the two tackles worked
together, and while the live Minnow with the float was catching
both Perch and Pike, the Paternoster failed to get a bite. I
thought, on first seeing the Paternoster, that the chances were
three to one against the float ; but experience has shown that
my first impressions were wrong. The baits for Perch fishing
are very numerous: Minnow, Gudgeon, Loach, small Dace,
worms of all sorts, gentles, wasp-grub, cadbait, straw-bait — >
in fact, I once caught a brace of Perch at one cast with the fly
— the red, or cockshackle, and peacock body ribbed with gold.
But I do not recommend fly fishing for Perch. They will
take almost any kind of bait in the summer months. I once
saw a gentleman take a Perch with an artificial Minnow made
from a piece of plum cake, but I would not recommend this
as a good bait. Taking all seasons of the year the Minnow and
worms are the best, but the worm will kill more Perch at all
times of the year than any other bait. The best kinds of
worms are the cockspur or red worm, and the dew or lob worm.
If you use the latter bait, fish with the tail end of a female lob.
Some Anglers prefer the brandling and marsh worm, and
various others, for which we have no name, but I have tried

16

them all, and in many rivers and ponds, but found none to
equal the cockspur and dew worm ; and when properly used
they certainly are the best.

THE ART or ANGLING EOR PERCH.

Some Perch fishers think that nothing is too stout and
strong to Angle for Perch with, and, indeed, sometimes they
will bite at every cast be the line ever so thick ; but this is not
always the case. When the water is clear and the sun very
bright, I have found Perch difficult to get at, and I would ad-
vise the fisher always to go cautiously to work and to keep still
on the bank, for fish are more sensible .of shakes than is
imagined. July, August, and September are the best months
for fishing with the Minnow, and the same style may be adopted
and the same places fished as I have recommended Angling
with the Minnow for Pike. For worm fishing put on your
finest line a quill float (never use a cork one), a very fine gut
tackle one yard long, and a No. 6 hook. If you fish in a pond
or still water let your float be small ; in a stream use a larger
one. Before you go to angle for Perch bait the hole you
intend to fish with three or four hundred dew worms cut in
bits about an inch long, but do not mix them with anything.
If you are going to fish in the morning bait the place the
morning before. Never bait at night if you are to fish in the
morning. I always allow twenty hours to elapse after baiting
a place before I go to fish it. Gret your depth the morning you
bait, and measure it on your rod, so that when you come to fish
you can adjust your line for the proper depth at once. But
perhaps the reader may say, " How can I ascertain the proper
depth ?" Well, I will tell him. The Londoners use a plummet,
but they can only plumb the depth as far as they can reach
with their rod. Now I can (and I will teach you how to do
the same) find the right depth fifteen or twenty yards from
the bank. Shot your tackle just enough to sink your float all
but a quarter of an inch, and let the bottom shot be a foot

17

from the hook. Put your float as low on the tackle as you can
and throw into deep water. Notice particularly how much of
your float stands above the water, then go to the place you in-
tend to fish. If it be a pond or still water proceed thus : " It
looks deep," you will say. Well, fix your float on chance at
four or five feet and throw in ; if it sinks to the place it was
when shallow (that is, all but a quarter of an inch) you may
conclude the water is deeper. Alter then your float until such
time as it rises — which it will do as soon as your shot touches
the bottom — and then lower the float a little bit until it stands
the way it did when shallow. You can find the depth in a
stream in the same way, only when your shot or bait touches
the bottom in a stream your float will sink. When it does so
alter it back until it rides the same as it did when shallow.
This is a matter I would particularly call your attention to,
because it is no use fishing unless you have the proper depth.
Never fish on the bottom, but let your bait just miss it. Before
you commence fishing you should throw in a few worms cut
very small. If a still water throw them straight to the place
you intend to fish : if in a stream throw them above where you
intend to fish, calculating how far they will swim before they
get to the bottom, for wherever your worms go your bait must
follow, or you will catch no fish. This is one of the greatest
points in Angling, and a point that has puzzled hundreds of
Anglers, and when they get home they say they have had very
bad sport to-day — that the fish would not bite, or the wind was
in the east, or the sun was too bright, or the water too thick,
or the wind blowing in their faces, or the weather too cold, and
such other excuses as Anglers generally make when they have
had no sport. But let me tell my good friends that they have
not been Angling at all. They put their rod together and put
on a line, and bait their hooks and fling it into the water, and
they have thrown in some sort of ground-bait, but they never
dream where it has gone to. Well, there they are, depending
on their patience and good luck, but thinking it strange that
the fish won't bite. Stupid people ! Their tackle is twice as

0

18

thick as it should be — their bait is three feet from the bottom,
and their ground-bait has gone down the stream twenty yards and
the fish with it; and there they are grumbling that the fish will
not bite. The day is a beautiful day for Perch fishing, but they
have not been fishing in the right style. I hope that I have
given them a lesson, and I am sure whoever wish to go a Perch
fishing will always be successful in filling a good basket if they
will carefully attend to and observe the rules I have laid down.

THE TROUT

The Trout is a fine fish, nearly allied to the royal family, and
excelled only by the Salmon, the King of fresh water fish. He
affords choice sport to the Angler, being a determined game
fellow, and when hooked will fight so long as a particle of
strength remains. He who angles for the Trout will require to
make use of all the skill and ingenuity which he possesses, for
he has a fish to deal with that is cunning and sagacious, and
difficult to get at. A friend of mine once said to me when
we were about to commence fishing in a small Trout stream,
"now for a bit of foxing." He knew well what a sly little
fellow we had to deal with, and that we would require to
make use of that characteristic of the fox before we could cap-
ture him. I am quite of ray friend's opinion, and believe that
no other fish requires to be angled for with greater art and tact
than the Trout.

Trout deposit their spawn in November, but I once caught a
Trout full of spawn on the 5th of December, but I believe it to
have been a late fish. November is, however, their proper time
for spawning, and it is a proof of the extreme hardiness of the
fish that they should spawn as it were in the middle of winter,
living in their weak and sickly state in December and January,
the two coldest months in the year. I scarcely know a fresh
water fish that does not forsake the sharp streams in winter
and retire to the stillest places they can find, except Trout.

20

They delight in the strongest streams they can find all the year
round, with the exception of spawning time, and the first fort-
night or so after. They seek a gentle stream with a gravelly
bottom to deposit their spawn. After this operation, Trout are
sick for two or three weeks, and do not much alter their posi-
tion until they have acquired a little strength, when they
remove to shallow sharp streams, with a gravelly bottom, where
they scour and cleanse themselves. After this they will have
nothing to do with still waters, but get to the strongest and
most rapid currents, under weirs, where the water rushes down
in torrents, or any rapid stream boiling and dashing against
banks or walls, — no water is too rough for the Trout.

As I have said already, the Trout is a fine fish, both for its
edible qualities and for the sport which it affords. I know
several streams where Anglers discontinue Trout fishing at the
end of August, which I think is quite right ; but they do not
commence fishing till the first of May, thus allowing Trout
eight months to be out of season. There is no need for all
this waste of time. I have caught Trout in good condition at
the latter end of February, and in March and April in prime
condition. I feel satisfied the Trout fisher misses two of the
best months in the year, if he permits March and April to go
by. This is particularly applicable to rivers in which, without
doubt, these are the best months for spinning the Minnow for
Trout. I see, indeed, no good reason why Trout fishing should
not commence in February, say in the middle of the month, and
I am sure, even at that early period, nineteen out of every
twenty Trout, taken from rivers and streams, would be found in
good condition. The baits for Trout are very numerous, and
the best can only be spoken of when speaking of a par-
ticular time of the year, — the best at one period being the
worst at another. But I shall say what, in my opinion, are the
best baits, and the time of the year when they should be used.
The Minnow, small Gudgeon, small Dace, artificial and natural
flies, worms, wasp-grub, gentles, straw-bait, cad-bait, and various
other baits, are used for Trout fishing; but taking all times

21

aud seasons into consideration, I believe there are none so good
as the Minnow, flies, and worms, properly used, and each in
its proper season. I have tried every description of bait used
for Trout fishing, but 1 have found none equal to these three.

The artificial Minnow is used very much in some parts of
England, and considered by many to be a killing bait for Trout.
Indeed, I know several fishers who angle with no other bait
for Trout, and who are perfectly satisfied that it is the best
that can be used. So strongly convinced are some of them of
this, that I would defy the best Trout fisher in the world to
reason them out of their belief. Having two or three times
in their lives killed a dish of Trout with the artificial Minnow,
they think there is no other bait like it ; but as a certain writer
on Angling, whose reputation is likely to be ephemeral, would
say, this is '' bosh." If these thick-headed, opinionative gentle-
men were fishing with the natural Minnow on those days when
they were angling with the artificial, they would have caught
three where they only caught one. Header, take my advice.
Never fish with the artificial Minnow if you can hy any possi-
bility procv/re the natural one.

The best months for spinning the Minnow are February
March, and April — that is, in rivers where Trout are found
large, in which case they are never very numerous. Odd fish
may be caught with the Minnow all through the summer, but
these months are the best for spinning. K preservers of small
streams would commence Trout fishing on the first of March
(which I think would be nothing but right), they would find
that March and April are the two best months in the year for
spinning the Minnow, and that the fish would be in good con-
dition. I hope they are not afraid of the cold winds in March ;
if they are they cannot be true Anglers.

May and June are the best months for fly fishing. At the
May drake Trout will rise boldly and quickly, I have seen
them leap out of the water at this fly when it was several
inches from the surface. As the May drake is difficult to
imitate, I would recommend dibbing with the natural fly.

22

This is a sure game, but it requires a good deal of skill. There
are hundreds of flies which you may catch by the river sides,
and at which the Trout are rising, that you can dib with. There
are also artificial flies of every size and colour — the best are
those that resemble the natural one. July and August are the
best months for bottom fishing with the worm; but I have
caught Trout with the worm, at times in May and June, but
this was when the water was coloured, and when the fish, not
being able to see to feed on flies, were obliged to grub on the
bottom. Experience, however, has convinced me that July and
August are decidedly the two best months for bottom fishing
with the worm. When the water is discoloured I have found
that Trout take, the worm better than any other bait that is
used.

The rod for spinning the Minnow should be thirteen or four-
teen feet long, light and not stifi". As your line is light and
your tackle fine, you are likely to break when you get a run if
you fish with a stifi" rod. Besides, Trout when hooked some-
times make tremendous leaps, and if he leap from you and
and you have a very stiff rod, something must break. I have
seen this happen many a time. There is no occasion whatever
for a stiff rod ; the only advantage of which is, that when you
have hooked a fish of five or six pounds you can throw it over
your head, a stupid plan that I have seen adopted by blunder-
ing fishermen who care nothing for rod or tackle.

The rod for fly fishing should be thirteen feet long, and
light, but not too weak in the middle, a fault common in fly rods.
I remember fly fishing for Grayling with a friend of mine on the
Trent. He was fishing with a well got up, nice looking rod,
which no doubt cost a goodly sum, but, unfortunately, it was
too weak in the middle. The fish were rising fast with both of
us, but for every one he killed I killed three. He could not un-
derstand how this was, and it was a long time before I could
make him believe the cause, which was, as I told him, that his
rod was too weak in the middle. A rod for fly fishing should
be light, the lighter the better, if you can preserve strength and

23

keep the action in the right place. I consider that there is no
rod which requires so much skill in making as the fly rod. If
you want a fly rod made rightly go to the man who is a good fly
fisher ; his practical experience will enable him to make a rod
free of the faults that most rods bought at the shops possess.

The rod for bottom fishing should be thirteen feet long, and
light, with the sockets one size larger than those of the fly rod ;
though for bottom fishing in general a twelve feet rod is my
favorite. A large rod, however, possesses the advantage of
enabling you to keep more out of sight of the fish by standing
further back from the water. The reel for spinning the Min-
now should be a common wood one, three and a half inches,
and varnished or French polished. The same size will also do
for bottom fishing, but a smaller one will do for fly fishing, say
a two and a half inch size.

The line for spinning the Minnow must be made of silk and
plaited, one hundred yards to weigh about three quarters of an
ounce. There are several different lines used for fly-fishing —
silk and hair, all silk, and all hair — but the one I recommend
is made of all silk, plaited and prepared. This is the best line I
ever used for fly fishing ; it is strong, waterproof, and you can
throw well with it. Those who have not tried a prepared line for
fly fishing should give it a trial, and I am satisfied they will
find it much better than any other. The line for bottom fishing
must be made of all silk, either plaited or twisted ; but I prefer
the twisted, because it runs smoother and wears better for bot-
tom fishiog ; one hundred yards of it should weigh a quarter of
an ounce. This is a fine line, but it is no finer than will be re-
quired, as I shall explain by-and-by. The tackle for spinning the
Minnow, if you are going to fish in a river where the fish are
large, should be made of three stout guts, not tied together, but
looped to three small swivels, one at each joint, and the bottom
gut lapped with tinsel three or four inches up, and a No. 1 sin-
gle hook with a small Minnow lead one foot from the hook. I
have proved this to be the best tackle for spinning the Minnow
for Pike and Perch, as well as Trout. But if you are going to

24

fish in a small stream, or brook, where you know the fish are
small, I should recommend you to fish with finer gut; you
might have one or two tackles made especially for brook fishing.
There are two ways of baiting this tackle ; one way is to put the
Minnow on as you would a worm, in at the mouth and out at
the tail, and then bending the Minnow in what form you like ;
but the other is the neatest way. It is to bait with a fine
needle, unloop the bottom gut from the bottom swivel, allow-
ing the noose to be large enough to admit of the hook and
the Minnow to pass through ; take your baiting ne^edle and put
it in at the tail of the Minnow on one side and out at the
mouth, drawing the shank of the hook inside the bait, and the
bend of the hook to bend the tail ; stitch the mouth up with a
needle and thread, lapping the thread once or twice round the
gut, to keep the Minnow in the position you want it; thus
baited take the loop and put it through the swivel, and the
Minnow through the loop, and then draw it up. There are
several ways of making spinning tackle, but in my opinion this
is the neatest and best. If you are spinning the Minnow for
Trout in a river, fish under weirs, in the rapid water by the
side of stone walls, or broken banks where the river comes
dashing and boiling furiously, at mill tails, and all such places.
But only fish these places when the water is clear. "When you
do fish in such parts, put an extra lead on your line, at the top
of the tackle, to keep your bait down better, and to enable you to
cast from the reel to what distance you choose. When there is
a rise of water, and when it is a little discoloured, do not select
places so deep and rapid, but fish in steady shallow streams,
and work your bait much slower, or the fish will not be able to
see it. When you see a likely spot for a Trout keep as
much out of sight as you can, as Trout when feeding on
small fry often lie within a foot of the surface, so that they can
easily see you, and if a Trout gets but a gUmpse of either you or
the rod he is off" in a moment. When fishing a shallow stream
one lead wiH be sufficient. Spin the Minnow against the
stream, and if the stream is deep allow the Minnow to sink

25

three or four feet, and spin upwards. Throw your bait as far
as you can across the stream, then down the stream ; spin quick ;
then slow ; then let your bait sink deep in the water without
touching the bottom, and spin it to the surface; then spin
across the stream with your bait not more than a foot from the
surface ; in fact, let your bait go through all the different move-
ments you can think of, for I find it difficult to explain this part
of the art on paper. I could explain more in five minutes with
the rod than I could by writing in a week; but practice,
patience, and perseverance will soon make you acquainted with
the best method for spinning the Minnow.

My fishing is thought by many to be the best mode of
angling for Trout, as it affords the greatest amusement and
excitement both to the Angler and the looker-on, but this is a
matter of taste ; for my own part, I care but little what style I
fish for Trout, whether fiy fishing, bottom fishing, or spinning
the Minnow; and I would advise the Trout fisher to practice
all three methods, for each are best at different times, and if
the Angler makes himself acquainted with the three different
ways of fishing, he will seldom return home with an empty
basket. The following dialogue which I overheard between a
fly fisher and a bottom fisher will illustrate the different
opinions that exist on the two modes of fishing : —

Bottom fisher, — What does your fisli get when betakes your
fly :»

Fly fisher. — Why, of course he gets the fly and all there is.

Bottom fisher, — And a very nice morsel he gets — a bit of feather
and a bone without meat.

Fly fisher. — And what does your fish get when he takes your
bait?

Bottom fisher. — Why he gets a worm, all meat and no bone,
which is better than your deceitful fly.

Fly fisher. — You do not understand fly fishing, else you
would not have so much to say against it.

Bottom fisher. — Yes, I do. I can fly fish as well as you, or
any one else, but I do not like it ; there is something so

26

cowardly about it, — it is the worst deception the Angler can
make use of.

Fly fisher. — Nay, the deception is good, and that is why I
like it so much. Ton cannot alter my opinion about fly fishing,
neither do I want to alter your opinion about bottom fishing, so
I bid you good morning.

The above shows that the Angler should be allowed to choose
that style of angling that takes his fancy most. Ely-fishing, in
my opinion, is a delightful mode of angling — clean and pretty,
and affording good sport when Trout are taking. Bright sunny
days are bad for fly-fishing. In May and June, when the day
is bright, morning and evening are best. On a cloudy day, with
a gentle breeze of wind. Trout will rise all day, but the best
time is from ten till two o'clock, or the last hour at night.

The water must be clear for fly fishing, the clearer the better,
providing the day be cloudy. It is useless fly fishing when the
water is thick ; at such a time the fly fisher, if he does not un-
derstand bottom fishing, is beat. I never go out for the pur-
pose of fly fishing but I take with me worms or Minnows, —
if the fly should fail, one or the other is sure to suit.

Flies for Trout fishing are very numerous, and the opinions of
Anglers are equally conflicting, for out of one hundred different
fly fishers no two will agree on the same point ; each has got the
best killing flies, and those of each are different ; and so with the
fly dressers. They will all tell you that they can provide you
with flies that will kill Trout in any. river in the kingdom, and
yet there will be no similarity between the flies recommended
by any two. But the fact is, that different rivers require dil-
ferent kind of flies — those that may be good killers on one
river may not catch a single Trout in another. I have often
found this to be the case, and all fly fishers who are in the habit
of fishing in different streams must be aware of this. I would,
therefore, recommend the Angler to have a good assortment of
flies, and, when he goes to a strange river, to seek oat the
nearest flymaker, who is, of all others, the best qualified to tell
you what flies are the most killing on the water in his imme-

27

diate vicinity. Should there be no fly dresser near, the best
plan you can adopt is to catch one of the flies off" the water at
which the Trout are rising, and from your fly book select a set
of artificial flies, resembling as nearly as possible the natural
one in size, shape, and colour.

Toe Fly Fishiitg you will require a fine gut lash or casting
line the length of your rod, on which put two, three, or four
flies. I always fish with four, although some Anglers object to so
many. Always fish with the sun before you, and the wind
behind you. If it should be blowing in any other direction,
you will be unable to cast your flies where you want them to go.
Cast straight before you, allowing your flies to go with the
current as long as you can, so as to imitate the natural one
swimming down the stream. Take care to have your running
line always clear, for if there is any impediment, and you hap-
pen to hook a good Trout, he will break your tackle to pieces
before you can free your line.

DiBBiNG FOB Tbotjt with the natural fly is very much prac-
tised in some rivers, and I have had some very good sport by dib-
bing. It is done in this way : — Use your fly rod and finest
line, with two yards of very fine gut, and put on a No. 10 hook ;
then catch one of the flies similar to those at which the Trout
are rising, and hook it under the belly ; let the sun be in your
face and the wind behind yon ; stand as far from the bank as
you can, then drop the fly lightly on the water, and if a fish do
not rise at it in a moment, lift it and let it drop again. If
there is a fish about, it will not be dropped many times before it
is seized. Be careful when you strike that you do not break your
line. You may do good execution by poking your rod between
bushes, or under trees, overhanging the water, but you must
go carefully and quietly to work, or you will not have the
shadow of a chance.

Bottom Fishing with the Worm is decidedly an excellent
mode of angling for Trout. I have caught Trout with the
worm when the fly and Minnow could not capture a single fish ;
and when it is done rightly, it is not easy to beat worm fishing.

28

For a bit of "foxing" take your worm, fishing rod, and reel, your
finest line, a quill float, and a fine gut one yard long, and a
No. 7 hook. Let your bottom shot be one foot from the hook:
get some well scoured red worms, or cockspurs, with a few dew
worms, and you have everything ready to commence. If the
water is clear, and you are to fish in a brook, or small stream,
the most likely places are under bushes, by the side of piles,
under old trees overhanging the water, or anything that can
form a cover for Trout. Sit down very quietly ten or fifteen
yards above the place you have selected for fishing in; if
it is shallow opposite where you sit, and then falls into a hole,
all the better. G-et the right depth by having a swim or two, —
you cannot plumb it as you sit too far from where you are to
fish, — make a guess at the depth at first, and if you are not
deep enough, put it deeper until yoiir float goes under
the water, then alter it back a little so that your bait will
just miss the bottom; then cut two or three dew worms
into bits about the size of peas, and throw them in two or three
yards below you, if the stream is not very swift, and if the
water is five or six feet deep, they will go to the bottom of your
swim — ^just where you want them. Put your bait on, and throw
it in, letting it go down the stream, and giving line from the
reel ; never mind the line falling on the water. When your
float gets a good distance from you, it is very fine and light and
will not sink, but lies upon the surface of the water ; give line
until your float is under the bushes, and the Trout will bite one
after another without fear, and you can soon fish out all that
are in the hole. I think I could have done it in half the time
I have taken to describe how to do it. If you are unsuccess-
ful there is something or other wrong. Probably you have not
watched the course of the stream before throwing in your
ground bait, and the current may have washed it under the
bank amongst the rubbish, where it would be of no use ; or you
may have thrown it too far out, and not sent your bait after it,
or it may have gone down the stream out of your reach. You
cannot pay too much attention to the way you ground bait.

29

As I said before, wherever your ground bait goes you must fish,
else you will have no success. I will explain my plan of ground
baiting. I select a likely place, and then ascertain the proper
depth, taking care not to be deceived by anything foul on the
bottom, such as sticks, large stones, or branches of weed, by
trying above or below to avoid such rubbish, and having got a
level bottom I throw in a quantity of ground bait — but not
sufficient to satisfy all the fish in the neighbourhood, as I have
often seen done, and which results in the fish refusing to bite
the bait on the hook — and I calculate how far it will swim be-
fore reaching the bottom. If this does not take eflect 1 throw
in a little more higher up or lower down, closer in or farther
out, as I think most desirable. If this takes effect, I stick
to the spot, throwing in but a little of the ground bait at a
time, but doing so often. Then your want of success
may have arisen from your not fishing the right depth ; probably
your float keeps going down in one particular place, and you,
believing it to be the bottom, alter your float, whereas it has
only been a large stone, or a lump of something standing under
the water, so that, having altered your float, your bait may per-
haps be a foot and a half from the bottom. It is impossible to
have good sport unless you keep an eye on the bottom as well
as on the top.

You may worm fish for Trout when there is a rise in the
water, and it is discoloured, and get better sport than in clear
water, but you must then fish in the shallows. When the
water rises Trout leave the deeps and take to the shallows.
Where you can find two or three feet of water, with a gravelly
bottom, you will most likely find Trout. Eish in the manner
I have already described, but you can keep nearer the fish as
they will be less likely to see you when the water is dis-
coloured, and you can catch them quicker and better than you
could having a long swim.

THE GRAYLING.

" Oh, you beauty," I heard a gent once exclaim when I was
landing a Grrayling about a pound and a half, " I wish I had
you fried nicely in butter." The gentleman had a good idea of
the excellence of the Grayling, and I think he is the most de-
licious of fresh water fish. He atfords choice sport to the
Angler, and when hooked requires great skill and care to land.
He is a pretty fish to look at, and very excellent when well
cooked, — in flavour, indeed, he surpasses the Trout.

The period when Grayling deposit their spawn is, I think,
known but to few fishers. On the 18th of March of this pre-
sent year (1857), I killed a brace of Grayling full of spawn
quite ripe. I also killed a brace on the 20th, and saw one
caught by another Angler on the same day, and all were full of
spawn. I was determined to ascertain the proper spawning
period, and went every day after to the water, when it was in
condition for fishing, but caught no more until the 17th of
April, when I got a brace and a half — two female fish and one
male. I cut them all open and found the female fish had
parted with their spawn, but a portion of milt still remained in
the male. I also caught a brace on the 19th of the same
month, both female fish, and free of spawn. I had thus satisfac-
tory evidence that Grayling deposit their spawn at the latter
end of March, seeking for that purpose a gentle stream not
more than two feet deep, with a gravelly bottom, and a little

31

weed. All the fish, I have mentioned as having been caught
were taken with a fly, made of a dark partridge hackle, body
copper coloured, peacock's harl ribbed with gold, on a No. 10
hook. I have had some very good sport with this fly, not only
in spring but in the latter end of summer. It is a first rate
killer on the Trent, but it might be a "duffbr" on another
river. There can be no harm in giving it a trial, however.

As soon as Grrayling recover from spawning they make their
way to the sharpest streams to scour themselves — not deep but
shallow rapid water — where they remain from the middle of
April to the middle of May. But small fish may be caught in
this sort of water occasionally all through the summer. The
larger fish, however, leave for a quick stream five or six feet
deep, where they remain up to the end of November, when the
frosty nights set in. They then retire to a gentle stream with
a sandy or gravelly bottom, where they lie until spawning time.

The best months for Grrayling fishing are August, September,
and October, but November is also very good if the weather is
open and fine. In the latter end of April and the beginning of
May some very good fishing may be had with the fly. They
will also take the cad-bait at this period pretty freely. This
bait is yellow in appearance, and is found under large stones on
a gravelly bottom in April, May, and June, and is an excellent
bait for almost all fresh water fish. Grayling will not rise at
the artificial fly on calm sunny days ; having a good eye he
quickly detects the deception. A cloudy day with a gentle
breeze of wind from any quarter (barring north or east) is at
all times of the year the best. If the day is cloudy, from ten
in the morning until two in the afternoon is best for fly-fishing ;
but if the day be hot and calm, morniug and evening are the best
times. In autumn and the winter months, if they rise at all, it
will be only in the middle of the day. The water must be very
clear for fly-fishing, the clearer the better if the day be cloudy.
When the water is coloured there is very little chance of taking
Grrayling with the fly, and if you want to catch any then, you
must bottom fish. When the water is thick you may take

32

Grayling every month in the year bottom fishing. The beat
baits for Grrayling are cad-bait, straw-bait, gentles, wasp-grub,
worms and flies. I have caught them with all these baits. The
first bait they feed on after spawning, and the one they most
prefer, if the water is clear, is the fly. Taking all seasons into
consideration the red worm or cockspur, and flies are decidedly
the best to fish with, perhaps the fly may be said to have the
preference. Grrayling certainly rise readily at the fly and seem
to have a particular fancy for it. But if a first-rate fly fisher
and an equally good bottom fisher were to contest, I should be
inclined to back the bottom fisher for the greatest weight acd
the best fish. I, however, consider fly fishing the most delight-
ful mode of angling for Grrayling ; the style is pretty, neat and
clean, and when the rod is in skilful hands it is most exciting
and amusing.

The flies for Grrayling fishing are very numerous — so numer-
ous that it would be impossible to describe them all. I could
not profess to provide the best flies for every water in England,
but if any gentleman came to me I could give him as good flies
as can be got for fishing on those waters that I am acquainted
with. I have seen fly fishers quarrel like cocks about who had
the best flies for Grrayling. One would say I have proved mine
and caught so many brace, — the other would say the same ; and
yet the flies of each would be differently made, and different in
colour. I once fished, by way of experiment, with a set of
four flies. Two were made very rough, and two were made as
nicely as flies could be made, and resembling as near as possible
the natural one on the water. "Well, I killed five brace of
Grayling with the two rough made ones, and only one single
fish with those that were made so neat and fine. This experi-
ment proved to me that fly fishers are more particular about
their flies than the fish are.

FLY WISHING EOR GRAYLING.

Your rod should be twelve feet and a half long, and be made

83

by a first-rate fly fisher, for he is the only person most likely to
make a faultless rod. Tour reel should be a common two inch
wood one, and your line made of all silk, plaited and prepared.
I prefer a prepared line to any other for fly fishing, because it is
strong, waterproof, and light, and you can throw with it better
than with any other. You may put on as many flies as you
like; one, two, three, or four. I generally fish with four.
Select the sharpest stream you can find — it can never be too
rapid for G-rayling — from two to four feet deep. Commence at
the top of the stream, aod fish it down. Cast your flies
straight across the stream, allowing them to go along with the
current as long as possible. Let your flies drop lightly on the
water, and let your lash be perfectly extended and straight. "When
you get a rise strike gently. Some fly fishers prefer not strik-
ing at all, allowing the fish to hook itself, but I have seen many
a good fish lost by this dodge. I recommend a gentle strike.
Do not, when you have hooked a fish, keep him in too hard, as
the Grrayling has a tender mouth and might break away. Put
on a gentle pressure, giving him line if he wants it.

BOTTOM risHiisra foe geayling.

Your rod must be twelve feet long, and very light ; a Eoach
rod, in fact, will do very well. Your line must be made of all
silk, twisted soft. It must be very fine, and a hundred yards
of it should not weigh more than a quarter of an ounce. Pro-
vide yourself with a quill float. Your tackle should be one yard
long, and made of fine gut. The hook, if you are going to fish
with wasp grub, cadbait, or any other sort of grub, should be a
No. 9. If you are to fish with the worm, use a No. 7. or No.
8 round bend. Let your bottom shot be 9 inches from the
hook.

Select a likely place. If the water be a clear sharpish stream,
from three to four feet of water will be a suitable depth ; and
if the water be coloured, two or three feet deep will be suffi-
cient, and the stream must be much slower. Never fish a quick

D

34

stream when the water is thick, as the fish cannot then see the
bait. I have often caught Grayling two feet from the bottom,
when the water has been clear. It is well known that owing to
the position of the eyes in the head of Grayling, they see better
above them than below them. You should not fish, therefore,
on the bottom but a few inches above it. As a general rule,
however, whether the water be clear or coloured, if you fish
about two inches from the bottom you will be about right ; but
you must throw some ground bait in. If you fish with grubs
of any kind, throw a few gentles in, not many at a time, but a
few often. If you fish with the worm, you must throw a few
in, cut very small. The dew or lob worm is the best for ground
baiting, generally speaking ; but for Grayling fishing I prefer
a few small worms, or cockspurs (the same as I have recom-
mended to put on the hook) cut in two. I .have found this to
be the most enticing ground bait for Grayling. Do not mix
your ground bait with anything. All you have to do is to
throw it four or five yards above where you intend to fish.
Put your hook in at the head of a well scoured cockspur, and
run it carefully till within a quarter inch of the tail. When
a worm is put on well, it will writhe as if there is no hook
in it; the better you put the worm on the more likely
you are to catch fish. When you fish a quick stream always
cast your line a little above, else your bait will not get down
soon enough to the bottom, so that you may miss the best part
of the swim. Let your float swim as still as possible, giving it
line from your reel, taking a swim of ten or fifteen yards.
When you hook a Grayling be not too rash with him, or you
will loose him. As I have said before his mouth is tender, and
you must be very careful. When fishing with the worm in
this style, you must not be surprised to find a Dace or a Trout pay
you a visit now and then ; but whether you will be disgusted
with such visits I cannot say. I remember seeing a real Gray-
ling fisher angle in the above style. The first worm he put on
killed a Grayling about a pound w^eight. I said, " you have
made a good start." " Yes," says he, " this will do very well

35

if I can do the same with this bait." Behold, master Dace
takes a fancy to it as soon as it gets to the bottom. The
Angler brought him in, took him off the hook, and flung him
into the water again, apparently very much annoyed. The next
fish that came was a Barbel, two pounds weight, which he also
returned. He then hooked and landed a Trout, about a pound
weight, which he also sent home again. This so astonished me
that I said, " Do you know what you have done ? you have
thrown a fish in again worth as much as your Grayling." "I
do not care," he replied, "when I come Grrayling fishing I
don't thank any other fish to bite ; in fact, I am disgusted when
I see another fish come out." " Well," I said, " you had better
pick them, it will save a deal of time and trouble ; put on a bait
that nothing but Grrayling will take, and then you will be right."
But, to speak the truth, I would sooner remain at home than be
bothered with any other fish when I go after Grayling.

THE CARP.

Cabp deposit their spawn in May in shallow retired water where
there are weeds. From this time until July they are out of
season and should not be molested. The Carp is a good fish,
and should be well protected in its weak and unconditioned
state. The best months for Carp fishing are February, March,
and April, July, August, and September. The latter three are
most preferable, as Carp will not bite in sharp cold weather.
They are delicate fish and cannot stand the cold, for even in the
hottest weather in summer they will not venture into the rapid
water of rivers but remain in gentle streams. Carp can only
be fished for in the first three months when the weather is fine
and open ; they will then be found in deep still water. Carp
are fonder of ponds, lakes, and stagnant waters than rivers, and
may be found in almost every pond in England, and in some they
attain to a very large size. I know several ponds full of large
Carp, but they are preserved, and those who angle for them do
not understand the art. The Carp is shy and crafty, and the
angler must be possessed of much skill and patience that can
successfully fish the rascal. I know gentlemen who have the
privilege of fishing these Carp ponds, but always with such bad
fortune that they call the Carp " Old Fox." He will refuse all
sorts of baits, and defeat every attempt to catch him, and,
apparently, glorying in his superior sagacity, will maliciously
sport and leap around the boat, roll over the line, and defy the

37

annoyed angler to capture him. I should like to see them
jumping and rolling about me, 1 could almost bet a wager that
I would soon stop their sport. He is a cunning fish certainly
and very shy, but he is to be caught for all that. I have not
had the pleasure of fishing many Carp ponds, but I have fished
them successfully, and will describe by-and-by my style of
deceiving the rascals. The baits for Carp are very numerous,
and the following are recommended by anglers : —Creed malt,
wheat, straw-bait, wasp-grub, gentles, cad-bait, red paste,
white paste, &c., but in my opinion there is no bait, taking all
seasons into consideration, that will catch Carp half so well as
the worm properly used : the tail end of a well-scoured female
lob worm is an excellent bait, but the cockspur or red worm
is the best that can be used for Carp fishing. At all times and
seasons when they will bite they will take either of the above
baits, giving a preference, however, to the cockspur. The rod
for Carp fishing should be twelve feet long, light and handy ; it
cannot be too light provided the action flies from the top and
the wood be of a good quality. The reel, a three inch wood
one ; the bobbin to be filled three parts full with soft cotton or
worsted and the line on the top. The line should be made of
all silk, plaited or twisted, and should be so fine as not to weigh
more than a quarter of an ounce per hundred yards. Eather
fine this, perhaps you may think, but not a bit too fine for the
gentlemen you have to deal with : what the line wants in
strength you must supply with skill and judgment.

There is only one method of angling for Carp, and that is to
bottom fish for him, and you will require a small quUl float if the
water be four or five feet deep ; but if it be twelve or fourteen
feet deep the float must be larger, or else your bait will be too
long in getting to the bottom, and by the same rule alter your
float when the wind blows wrong for throwing in. Tour tackle
should be four feet long, and made of the finest gut, stained in
a decoction made from walnut hulks, which will dye the gut
a pale brown. If you are fishing in a still water let your
bottom shot be twenty inches from the hook ; if in a gentle

38

stream, let the shot be as near as twelve inches. The hook
should be a No. 7 or No. 8 round bend. You will require four
or five hundred dew worms and as many more cockspur or red
worms, or any sort of red worm will answer the purpose instead
of dew worms, perhaps better, as they would form the mixture
I want. Take the stock and put them separately into pots with
some clean moss. Those worms with which you are going to
fish should be scoured for three or four days so as to make them
brighter and tougher.

THE AET OP BOTTOM FISHING FOE CAEP.

As I promised I will now explain my style of fishing. We
will suppose the time is July, August, or September. I take my
rod and tackle with me and about seven hundred of the
thousand worms and start for a Carp pond or lake in time to
get there by eight or nine o'clock in the morning. If I am a
stranger to the water and have no person to show me the place
the fish frequent, I tackle out and take stock of the water,
endeavouring to find the deepest spot and clearest of weeds. If
I cannot fish from the bank I get a boat and go carefully over
the water until I find a suitable place. I then ascertain the
depth, either by plumbing or without, allowing an inch or two
for the bait to rest on the bottom : I then measure the depth
on my rod so that I can arrange my float for the right depth on
the following morning without disturbing the fish. I now take
all the worms from the moss and cut the dew worms into two
or three bits and mix the small worms with them : I then throw
the lot into the place, and thus baited I leave it, marking the
spot ; I then either return home or spend the day on some
other part of the pond, and if I think of doing the latter I take
one or two hundred worms extra with me ; but I take care not
to go near the place I have ground baited any more that day. I
return on the following morning after haAdng allowed twenty
hours to elapse since baiting, and bring with me the remaining
three hundred worms. If I can fish in this place from the

89

bank with the wind behind me so much the better, but if I can-
not I must take a boat and take care to have the wind behind
me, going no nearer than I am obliged, allowing ten or twelve
yards to throw, which I can easily do with the fine line. Having
secured my boat in the best way I can, I put on my float to the
proper depth, which I ascertained the day before : I then cut
three or four dew worms and small worms into bits no larger
than horse beans and throw them into the place I have baited,
keeping all the time as quiet and still as possible. I then
proceed to bait my hook. I take two cockspurs out of my bag
and put the hook in at the head of the first and out about a
quarter of an inch from the tail and draw it up the gut ; I put
the hook in the other about a quarter of an inch below the head
and run it on to a quarter of an inch of the tail, and I then
draw the other worm down to it. This you will perceive is an
attractive bait, and when I cast into the place I have baited a
bite is almost certain as soon as the bait gets to the bottom. I
do not strike the moment I perceive a tug, but suffer the fish to
take the float under, then I strike gently ; if I find he is a good
fish I allow him to go where he likes : it would be useless
trying to stop him ; if I did something would be sure to break ;
his own exertion will in a short time knock him up ; when it does
pop the landing net under him and all is right. Every fish or
two I kill I give them two or three worms cut very small, which
keeps them together.

Now, I am convinced if all gentlemen who go to fish for Carp
will but pay attention to the remarks I have made, they will
seldom return home disappointed.

THE TENCH.

The Tench is a beautiful fish, thick and well made, and con-
sidered by many Anglers to be as good as any that swims, and
I think so too ; but would like him better if he would forsake
the muddy waters and take to a pleasant running stream ; but
this he does not seem to fancy, so we are obliged to take him as
he is.

Tench spawn at the latter end of May or beginning of June,
and, like the Carp, seek, for this purpose, the most retired places,
shallow and full of weeds. Tench should be strictly preserved
during these months. They are then poor sickly fish, and
easily taken by the poacher's net. The best months for Tench
fishing are July, August, September, and October, and some-
times in March and April, when the weather is fine and warm ;
but he never bites in the cold winter months. I believe he
hides himself in winter either amongst the weeds, or in his fa-
vorite mud, for we cannot so much as get a glimpse of him in
winter. "When I can catch Tench in March I find them in
first-rate condition, perhaps better than at any other time of
the year, but he will rarely be persuaded to bite so early in the
season. The best baits for Tench are worms, wasp-grub, cad-
bait, and gentles. I once had a very good day's sport in a pond
with the wasp-grub for bait, and gentles for ground bait. I
baited the place the day before with gentles : this was in the
month of July. The wasp-grub and cad-bait are the two best

41

baits you can fish with for Teuch the first month after spawn-
ing ; but after that month the worm is decidedly his favorite
bait, and will catch him better than any other, — the red worm
or cockspur, and the female lob worm. The rod, reel, line,
float and tackle, recommended for Carp fishing, will answer for
Tench, only that the hook for wasp-grub must be No. 9, instead
of No. 7 or 8 — the latter size being for worm fishing. You
may bait the place with worms in the same way as recommended
for Carp, and fish for them in the same style. Do not mix your
ground bait with anything, but throw the worms in as clear
when baiting as fishing : this is the only way to ground bait
properly. Some Anglers mix up a fearful mess for ground
baiting. I once saw a gentleman in a punt, on the Thames,
mix up the following beautiful mess for ground baiting, half
a tubful of which he threw in : — A quart of bran, two pounds
of soaked bread, a quart of gentles, two or three handfuls of
greaves, and two or three hundred of chopped dew worms, the
whole of which he kneaded together in the same way as a baker
would knead bread — his sleeves being turned up to his shoulders.
This bait, instead of having the desired effect, produced the very
opposite result. This ground bait has been recommended by
some Anglers both for Carp and Tench ; but I think it is ab-
surd, and so I am sure will every sensible reader.

THE BARBEL

This is a handsome well made fish, but he has got a bad name,
in consequence of his coarseness, and many Anglers do not con-
sider him worth fishing for. His flesh is certainly coarse, and
bad food, but gentlemen Anglers do not fish Barbel for eating,
they fish them for pleasure and sport, and Barbel is just the fish,
when hooked with fine tackle, to give the Angler any amount
of sport and excitement. "When a Barbel is hooked with fine
tackle it requires no ordinary amount of care and skill to kill
him, and herein lies the delight of gentlemen Anglers. I
know hundreds who prefer angling for Barbel than for any
other fish. The great Izaak Walton was very partial to Barbel
fishing, but whether he ate them when caught is another thing.
But let me tell you who are so prejudiced against Barbel
and Barbel fishing that you are " duffers " — excuse my freedom
— for it makes me wroth to hear Barbel fishing run down by
those who do not understand the art. Tor my part, when Bar-
bel is in season, I would rather angle for him than for any other
fish. So enamoured am I of Barbel fishing, that I found myself
once inspired to give vent to the following poetical eff'usion —
listen and be edified : —

The Barbel is a handsome fish,

As you may plainly see,
But that his flesh is very coarse,

With me you will agree.
Yet fights he hard, and dies right game,

And thinks of getting free,
But then he finds it is no go

When once hooked fair by me.

43

Barbel deposit their spawn in May, under weeds, and in a
gentle stream with a gravelly bottom. After spawning they
lie in a weak, sickly, and torpid state for a week or two, but
they should not be molested for a month. I am sorry to say I
know that many are taken in this state by the net, spear, and
other foul means ; but the genuine Angler would scorn to do this,
and those who could be guilty of such cruelty ought to be
severely punished. The Barbel, as soon as he has gained a little
strength, makes his way to the sharpest streams he can find, to
scour and clean himself. In the latter end of June or begin-
ning of July, while he is in rapid streams, he affords the Angler
first rate sport, but it requires a oood stomach and a deal of
patience to fish such places with the float. Towards the latter
end of July, or beginning of August, he returns into deeper
water, and remains there all the season excepting on bright hot
days, and when there is a rise of water, when of course he
takes to the shallow streams. Wherever you once find Barbel,
if in a scouring place, you may catch them more or less through-
out the season, till October, when the frosty nights put a stop
to Barbel fishing in the streams. The only chance you have
then is to fish the deepest water you can find ; or wherever
there is a shelving bank, or a deep cover of any sort, that
will make him a home for the winter months. He will re-
main in such places up to March, unless a rise of water or
flood comes to force him out against his will. My opinion is
that Barbel lie in a torpid state in the coldest winter months,
and feed but little, and I think it useless attempting to find out
a bait that will catch him as well in winter as in summer. I
have tried this for many years, but without success, and will
now give it up and leave it for some one else to discover.

The best months for Barbel fishing are July, August, and Sep-
tember, and October if the weather is fine and the water clear.
April is also a good month if the weather is fine and warm, and
the water is low and clear. I have had some good Barbel fishing
in April, and I have also taken them freely up to the 14th or 15th
of May, but never later before spawning. But in the season

4A

in which I caught them so late, the months of March and April
were very wet and cold, and I believe that in consequence they
went a week or two past their usual spawning time. I have
seen them on the scour as thick as they could lie on the 2nd of
May, but never sooner. There are numerous baits used for
Barbel, but I shall confine myself to mentioning those which I
use myself, and which I consider best at the different seasons .
of the year. The cadbait is good for Barbel fishing just before \
spawning time, and for the first two or three weeks when they
can be fished for after. The cadbait, as I have elsewhere men-
tioned, is found under large stones, on a gravelly bottom, in
April, May, June, and July. Maggots and gentles are good baits in
some rivers, but do not take very well in the Trent. Greaves,
cheese, and worms, I believe really to be the best baits for Bar-
bel. The fittest months for greaves and cheese are August and
September ; the dew worm may be used almost at any time,
and, in my opinion, you may catch more Barbel, and keep
them biting longer, with the worm, than with any other bait
ever invented. This I have found to be the case in all rivers
that I have fished.

The best method of fishing for Barbel is with the float.
Some Anglers consider the plumb, or leger, the best style
and the most killing mode of fishing, but I should have to talk
for a long time before I could make my pupils believe this ; and
all sensible people, and every pupil to whom I have divulged
all the mysteries of angling, concur with me in thinking that
plumbing is too slow and sleepy for the Anglers of the present
day. There is as much difference between plumbing and float fish-
ing as there is between the slow coach of bye-gone days and the
fast railway car of the present time. My opinion is, that the
plumb will be shortly shelved altogether, except for night fish-
ing, or when the water is thick : these are the only times I
should recommend the plumb to be used.

The Eod fob Float Fishing should be twelve feet long,
light, and handy, — one that you may fish with without tiring.
The rod which I make myself is just the thing ; I cannot see

45

where I could improve it, or make one to answer the purpose
better. I have made a great many rods of this description for
those who approve of my style of angling, and they form, I am
proud to say, a very numerous body.

The Kod fob Plumbing must be thirteen feet long, and
much stiffer than the one for float fishing.

The Eeel for Barbel fishing should be a three and a half
inch common wood one, varnished, to keep the rain from swel-
ling the wood, without any brass about it, except the slide or
hoop for fastening to the rod. The freer it runs the better.
You should carry a small bottle of oil with you, and oil it two
or three times when fishing.

The Line for Float Fishing should be made entirely of
silk, twisted, one hundred yards to weigh about six drams;
half an ounce line this length would be too thick.

The Line foe Plumbing should also be made of silk,
twisted, and weigh about ten drams per one hundred yards.
These lines are excellent for Barbel fishing, and when in skilful
hands are strong enough to land the largest Barbel that ever
swam. The following anecdote will show how some people con-
demn the lines and tackle as being bad when they break, instead
of ascribing the breaking to their own carelessness and
inexperience. "What I shall relate occurred between a
gentleman and myself. One day, when Barbel fishing in the
Trent, and having very good sport with a five dram line (a
shade finer than the one recommended above for float fishing),
a gentleman came up to me and made the following remarks : —
" Upon my word, fisherman, you have had first-rate sport ; well,
I never saw the like, why there you have got another : they
are biting every swim; that fish must be four pounds; well
done ! I never saw Barbel bite better ; and what beautiful
tackle you are fishing with ; it appears to me you understand
how to use it too. Your line is really very fine, but I suppose
you think it none too fine. T should like to buy a line like
this." " Well, Sir," I said, " I have got one in my pocket-book
made from the same silk, and the same size as the one I am

46

fishing with ; here it is, and the price is two shillings." "Yes,"
replied the gent, " it appears to be something like the one you
are fishing with; I will buy it, and the next time I come
fishing I will try it ; here is your money, and I bid you good
day." In about a week after I went to fish in the same place,
and just before I got there I met the gentleman to whom I
had sold the line, who saluted me in the following style : "Halloo,
fisherman, that line I had of you was good for nothing, it was
as rotten as a bit of cotton. I went the other day and hooked
four or five good fish, and each and all of them broke the line,
and ran away with float and tackle as well. Now mark, if you
don't find me another line, or return to me the two shillings,
which I gave you, I shall consider that you have picked my
pocket." I replied, " No, Sir, I shall not return your money,
neither shall I find you another line, until I see which is to
blame, you or the line. Go and fetch your fishing tackle and
come along with me, and let me see how you broke this line."
He did so, and we went on together. " Now, fisherman," he
said, " you take the rod, and I warrant you will be convinced
in less than five minutes that the line is the worst you ever
fished with." I did so, and the first fish I hooked was three
pounds; I killed him, making the remark, " that has not broke
it." I hooked another and killed him, and made the same re-
mark, and so on vnth five or six, making the same observation
as to the line not breaking after the capture of each. " Now,
Sir," I said, " it is your turn. Take the rod and let me see
how the fish break it in your hands." He did so, and hooked a
fish the first swim, which would certainly have broken uhe line
in a moment had I not snatched his hand from the reel, saying,
" I shall not allow that, you must let the line go when he wants
to run, or else something is sure break. I find you have been
trying your strength with the fish ; you fancied you could pull
quite as hard as the fish, and of course smash went the line ;
then you come to me and say it was a bad, rotten line, and call
me a pickpocket. He went on angling and killed four or five
good fish as well as any man could, without in the least strain-

47

ing his tackle or line. ''Well, fisherman," he at last said,
instead of my convincing you that the line was a bad one, you
have proved it be a very good one, just the reverse of what I
expected. I find now that I was to blame and not the line.
I think I could kill the largest fish in the river with the line,
which, an hour ago, I believed to be the worst I had ever fished
with. What a blunder I have made, and how ridiculous I
must have appeared in your eyes, you knowing better all the
time. Well, fisherman, the lesson you taught me this morning
I shall not forget ; and here is a crown for you, it will make a
little amends for the rough remarks I made when we met."
" Well, Sir," I observed, " I feel pleased you are satisfied ; and
you will now see that no Angler need allow a fish, when once
hooked, to break his tackle, be it ever so fine. I have killed
thousands of Barbel in my time, and never knew what it \\ as
to break a line with a fish." I hope all my pupils and friends
will take a lesson from this, and never have to say that a fish
broke their tackle.

The Float for Barbel fishing should be a cork one, long
and thin, as this make of float passes through the water
quicker and better than one made of the bung shape. It is
better without paint ; the cork made smooth, and varnished, is
all that is required.

The Tackle for GoEKiif g should be one yard of fine gut,
care being taken that it is not too stout, for when you get fast,
it will break your line and you will lose your float and tackle
as well. Let the bottom gut, especially, be fine and round.
Place your bottom shot one foot from the hook; five or six bb shot
is sufficient ; if you require more weight put corking weights on
your line, to fall on the top of the tackle. Let your shot be the
thickest together near the top of the tackle, and taper them down
to the bottom. Your hook should be a No. 3, tafted on with a
bit of silk line, and noosed to your gut.

The Tackle foe Pltjmbikg should be made of two stout
guts, which will be sufficient ; two shots in the middle, and a
2^0. 2 hook tafted on the same as the above.

48

THE BEST BAITS FOE BAEBEL, AND THE BEST

METHOD OE USING THEM.

The Cadbait is very tender and will not stand much knock-
ing about, and when the fish are in rapid streams, you can only
use it with the plumb. Let your hook be a No. 6, lapped on
with white silk — not tafted. Put two or three baits carefully
on so that they will form a little bunch. It would be useless
throwing any of these baits in for the purpose of getting the
fish together, the stream being strong, and the baits so light,
there would be no calculating to what distance they would
swim before they got to the bottom.

WoEMS for bait should be carefully selected and put into
moss, well washed, shaking them up two or three times a day.
In two or three days they will become tough, and of a bright
red. The worms for ground baiting, or for throwing in whilst
fishing, are best not scoured. I have always found those fresh
from the ground to be the best for this purpose. You may
fish with worm either with the plumb or float, but I should re-
commend you to fish with the float when you can, and with
the plumb only when you are obliged.

Cheese made from old milk is the best for Barbel fishing,
white and tough without salt. Tou must cut it up into
square bits about the size of small dice. You must not use
a float when fishing with cheese, except where the water is
still and your bait can lie on the bottom. It would prove a bad
spec were you to fish with the float in a stream with cheese.
The plumb is the best to use for cheese fishing.

GrEEAVES or ScEATCHiNQ require first to be broken with a
hammer ; then put into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover
them, allowing them to boil for twenty minutes, frequently
stirring to keep them from burning. Afterwards put the pan
in a cool place until the scratching is perfectly cold and stifle,
when it is fit for use : this is the best method of preparing
greavea. You may use this bait either with plumb or float,

49

but in either case the- stream must be very slow, so that the
bait can lie on the bottom.

Grotjnd Bait with worms for Barbel, a place which you
fancy, and in which you may think a stock of fish lie. Use for
this purpose fifteen hundred dew worms, but do not mix them
with anything as some Anglers recommend. Believe me,
this is a vulgar error, and heed it not — it is mere "bosh." Do
not cut the worms up, but throw them in whole : if you cut them
into small pieces they will be eaten up by all sorts of small fry,
and not by the fish you bait for. Never bait a place at night
to fish the next morning. If you bait at night you should not
fish before the next night. If you wish to fish in the morning
bait on the previous morning. I always allow twenty hours to
elapse after ground baiting before I commence to fish, and this,
I have found by experience, to be about the right time. If you
ground bait with cheese cut it into small squares about the size
of dice ; a three half-pint pot will be sufficient to bait any place
where the fish are numerous. Throw the cheese in without any
other mixture, and do not fish before thirty hours after. I do
not approve of baiting with scratching, although I know many
Anglers use it as a ground bait, but I am convinced that if they
would merely throw in a bit now and then when fishing^ and
keep moving from place to place, they would kill more fish than
if they had ground baited. There is no other bait that you
can catch three or four Barbel with so quickly as scratching,
but although the fish are very fond of it, they can eat but little,
and ground baiting with greaves sicken them for a long time.
Some Anglers use different sorts of scents and colouring for
their baits to attract the fish. I know an Angler who says that he
has got a scent to flavour his bait that will draw the fish towards
it from a great distance, just as a loadstone would attract a
needle, and that if a fish comes anywhere near this perfumed
bait, he cannot refrain from taking it. I certainly consider this
Angler very selfish in keeping so valuable a secret to himself,
and not revealing it to the world for the benefit of the angling
fraternity. I am sorry to say I do not know any of these attrac-

60

tive scents, unless the following may be considered one :— Take
two pounds of judgment, four pounds of patience, and six pounds
of practical knowledge ; mix the whole well together, and I think
you will find it to be a valuable recipe for taking any of the
twelve fish treated of in this book.

THE AET OF ANGLING FOE BAEBEL.

. The best state of the water is when it is clear and low. The
best wind for Barbel fishing with the float is that which blows
behind you, no matter from what quarter it comes, North, East,
South, or West, so long as it blows off the bank from which
you are fishing, and slightly up the river. Some Anglers
contend that the fish will not bite when the wind is in the East
but I have satisfied myself by experience that this is "bosh."
I know several swims in which it would be impossible to fish
with the float for Barbel with any other than an easterly wind.
I am speaking of fishing from the bank. Of course if you fish from
a boat or punt the direction of the wind does notmatter, as youcan
shift your position ; but you must remember that it is useless
attempting to Barbel fish with the float when the wind is blowing
in your face or down the river ; the latter especially will beat
you, as the stream near the top is then impelled much faster
than the current at the bottom, so that your float is driven
forward, while your tackle and bait is dragging behind, which is
the reverse of the proper style. Your bait should always be in
advance of your float : never allow your bait to trail on the
bottom, but just to miss it, nor your line to swim before your
float. When the wind is blowing right for you, by allowing
the line to go rather tight, you keep it behind the float, and the
float will then point up the stream, while the tackle will go in
advance of it. This is what I call putting the bait against the
noses of the fish. When your bait is swimming in this style, the
fish can take it without much trouble ; all that he has got to do
is to open his mouth and let it go in. But when your float is
swimming first, and your bait dragging on the bottom, your shot

51

and tackle come against the nose ofthe fish, and if he should happen
to see the bait, he has to turn round and swim after it before he
can take it, which he seldom will do unless he is very hungrj^
I remember a keeper on the Trentsendingforme to catch some
Barbel, his water being overstocked with this description offish.
I went and found first-rate Barbel fishing, and the fish a good
size. About the middle of the day, when I was catching them
very rapidly, the keeper came round and was much pleased with
the sport. He said, "you appear to catch them so easily that I think
Icould catch one: will you letmehaveatry?" "Ofcoursel will,"
I said, and I put a fresh bait on for him. Now this keeper had at
least twenty swims and did not get a single bite. He was
fishing with the same kind of bait, in the same swim, and with the
same depth as I was, but not a nibble did he get. He gave it up
and went away, saying " It is no go, fisherman ; I can't catch
one ; they dont know me." "Well, the first swim I had after
he was gone I got another, and many more before I had done.
Now what was the reason that the keeper did not get a bite ?
I knew, but did not feel disposed to tell him then. The simple
cause was that he allowed the line to swim before the float and
the tackle, and the bait dragged behind as I have already described ;
and, reader, if you do not remember to avoid this, you will meet
with no better success than he did. If but one little thing is
done wrong, all is not right. In nineteen cases out of twenty,
when the Angler returns home with his basket empty and his
mouth full of all sorts of absurd excuses, his want of success has
been entirely owing to some error on his own part — some fault
has been committed. He has perhaps thrown too much ground
bait in at first, which is a serious mistake ; or he may have
thrown his ground bait too high up the stream, and it has sunk
before he thought it would, in which case the fish would be all
above him ; or he may have thrown it too far down, and it has
gone out of his reach. To obviate this last mistake, I would
recommend the Barbel fisher to have a swim occasionally of
twenty or thirty yards. When he has discovered his mistake,
he can remedy it by throwing his ground bait a little higher up

52

the stream, so as to draw the fish nearer to him. When the
water is very clear I would not advise you to attempt to get
the fish too dose to you, but keep them at a distance, say ten or
fifteen yards ; they will bite better and longer by so doing. It
will be impossible for me to explain how or where to throw your
worms or any ground bait in, as the water being of a different
depth in different places, the ground bait requires to be thrown
differently in ; but I will describe a good plan. "When you
have found a Barbel swim get the depth by allowing the bait on
your tackle just to miss the bottom ; select that part of the swim
which has the loveliest bottom — free from large stones, weeds,
or anything foul. If you are going to fish with dew worms, cut
about twenty, each worm into four bits, but not more, as if the
pieces are too small they will be eaten up by little fish before
they get to the bottom, and of course will have no effect. Throw
them in, making a calculation for the stream and the depth of
water, and watch the course of the stream, for depend upon it
wherever your worms go there will the fish go also, and unless
your bait follows in the same direction you will get no sport.
If the first few worms do not take effect in ten minutes, throw
in as many more in another direction, either higher up, lower
down, further or closer in, as you may conceive to be most
advisable. Continue this plan for an hour, trying every dodge
you can think of, but if you find that you are still unsuccessful,
as a last resource, if you have plenty of worms, cut up a hundred
or two and pitch them in. If, after fishing for twenty minutes
longer, this has no effect, abandon the place and seek another.
The reason I do not recommend throwing much ground bait in
at first is, that you may have selected a swim in which there
might only be five or six Barbel, and if you have cut up and
thrown in two hundred dew worms, the moment they get to the
bottom the fish will devour them up as a lot of chickens would
a handful of barley thrown to them, and the consequence is that
you cannot get a bite, because you have given the fish more
worms than they can eat, and being satiated they will not look
at your well-scoured bait. If you could see the bottom and the

53

number offish you were going to angle for, you would know what
to do, but as you cannot do this you would be acting quite right
by adopting the plan I have laid down, commencing by throwing
in a few, and finishing by pitching in as many as you like. As
the Angler cannot see beyond a foot or two of the surface of
the water, he cannot tell what is going on underneath. I have
often thought it would be a great thing for Anglers if some glass
or instrument were invented to penetrate through the deep
water so that one might see the fish and all there was between
the surface and the bottom ; we could then make our arrange-
ments for fishing with considerable ease. And who says such
a discovery is impossible ? Look at the wonderful inventions
which are daily and hourly made, inventions which a century
ago were never dreamt of. We live in an enlightened age —
an age in which so many discoveries and improvements are made
in the arts and sciences, that one cannot help thinking that such
an instrument as I have described could be easily invented.
I am persuaded that if some of our great scientific opticians
gave their attention to the matter, a glass could be constructed
with which one could discern everything from the surface to the
bottom, at least where the water was clear and not more than
ten or twelve feet deep. Such a discovery would be a great
boon to the Angling fraternity.

I will show you how I have several times been cheated for
the want of an instrument of the above description, how I found
out the cheat, and the reason why I recommend a large quan-
tity of ground-bait being used as a last resource. I commenced
fishing a Barbel swim, where I thought there would be plenty
of good fish, with the wind and water to my mind, and a thou-
sand worms to start with. I felt confident I should have good
sport in a short time, which I had, as you will see. I started
by throvring in twenty worms, just as I have recommended, and
followed this up by giving the fish five or six such lots in the
course of an hour. I fished in a style that I thought nothing
could beat — the float going down the stream as steady as if
there was no line attached to it, and the tackle and bait going

54

in the right form ; in fact, I was fishing as well as I could wish.
A whole hour passed away without a single nibble. In vain I
perplexed my brain to discover from what my want of success
arose, and I was actually begianiug to become disgusted with
myself and everything around me, when as I was throwing from
the reel, I happened by accident to throw five or six yards higher
up the stream than I had intended, and which I had not done
before. The float did not cock, and I fancied the tackle lodged
on something coming down the stream. I was proceeding to
draw it out to throw in again, when, behold 1 1 found a Chub
of a pound weight had caught hold of the bait, and kept it from
sinking. I got him out, and put another bait on, and went up
five or six yards higher, and threw again. The float lay flat on
the water, just the same as before. I struck, and caught a
E-oach, half-a-pound. I threw again, and caught a large Dace
in the same way. I began now to see what was the matter. I
said to myself, " You rascals, I will give you such a quilting as you
have never had before." I took off" my Barbel float and tackle, and
put on a quill float and Dace tackle, with a No. 8 hook, baited
with the tail of a female lob. The water was 1 2 feet deep, but
I arranged the float so as to fish about the middle. Well, most
astonishingly, I had a bite, either of Roach, Dace, Chub, or
Perch, every swim, without having to throw in any more worms.
In about an hour I had silenced all their guns, and caused those
that were left to retreat. When I found the little fellows were all
gone, I went to my worm bag, took out about a hundred, cut
them up, and threw them in the same place that I had done
before. I then again put on my Barbel float and tackle, and
fished in the same style as I did when I first commenced. The
first two swims I had not a touch, the next three I hooked a
Barbel each swim ; it then appeared to be all over, for I could
not get a bite, but as a last resource I cut about two hundred
worms in bits, thinking to myself that if they did not take eff'ect
I would leave, and seek another place. But they did take
eff'ect, for the fish came on to bite in good earnest, and I believe
within the last hour that I fished I caught nineteen good Barbel,

65

which I found to be as much as I could carry, and I went home
quite satisfied with my three hours' fishing. Some Barbel
fishers who may read this may say that if I had given them two
hundred worms at fij'st, and followed it up in twenty minutes
with as many more, I would have killed all my fish in the first
hour, and saved a deal of trouble besides, which I readily admit,
but I did not know that there had been about two or thi ee
hundred Eoach, Dace, and Chub swimming five or six feet from
the surface, and eating up the worms as I threw them in, not
allowing a bit to go to the bottom. Had I known this, by
throwing in a good dose at first, and following it up with another,
I should have satisfied the small fry, and the Barbel would have
come on to bite thick and fast. But, as I said before, it is im-
possible to know what is going on under the water. If we could
see everything from the surface to the bottom, then angling
would become very simple ; but as we cannot see what we would
wish to see, we must try and do the best we can. And as such
swims as this I have described are few and far between, I
would recommend the Barbel fisher to adopt the plan I have
already mentioned, and I am satisfied he will not be doing wrong
if he will abide by it, namely, by throwing in a few worms when
commencing, and finishing by casting in as many as he likes.
Some Barbel fishers have a very bad system of ground baiting
the place while fishing. They get the fish on the bite, and every
fish they kill, in goes a lot more ground bait. " My word," they
say, and I have heard them say it, " they are biting first-rate
this morning ; give them some more worms — let us keep them
together— we have plenty of worms, don't spare them — there is
any quantity of fish here, and large ones too — give them plenty,
I am sure they can do with it." And this game they repeat
every fish they catch. O, you Neddies ! don't you know what
you are doing ? Does not common sense teach you that each
fish can only eat a certain quantity, and by throwing the worms
in to them as you do, you satisfy five fish for the day for every
one you kill. You spoil your sport by the very means you took
to preserve it; for in an hour you have perhaps filled the stomach

66

of every fish in the place, and then you feel disappointed because
they will not bite, as you felt confident of a first-rate day's sport
when you commenced so successfully. The fish have gone off
biting, but there are still plenty in the place which you must
have caught had you ground baited judiciously. Years ago I
used to do this sort of thing myself, but experience has taught
me better, and I now feel convinced the system is bad. I will
give you my style of ground baiting whilst fishing. Supposing
the place has been baited the day before with fifteen hundred
worms (I allow twenty hours to pass after ground baiting, before
I commence fishing), I expect a good stock of fish to be col-
lected together, say fifty Barbel, which 1 have often found to be
the case, after a baiting of this sort. There is one point in
which I am very particular, that is in calculating, when I throw
in the first few worms, what distance they will swim before they
get to the bottom, so that I may catch the fish ten or fifteen
yards below^ me — no nearer, for as I told you before, they will
bite longer and better by keeping them at a distance. I throw
the first few worms in one place, so as to keep the fish within
as small a space as possible. I never spread them about more
than I can help, if I did it is evident the fish would be feeding
in all directions. I should never know what part of the swim
was the best to fish for them ; besides, having got the proper
depth for one particular part of the swim, I can fish no other
portion of the swim without altering my float to suit the various
depths ; so to save time and trouble and to ensure sport, I throw
the first few worms in that part of the swim I have selected and
got the depth of. By thus doing I keep the fish in one channel.
I am sure many a baiting has been ruined and the sport spoiled
for the day because this point has not been properly attended to.
Well, I have supposed fifty Barbel to be in the place selected.
I commence by giving them twenty dew worms, each cut into
four bits. Now what eflfect will twenty dew worms when cut
into eighty pieces have upon fifty hungry Barbel ? I should say
a general scramble takes place among the fish, each endeavouring
to get more than his neighbour : some have got two or three

57

bits and others have not tasted. None have had a chance of
filling their bellies, and those that have tasted are very keen and
eager for more. The next lot I throw in is a well-scoured female
lob on my hook, which is picked up the moment it gets to the
bottom. He that has got it will find it rather difficult of digestion,
and not so palatable as he at first might fancy it would be. Well,
I have got them on the bite every swim, and I have caught five
or six fish in as many swims ; but it would not be judicious to
go on at this rate, as I have created some alarm amongst those
that are left. The rushing and dashing about in all directions
of some of their relatives have bamboozled and frightened them,
and made them somewhat restless, so I give them a few more
worms, lay my rod on the bank and light a pipe or cigar, leaving
them unmolested for two or three minutes that they may recover
from their surprise and consternation. Then I go at it again
and kill four or five more fish before giving them any more worms,
and when I do so I only let them have a few as before. This is
a sure and certain game ; but even with this treatment I have
generally found them to go off biting after fishing for three or
four hours, and, observe, I always expect this, and when I come
to have five or six swims without a bite, I know they have gone
off biting — not because they have been satiated with the worms
which I have been throwing in, but because they have been
continually disturbed and rendered shy by thehooking and killing
of their neighbours. I know they will come on again in an hour or
two, so I leave the place without throwing in another worm. Some
Barbel fishers at this stage of the game recommend giving the
fish two or three hundred worms, and leave them. It is in my
opinion a very bad plan. The fish recover, and eat of the
worms till they are satisfied while the Anglers are away.
They have had enough for that day, and if you think of
catching them you must call to-morrow. The Barbel fisher
when he returns again finds it no go, so he laps up his tackle
and bolts home, believing that he did not leave a fish in
the place. I like to be fishing while the fish are eating the
worms that I have thrown in, and then there can be no mistake.

58

Tou cannot help catching fish if you are angling at the same
time that the fish are feeding on the worms you have thrown in.
Some people may perhaps say, if the fish should return while
we are away and find nothing to eat, they will leave the place
altogether and seek food elsewhere. This is a mistake. I have
proved hundreds of times that they will and do stop. I consider
the baiting I have described has been quite sufficient to keep
them about the place for one day at least, if not for two or three.
If you wish to fish the place a second or third day throw in five
or six hundred whole dew worms at night after you have done
fishing. I have sometimes found the fish bite better on a second
or third day than on the first, but not after. The first day has
invariably been the best. If the wind blows wrong and you have
not a chance of fishing a place you have baited on th&
first day, do not give it up. The fish are there and will bite as
soon as you can angle for them in the right style. Come again
on the second day, and if the wind is favourable there is nothing
to prevent your having good sport.

When the water is very clear, what I call gin-fine water, then
Barbel fishing is very difficult, more so than any other time,
as the fish can see the deception you are using to trap him, and
is very cautious and suspicious You should then fish with the
finest tackle you can get, and let your bottom shot be eighteen
inches from the hook. The fish can also see you or your rod,
or anything shadowing over the water, when you little think he
can, and if he does is off in a moment like a shot. This is the
time that Barbel require a deal of " foxing," and I am certain
the man that can catch them well when the water is clear and
the sun bright, must understand something of Barbel fishing,
but to give an idea of the best mode of dodging and licking
him in this state of the water, I will relate what occurred on
one occasion with a party of gentlemen whom I accompanied
to a Barbel swim on the Trent. Having occasion to go to
the Thames on a fishing excursion, my friends engaged other
fishermen to fill my place while I was away. The water being very
fine and low nearly all the time, Barbel fishing was very difficult.

Several places being baited and fished without success, the gentle-
men and fishermen as well arrived at the conclusion that there
would be no more Barbel caught until there was some rain,
and a change in the water, for the water was too clear. This
was the general complaint made to me on my return by the
gentlemen, but-I told them I did not believe in the water being
too clear for Barbel fishing, and that they required only to
use a little more foxing and to fish in a diff'erent style. "Well,"
says one of the gentlemen, " will you go and bait me such a
place ; although it has been bailed and fished several times of
late without much success, I have no objection to give it
another trial if you think there is a chance of nailing the fish.'*
I knew the swim selected to be a very good one for Barbel fishing,
and I accordingly went with fifteen hundred worms to bait the
place. The water was as clear as ever it was, and the day bright
and hot, which was another difficulty. I went cautiously to the
water-side and threw the baiting in the usual style, mixing with,
nothing, and came away leaving the result till the morrow. I
had not got a mile from the place when I met another gentleman,
a friend of mine, who is passionately fond of Barbel fishing. He
asked me what I was doing there, and said he thought I was in
London. I answered, " but you see I am not. I returned two
days ago, and have just been to bait a place for a party of
gentlemen." " Then, let me tell you," he said, " you will do no
good ; the place has been baited and fished three or four times
since you last fished it, by some of the best Barbel fishers in the
town. I have also had a try at it, and fished it as well as any
man could and I caught no fish : the water is too clear for Barbel
fishing, that's certain ; and, mark me, you will get such a licking
as you have not had lately." " Well, I replied, time will tell ;
the place has always turned out a good lot of fish when I have
fished it ; in fact, I have never known it fail, and if this should
be a failure it will be the first. I suppose you will be fishing
about this neighbourhood to-morrow, if so, you will be able to
to see what sort of a licking I do get: so I bid you good morning."
On the following morning we went down to the place I had

60

baited— two gentlemen and myself. The sky was cloudless, and
the sun very hot, with scarcely a breath of wind, w^hich made
things look rather awkward, and made me feel the chaff and
sarcasm of the two gentlemen rather sharply. I certainly never
saw a worse morning for Barbel fishing in my life, there was
not a single thing in our favour ; but still I had some confidence
on account of the arrangements I had made, which I felt sure
would answer the purpose if we went quietly to work. The
gentlemen were down in the mouth, and the little confidence
they had was greatly shaken when I told them what the person
who met me coming from ground baiting had related, for they
knew that he was a first-rate Barbel fisher ; but I told them to
cheer up, for patience and perseverance might work wonders.
"When we had got to the spot, I said to the one, " stand you
there," and to the other, '* stand you here," stir for nothing,
and be as still as death ; whatever you want doing I will do it ;
all I require of you is to stand still and kill the fish. Now you
shall see that this place was fished in a different style to what
is usually done. The water was about nine feet deep and as
clear as glass. The swim was not quick, and in water of this
description I generally go up five or six yards from where I
stand to fish to throw the worms, and catch the fish eight or ten
yards below me, so that the worms swim fourteen or fifteen yards
before they get to the bottom ; but in this case I threw the
worms two yards below where we were standing, so that the
fish would be nearly twenty yards from us. Well, the first
swim both got hold together and killed two Barbel ; the next
swim they killed two more; then one kiUed and the other
missed. When we had caught nine, one gent Sc/'d, " this is first-
rate sport — better than we expected ; if they take the bait at
this rate for three or four hours we shall have a load,
that's certain. I shall go and stand eight or ten yards below ;
I don't fancy such a long swim, you see we cannot get a bite
until the float is twenty yards from us." " No," I said, " you
must not stir a yard, the fish are biting every swim, what more do
you want ? You are doing well, so be satisfied, and stand your

61

ground. If you were to go where you want it would be all
over with you ; the only chance you have is to catch them a
long way off." I now threw in a few more worms, two yards
lower down than the first lot, which made the fish bite at least
twenty-five yards off. This was a great distance to hit a fish,
but they were hit to perfection, for a bite was seldom missed,
or a fish lost. When we had fished for three hours they went
off biting, and we left the place and had a bite ourselves. We
returned in about a couple of hours and found them as keen
and eager for the bait as when we first commenced. I must
tell you I never gave them a worm while they were biting, but
when I saw two or three swims without a bite, I then threw in
a few. By taking this plan I kept the fish hungry all the time.
In about five hours and a half we caught one hundred and
thirteen pounds of Barbel without stirring a yard from the
standing we first took up, and every fish was hooked from twenty
to five and twenty yards off. On our return to the village I
sent for my friend who had promised me such a licking, and
you may fancy his surprise on beholding three baskets full of
Barbel. " Now," I said, " you see what sort of a licking we
have got — not quite so bad as you expected, and I hope the next
time you go Barbel fishing you may get licked no worse. After
this I think you will agree with me that the water cannot be
too clear for Barbel fishing."

When there is a rise in the water, say of one yard, and it is
very thick, you must remember it is useless fishing with the float,
as on account of the water being thick the fish are unable to see
the bait when swimming down the stream. The plumb is
then your only chance, as in fishing with it the bait lies upon
the bottom, and when it does Barbel will be sure to find it,
no matter how thick the water, or how dark the day. The
Londoners fish for Barbel with the ledger, a perforated bullet,
w^hich rolls on the bottom and keeps the bait moving for a time ;
when it settles they wind and throw again, expecting to get a
bite, while the bullet is moving. If they tried this style of fishing
when the water is thick they would find it a failure. Some writers

62

on Angling recommend the ledger as the best mode of Barbel
fishing, but in my opinion it is the very worst, there is nothing
in it. As I said before, it is too "slow," and will not do for
the Barbel fishers of the present day. In fact, if you see a
man plumbing, ledger fishing, or whatever else you call it, when
there is a chance to fish with the float, I set him down as a
*' dufiier," and a lazy fisherman. For my own part I would pre-
fer a quiet day at home, and a tune on the " old banjo," to fishing
for Barbel with the plumb. When the water is high and thick
you must not fish for him in the deeps. You will find him in
the shallows, of about four or five feet of water, with a gravelly
bottom, just above a deep water and a brisk stream. These are
the likeliest places to find Barbel when the water has risen.
Suppose you have not fished the place before, and do not know
the exact depth, but think it a likely place, the first thing you
must do is to ascertain the proper depth either with the plum-
met, or by putting on your Barbel float and tackle, which I think
the better plan, because you will be able to know what sort of
a bottom you are going to fish on, whether it be level or whether
there be anything foul about it The water being thick, it might
be full of weeds without your being able to see them, so by
putting your float and tackle on you will soon discover if the
bottom is all right. The reason I recommend you to get the
depth first is, because I suppose you intend to throw in some
sort of ground bait to entice the fish to take your bait on the hook.
"Well, if you do not know how deep the water is, where is your
calculation ? How shall you ascertain one of the greatest points
in angling, that is, to know to a nicety where your ground bait
has gone to ? It is impossible for any one to catch fish well
unless he has some idea where his ground bait will rest. If
he has not, it will be great good luck if he kills a fish. Tou might
as well strew your ground bait on the bank as in the water if
you have no idea where it has gone to. Well, after you have got
the depth of the water, take fifty dew worms and cut them up,
(you need not be particular about a few worms when the water
is thick, as they won't be so easily found), and throw them in

63

three or four yards above you, and six or seven out in the water,
observing the course the stream takes ; then cast your plumb a
little across and down the stream to the very spot you think the
ground bait has rested. If you do not get a bite in five minutes
wind up and make a shorter or longer throw, whichever you
deem best, but always in a line with the course the worms took.
When you get a bite you will know where to throw to get another.
"When you have caught four or five fish cast in twenty or thirty
more worms, but be careful and throw them in the same pWe
as you did the first lot, then there is nothing to prevent you
having a good day's sport.

CHEESE FISHING FOR BAEBEL.

I will suppose you have baited a place with the dose I have
recommended, and allowed thirty hours to pass before fishing.
The water must be deep and the stream slow for cheese fishing,
because if you were to throw cheese into a sharp 'stream with a
gravelly bottom, it would swim a long way before it got to the
bottom, and when it did get there it would roll to a great distance,
in fact, it would never stop until it lodged agamst some obstruction
in the water, and not only that, but Barbel do not bite at cheese
in streams. The best time to catch him with this bait is when
he leaves the streams about the beginning of August, and takes
to deep and still water. If the water runs deep at the side you
may commence fishing with the tight float. It is done in this
style : take your cork float, and tackle recommended for cheese
fishing, and put it about two feet deeper than the water, so that
your bait and first two or three shot may lie on the bottom.
Cast it down the stream so that your tackle and bait may sink
itself, and allow your bait to lie straight down the stream ; hold
it quite still, and at the same time be careful how you move about
on the bank, for the least shake will drive the fish away when
fishing so close to the side. But before you commence, throw
in about tw^enty bits of cheese, and find them before you throw
any more. I mean, catch two or three fish before you cast in

64

another supply. I am always particular on this point, trying
every dodge I can think of to find where the first bit of stuff
has gone, because if I were to give them a lot more cheese without
catching a fish they would eat it up, and I would still be in the
same fix. The fish would be filling their bellies while I should have
been filling my basket. I, therefore, determine to find them out
after they have got the first dose. You must remember what
you are fishing with now, for a very few bits ofcheese will satisfy
a Barbel, so that if you don't catch him after throwing in a little
you won't catch him at all. Plumbing will answer the purpose
better for cheese fishing, as you can fish in deep water, and catch
fish at a greater distance than you can with the tight float, which
is of course much better. As I have already explained the style
of plumbing with the worm, you will understand how to plumb
with cheese.

If you bait a place with scratching, one pound and a half,
prepared as I have already shown you, will be sufficient, but I
am sure it would be better not togroundbait at all — so experience
has taught me. Take your bit of stuff and shift from place to
place — catching one or two here, and three or four there — fishing
with a quill float if you can, if not use a light cork one, and No.
6 hook. Tight corking is used the same way and in the same
places as I have recommended for cheese fishing, throwing in
merely a very small bit of scratching now and then while fishing,
by which method I am convinced you will take more fish than
by ground baiting.

Now, I think, if you will pay proper attention to this lesson
on Barbel fishing, there is no fear of your ever getting "licked."

THE CHIJB.

This is a clumsy-looking, thick-headed rascal, rather coarse,
and not much thought of as an edible, but he affords first-rate
sport, and if you fish for him with a light rod and fine line, it is
ten to one if you can manage to kill him, especially if there is a
bush or old tree in the water, or a shelving bank near, under
which he will bolt the moment he feels he is hooked, and if he
does get into any of these places, he will soon play the deuce
either with your rod or tackle, or both, and this is more than can
be said of some of the finer fish. He is a determined and
resolute fellow to deal with, and if he only gets a chance, and
you fish for him with a fine rod and tackle, he will make you
pay dear for your sport.

Chub spawn about4ihe middle of May, but I have on several
occasions seen them on the spawn as early as the first of that
month, but never sooner. Barbel and Chub generally come on
together about the middle of May, and deposit their spawn in the
same description of places — a shallow gravelly bottom under the
weeds. Chub bite sooner after spawning than any other fish I
know, particularly at such baits as the minnow and locust, which
he takes greedily in a day or two after spawning, and he seems
to bite freer and with less fear at this period than at any other time.
You will find the Chub for the first three or four weeks after
spawning in the sharpest and shallowest streams, to which places
he resorts for the purpose of cleansing himself. He makes his next

66

move about the latter end of June or beginning of July, when he
makes for deep Barbel swims, orgoesunderweirs, bushes, and trees
overhanging the water. These are favourite places with him
during the summer months. Towards the latter end of October
or the beginning of November he seeks shallow water — a gentle
swim with a gravelly bottom, by the side of willow beds, under
old trees sunk in the water, or anything that will aiFord him cover
and a home for the winter months. You never find Chub on a
sandy bottom. I do not remember ever killing a Chub on a sandy
bottom. He prefers at all times of the year a rough gravelly
bottom.

The Chub may be found in most rivers and small streams in
England, but perhaps the Trent is the best for the number
and size of this fish. I was surprised when in London, on the
occasion of paying a piscatory visit to the Thames, to find that in
all places where stufied fish were to be seen, that, although there
were beautiful large specimens ofevery other fish, I saw no Chub
but of a very small size, averaging perhaps about two or three
pounds weight, the largest not exceeding four pounds. Prom
this I infer that there are no large Chub either in the Thames
or any other streams in the vicinity of London. Now, we think
nothing of a Chub four pounds weight in the Trent. I killed one
myself not long ago which weighed six pounds and a quarter, and
I once killed one that was only two ounces under seven pounds.
This was the largest I ever saw, but five and six pounders are very
common in the Trent. I have several London friends who come
down occasionally for a few days Chub or other fishing, and they
all acknowledge that the Trent Chub are the largest they have
ever seen.

The best season of the year for Chub fishing is from November
till the end of March, but I once made an extraordinary catch
about the 14th or i5th of April. The morning was very misty,
which is the best state of the weather in which to fish for Chub
at all times. The Chub is a winter fish, for he is in the best
condition in the coldest months, and bites freer in the winter
than any other fish. It matters not how cold the weather may

67

be, he will bite if the water be clear and the day cloudy or misty.
In fact, it is no use fishing for Chub when the water is thick ;
it must be clear else you have not the shadow of a chance. I am
not particularly fond of Chub fishing in hard frosty weather,
not because I cannot stand the cold as well as any other man,
for I prefer cold to hot weather, but because every fish I kill
I must lay down the rod and suck the ice out of the rings before
I can make another start, which is a very great bore. Talking
of the cold weather reminds me of a circumstance which occurred
in January, 1856. It was a cold misty morning, the water being
clear and just to my mind. I felt confident of a good day's sport.
As I was on my way to an excellent Chub water, and passing
through a village near to the place, I overtook two men, one of
them a barn-door savage, who saluted me as follows : — " Hollo^
mate ! what ! going a fishing on a day like this ? Why, you
deserve three months in the House of Correction — that you do.
The idea of fishing ! I should not like to wait for my dinner till
you caught one." "Well," I said, "if you had to wait for dinner
till I caught one, what then?" "Why," he replied, "it is the
greatest certainty in the world I should have to miss a meal for
once. Go on with you, a fool at one end and a worm at the
other." I felt somewhat annoyed, but I asked him if he lived
anywhere near about. " 0 yes,' ' rejoined he, " this is my house :
shall you call and leave us a fry ? Don't you wish I may get it ?"
" I will promise you a call," I said, as I went on my way, "when
I return, but leaving you a fry is another matter ; they want
catching first." Well, greaves or scratching was the bait I
was going to fish with. From the first place I fished I
took twelve, averaging three pounds each ; at the next place
I killed seven, and out of the third and last place I got three,
in all twenty-two fish, making a total weight of sixty-five
pounds. They were all caught within two hours and a half. I
had three miles to walk to the station, and with this weight of
fish to carry I had no easy job I can tell you. On my way back
I gave straw-yard Johnny a call. I set my fish down at his
door and knocked. "Is the master at home," I said, when it

68

was opened." " Yes, he answered, I am here," and he came out.
"Well, fancy the old fellow's surprise on seeing the fish I had
caught : he could scarcely believe his own eyes. " Well," he
said, " if any one had told me that a man could go on a day like
this and catch such a lot of fish I would'nt have believed him."
" But you are obliged to believe this," I said, for there they are
before your eyes. You made all sorts of game of me this morning,
and shouted fool at one end and worm at the other. 'Now, who
is the fool ? You little thought when you were chaffing me for
going to fish on such a day, that the day was in my favour, and
most suitable for angling for this kind of fish. No, you had no
idea of that, and in your ignorance you made game of me. I
should think this lesson will teach you to mind your own
business for the future, and let a fisherman pass without
insulting him.

The Best Baits tor Chub Fishing. — You must remem-
ber no two baits that I shall mention will catch Chub all
the year round, but I shall state what are the best at the
different periods throughout the season. Immediately after
spawning the best baits that can be used are the minnow,
locust, and artificial flies. The first two or three weeks after
spawning I have seen Chub bite every swim at the live minnow.
To fish in the proper style with this bait, you will require a very
fine silk line, a quill float that will carry seven or eight bb shot,
a fine tackle two feet long, and a single hook. No. 4. Let your
bottom shot be about nine inches from the hook; hook the
minnow by the mouth, fish two or three inches from the bottom,
and take a swim of fifteen or twenty yards down the stream.
The water must be clear and low, and if you fish the places I
have recommended at the season that I have indicated, you are
sure to catch Chub. It is not worth while Chub fishing with
the minnow after the first week in June. I have also seen Chub
take the locust nearly every swim. The same line and float will
do for the locust, but the bottom tackle must be different.
Instead of a single hook you will have to use a double one, and
place a small swivel nine inches from the hook, and noose the

bottom gut to it. But before you do this, take a fine baiting
needle and put it in under the head of the bait, and bring it out
at the tail, drawing the shank inside the bait. See that the
noose is sufficiently large to allow the bait to go through, then
put the noose through the swivel, and the bait through the noose
and draw it up. Fish with the bait three or four inches from
the bottom. I have seen Chub take the artificial fly very freely
in a sharp stream, about a foot deep, on a gravelly bottom, and
it is first-rate sport when you hook two or three at one cast,
as I have often done. When they are lying thick together
scouring themselves, they will rise to almost any sort of fly.
The red hackle and red palmer flies ribbed with gold, on No. 9
hook, I have found to be good killers at this season. You may
also catch Chub all through the summer, more or less, with the
artificial fly, but it is all over for the year with the first two
baits recommended after the first three weeks have passed.
From this time till October, the dew worm or cockspur is the
best bait to fish with. During the summer and up till October
you will find Chub in Barbel swims. After this time none of
the above-mentioned baits are of any use. You would scarcely
catch a fish in a week with any of them. Now comes what I
consider the Chub fishing season, namely, from November till
March. This is the best time for Chub fishing and the best
baits are greaves or scratching, and bullock's brains and pith
from the back bone. These are the two best baits ever invented
for Chub fishing in the winter, but I believe the last to be the
best of the two — fish with the pith and throw the brains in.

Some Anglers do not fancy Chub fishing in winter, because
they consider the baits disagreeable to fish with. I am not of
the same opinion, for bullock's brains, when nicely cleaned and
cooked, are as white as a curd, and fully as sweet to eat as sheep's
brains. The renowned " Bendigo, " when he goes Chub fishing,
and he is no novice at this game, takes half a hatful with him,
and as he is obliged to chew the brains before he throws them
in. He tells me he cannot prevent a portion going down his
throat, they are so sweet, so you see he fishes with one part and

70

swallows the other. Two lieads of brains are quite sufficient for
a day's Chub fishing if the fish bite well, but you see this quantity
would be of no use whatever to a Chub fisher like Bendigo.

The Best Method of Prepabing Sceatching.^ — Break
the scratching small with a hammer, but be careful and not
break those bits that look likely to make a bait for the hook,
then put it on the fire and let it boil for twenty minutes,
frequently stirring to prevent it from burning. If you find it
getting stiflT add more water, so that when it has boiled the
given time it may be a little sloppy. Take the pan off, and
allow the liquor and all to set, when it will be ready for use.
This should be done over night.

How TO Prepaee Pith akd Brains. — Eirst take the skin
off the brains and wash them in two or three waters until
they become white and free from blood; then take the pith
and you will find two skins on it, the outside one very thick
and tough ; take this one off altogether after slitting it up
with a pair of scissors, but be careful not to drag the under
one away with it, for if you do your baits are spoiled, and
would not stick on the hook without the under skin. Slip this
under skin up on one side with a pair of scissors, and lay it
flat ; you will then have skin on one side and none on the other.
Wash it clean and let it boil with the brains one minute, when it
will be ready for use.

The Rod tor Chub Pishing should be twelve feet long
and light ; not too stiff, as your line and tackle being fine you
are apt to break it when striking. The reel must be a three
and a half-inch common wood one, varnished. Fill the bottom
three parts full of soft cotton, and put the line above. By
doing this you will have more power over the fish when hooked,
and be able to fish better in every way. The line must be
made of all silk, and twisted soft ; one hundred yards of it should
weigh about a quarter of an ounce. The float should be a
turkey or swan quill one, that will carry six or eight b.b. shot.
A float of this kind will be sufficiently large to fish any Chub
place in the winter months. Never fish with a cork float for

71

Chub. One yard of fine round gut will be sufficient tackle.
The hook should be a No. 5, lapped on with white silk. Let
your bottom shot be twelve inches from the hook ; this will
complete your tackle for bottom fishing.

THE AET OF BOTTOM FISHING FOE CHUB.

It is no use Chub fishing unless the water is clear, the wind
blowing behind you, and the day cloudy or misty. A bright
sunny day is very unfavourable. Chub are very shy and difficult
to get at when the sun is bright. If you happen to catch one
all the rest are ofi" in a moment ; but when the water and day
are favourable you may catch them to a fish, as the saying is,
" you can clear the whole out." Betore I go into the art of
catching Chub, I will show to what perfection we have already
reached in the art, but I am convinced that still greater perfec-
tion will ere long be attained, and that though some of us fancy
that we can fish better than others, and are in possession of
a few points which three parts of the angling fraternity are not
up to, the time will come when the anglers of the present day
will be thought mere " duffers," and babies in the art, for I can
see boys from twelve to fourteen years of age figuring as well
as some of the old veterans did twenty years back, and are
promising to become first-rate artists in the gentle craft. The
following anecdote will show my readers that Chub fishing is an
art that requires learning, and that the Chub fishers of the
present day are not altogether novices, but go to work with
confidence and in a masterly style. I was not a witness
to what I shall relate myself, but I can vouch for its truth,
and I think a more masterly display of the art of Chub
fishing was never witnessed in so young an angler. A pupil
and friend of mine, who is passionately fond of Chub fishing,
not for the sake of the fish, but for the sport, and who has had
but five years practice, seeing the day and water all right, started
for a Chub water with some scratching for bait. He had not been
at the water above a minute, and was only partly tackled out,

72

when two men came up to him and inquired if he had seen a
pleasure boat pass. He answered that he had only just arrived
and had not seen a boat of any kind. The two men were about
to pass on, when my friend said, " Hold, I will go with you
if you will wait a minute ; there is a fish here I want to catch, and
he is sure to bite the first or second swim." " How do you
know, said one, have you seen him ? " " No," says the con-
fident piscator, "I have not seen him, but it is a dead
certainty there is one, so here goes for him." The float did not
swim a yard before it went down, and the Angler hooked
a Chub two pounds weight, which one of the astonished pair
landed, making the remark, " "Well, I never saw a fish killed
so scientifically before." My friend now picked up his traps
and was ready to go with the two men, who said, " What !
not fish again after killing a fine fish like that on the first
cast." " jSTo," said the bold piscator, " There is only another
fish in the place, and he would not bite now, he having seen his
mate taken out, but I will catch him when I come back."
Away they went together, and when they had got about a mile
up the river my friend made another stand, saying, " There are
two fish here, and I will throw in and catch one now, and take
the other on my way back, but they are not so large as the one
I have caught." "Well, the first swim he caught another Chub
about a pound weight, the two men being more astonished than
ever. They now moved on again, and half a mile further up the
Angler stopped again. " Now," said one of the two, laughing,
" How many fish are there in this place : you had better tell us
before you commence, and tell us also how many you are going
to catch." " Well," replied my friend, " There are six fish here :
I will catch three now, and the other three when I return, but
they are not so large as the last." He threw a little bit of
scratching in, and surprising as it may seem, he actually killed
three Chub about half a pound each in as many swims. They
then proceeded some distance higher up, when another halt
was made, the Angler saying, as before, there are six fish here :
I shall take three now and the other three on my way home.

73

He landed the three in a few minutes : they were about the same
weight as the last. The adroit Angler then went to an inn
and had some refreshment, while the two men went in search
of the lost boat. Not finding it they returned with the Angler
to witness the result of his predictions. We will now follow
our fisherman and the two men back, and see what occurs.
My friend made it appear as if he wished to pass the first place,
but the two would not allow him. One said, " are you afraid
you shall get licked when you wish to pass by the place." Pia-
cator turned round and seemed surprised, saying, " what fish
did I get here when we came up." "Ton caught three,"
answered one of the men, " and said you would kill three more
on the way back." "So I will," said the angler, "and here
goes." In about five swims he caught three of about the same
size as the first three he took out of the same place. They
went to the next place. " How many fish did I kill here ?
asked the angler. " Three," answered the men. " Then there
are three remaining, and I shall have them out in a few minutes,'*
replied the clever Waltonian. He landed them and proceeded
down to the next place, when he said, " I caught one fish here
about a pound weight, and there remains another of about the
same size, which I shall capture in the first or second swim. He
hooked it in the first swim and killed it. "When they came to
the last place, the angler said I caught the largest fish here —
about two pounds weight — and I promised to bring out his mate
when I came back. I shall do so, and won't be long about it'
" I believe you," said one of the men; "It seems to me that
you can catch as many as you like, and as for the size you have
only to mention it and it is sure to be as you say. " Well, the first
swim he caught the fish." It was landed by one of the two men
and placed by the side of the first one. " Well, I never saw
such a thing, they both shouted out, it is but a quarter of an
inch shorter than the first." This ended what was thought by
the two men a very extraordinary day*s fishing, but the angler
did not think so, nor do I. We know very well that if he had
continued to fish the places as he should have done, and as he

74

would had he been alone, he would have caught perhaps every
fish at first and left none for a second trial ; but this would not
answer his purpose. He likes a joke and wished to astonish the
men, knowing each place well and the number and size of fish
he was in the habit of taking in each. He said, " there are six
fish here : I shall catch three now and the other three when I
come back." But whea he had caught the first three he did
not try again, but led the two men to believe that though there
were as many more left they would not bite then. This certainly
was a grand display of the art of angling, and it would require a
deal of confidence even on the part of a professional before he could
undertake to perform a similar feat. Because I have caught
six fish in one place to-day, can I in a week after make sure of
getting the same number in the same place ? By no means ;
and I say that the man who would undertake to do anything
like the above must possess considerable confidence and great
knowledge of the art of Chub fishing.

We shall now proceed with our lesson on the art of angling
for Chub. Well, you have got the tackle and other appliances
that I have recommended, and let us suppose a suitable day,
water and wind. Now you are going, perhaps, to fish a strange
water, and have no one to show you the places where Chub are
likely to be. I am satisfied that man is a good angler who can
go to a water he has never seen before, and catch a good basket
of fish, without being shown the best places in which to fish.
This is convincing proof that he is an artistic angler. I know
a few boasting fellows who catch more fish with their tongues
than ever they did, or are likely to do, with the rod. They
catch a fish or two in places that some other angler has found for
them ; but send them to a water a hundred miles from home,
and they will turn out perfect *' duffers." Well, take stock of
the river ; you perhaps see the water running down on one side
in a rapid boiling stream. That is not the side for Chub fishing
in winter. Do you perceive those willow bushes, and those trees
overhanging the water, with a gentle swim, five or six feet deep,
on the opposite side ? Then make for it at once, and approach

76

the water cautiously. Take a bit of soft white scratching and
put it on your hook, lapping it round the point, and use as much
as will press into the size of a common nut. You must not
throw any ground-bait in until you have got the right depth.
Throw your tackle in, putting it deeper and deeper until the
float goes under, then alter it back a little at a time, until your
bait swims clear, and about three inches from the bottom.
You had better fish with your bait a foot from the bottom than
one inch on it. It is quite a mistake to allow the bait to drag
on the bottom for any kind of bottom fishing whatever in a
stream. The Barbel and Grudgeon require the bait to swim as
close as any fish that I know, but even in fishing for them the
bait ought not to drag. Did you ever notice the eye of the
Chub ? If you have, you must have seen that it is so fixed as
to enable him to see better above than below him. Go and
stand on a bridge, from which you can see Chub lying on the
bottom, in three or four feet of water, and throw in a bit of
scratching, and if you keep out of sight you will see them rise
and take it before it has sunk a foot, proving that they can see
anything thrown in long before it gets to the bottom, and that
you can catch more fish by allowing your bait to swim three
inches from it. Well, having got the proper depth, take a
bit of scratching about the size of a walnut, and cut it
into very small pieces, for you must remember that although
Chub are particularly fond of it, a very little will satisfy them, so
that if you were to throw in a number of large pieces, there
would not be much chance of your getting a bite, especially if
each fish managed to get two or three lumps, which would quite
satisfy them for the day. By giving them only a little at a
time, you keep them hungry, and are sure to catch them, if you
fish in the right style. Now throw in your small crumbs of
scratching three or four yards above you, watching the course
of the stream, and the direction the stuff" takes, so that you may
follow it with your bait to a nicety, calculating also the distance
it will swim before it gets to the bottom — perhaps ten or fifteen
yards. If you can get the fish to bite at fifteen yards, all the

76

better. The further out of sight you are the better and longer
they will bite. Now, fetch your line from the second or third
ring, according to the distance you wish to throw, and cast,
keeping your line behind the float, and as much out of the water
as you can, without obstructing or laying the float flat on the
water ; let your line follow rather tight after it. By keeping
the float a little in hand, your tackle and bait will be carried by
the stream a little in advance, and if there is a fish in a line
with the bait, it will go right into his mouth. If it does, strike
gently, otherwise you might cause a break, as your line is nearly
tight from the top of the rod to the bait. When you feel you have
him, as quick as lightning give him the butt end of the rod, so as to
put the hook fairly through his nose, then immediately reduce
the pressure, and allow him to go where he likes, unless he
makes for a bush or old roots, lying in the water. If he does,
you must see which can pull hardest, you or the fish. If you
suffer him to get into such places, you will find it difficult to
dislodge him, for he will play you the game of " Thread-me-long-
needle," running through and round three or four times in a
second, leaving your line in a fearful mess. When you have
caught two fish, which you will probably do in the first two
swims, throw in a little bit more scratching, for I should say
you have brought out that first bit with the fish you have killed.
PoUow this plan up until you have caught them all, or until you
have five or six swims without a bite, when you had better seek
another place. You need not wait expecting they will come on
to take again, for they very seldom will. I do believe that
when the day, the wind, and the water is favourable, the angler,
if he fishes for Chub in the right style, will, in three cases out
of four, catch every fish there is in the place, and very quickly
too. Eor my own part, if I fish a Chub place five minutes
without a bite, I go to another swim. I do not believe in the
old doctrine of waiting until they come on. No, I have no
faith in it. Some Anglers of the old school may say that they
would not give a pin for the fisherman who could not stand or
sit for twenty hours without a nibble. " Bosh," I can fancy I

77

hear those who know a thing or two say, " we would not give
the toss of a farthing for the fisherman who would stand twenty-
minutes without a bite ; we once believed in that principle, but
all faith in it is now gone for ever." I would not, however,
advise you young anglers, who do not thoroughly understand
the art, to be too hasty in leaving a place. You may have done
something or other wrong ; try another dodge or two. That bit of
scratching you threw in has perhaps gone down the stream out of
your reach ; throw in another bit three or four yardshigherup the
stream ; put a fresh bait on ; take a swim of twenty or five and
twenty yards ; put two or three inches deeper, and fish further
out, or a little shallower, and try closer in. Never fish long on
one system ; alter your style in some way or other, and you
may find out the reason why you have not been able to get a
bite.

You may fish with pith and brains, in the same style as
recommended for scratching, and taking the whole season
through, I consider this bait the best of the two, at least I have
tested both baits in two or three different rivers, and found
pith and brains to be the best. Indeed, in some rivers scratching
altogether fails, and even on some parts of the Trent it does
not take half so well as pith and brains. As this is a sweet and
clean bait, I recommend the Chub fisher to use it when he can
get it, in preference to scratching. But whichever bait you
fish with, take a towel with you to wipe your hands after hand-
ling the bait, for if a bit ever so small touches the rod or line,
it will stick to it and mar your fishing.

THE BREAM.

Theee are two kinds of this fish — the white or silver Bream,
and the gold or Carp Bream. Their flesh is generally con-
sidered coarse, and scarcely fit to be eaten, but I am of a
different opinion, for I believe the Carp Bream to be a splendid
fish, and very excellent food when properly cooked. The other
— the white Bream — is, however, very coarse. When small,
say about a pound, there is not much difference in the appear-
ance of the two ; in fact, it would be a difficult matter to tell
which was which. After the white Bream exceeds this weight,
it gradually loses its silvery appearance, and becomes of a smoky
black colour. This is the common Bream found in ponds, lakes,
and almost in every deep river in England. He is rather an
awkward customer to kill with fine tackle, but after he is on the
bank he is not much cared for. The Carp Bream, after it
exceeds a pound weight, becomes of a bright gold colour, which
it retains ever after, no matter how large it grows.

Bream spawn about the latter end of May ; never sooner, and
seldom later. Prom the 20th to the 26th of that month, they
will generally be found spawning. Although they are shy fish,
living in deep water all the year round, and often very difficult
to catch, they seem to lose all fear at this season. They with-
draw from the deep waters, and seek that part of the river or
pond which is the fullest of weeds, on the top of which they
deposit their spawn. I have seen them when spawning by

79

hundreds together, lying with their back fins out of the water,
and seemingly indifferent to any molestation ; and I have known
a keeper on the Trent to catch no less than eighteen hundred
weight of them at this season, at one draw of the net ; two of
the lot weighed sixteen pounds, and many of them were Carp
Bream. They lie in a sickly torpid state for a week after
spawning, and then, having regained a little strength, they make
for a gentle stream with a gravelly bottom, to clean and scour
themselves. They remain there about a fortnight, and then
return to the deep still waters, with a clayey, marly, or sandy
bottom. Some say they are partial to muddy or gravelly bot-
toms, but 1 have always caught them best on the first-mentioned
three. There is nothing that will shift them from the deeps
except a rise in the water, which will make them retire to gentle
streams, about three or four feet on a sandy bottom, in which
places I have often had very good sport with Bream.

The best Months for Bream fishing are July, August, and
September, and October, if the weather is fine. I have also
caught them well in March and April, but in these two months
the water must be coloured and high. At that time of the year
they will be found in gentle swims of from three to five feet
deep, on a sandy bottom. I have rarely caught them in spring
when the water was clear.

The best Baits for Bream are the cockspur and dew-worms.
Although I have caught a few fish now and then with white
paste, gentles, wasp-grub, scratching, and pith, there is, in my
opinion, no bait that can equal the worm all through the season.
As there is only one method to fish for Bream, and that is to
bottom fish for him, if you want to have good sport, you must
ground-bait the place you intend to fish the day before, and if
you think there is a good stock of fish in the place you have
selected, you can give them fifteen hundred dew-worms, allowing
twenty hours to elapse after you have done so before commen-
cing to angle for them, when you will be sure to find them in
good humour to bite. I remember going to bait a Bream place
for a party of gentlemen last September. The water was clear

80

and low, and one of the gentlemen, knowing it was all right,
said he would accompany me, and fish an hour before throwing
the stuff in. I of course said I should be glad of his company.
At this time there were about twenty other piscators present,
who were laying plans for expeditions against the finny tribe,
and the person who was to accompany me said, " G-entlemen,
we are going to bait a place in the morning, and I beg to invite
you all to a fish supper to-morrow night." Though we shall fish
but a short time, I think we can catch sufficient to satisfy you
all, so please to remember that supper will be on the table pre-
cisely at seven o'clock." "Bosh," "nonsense," "ridiculous,"
"it won't do," "if I come I shall bring my supper with me,"
*' I will bet a bottle of gin you don't kill ten pounds under the
hour," and many more such remarks were made. But the gen-
tleman said, " I shall not lay any bets about it, neither do I care
for your chaffing. I have said we shall catch sufficient to satisfy
all within an hour, and if the fish are not forthcoming at the time
I have stated, then is your time to chafi"." On the following
morning we went to bait the place, and a beautiful morning it
was. The water and everything was favourable, and I felt as
confident as the gentleman did that we should be successful.
Immediately we got to the water we tackled out, and having got
the proper depth, I threw in a few worms, then at it we went.
Every swim we had a bite, and in less than half a hour we killed
eleven of the handsomest Carp Bream I ever saw, each weighing
about three pounds. We now baited the place, and returned
home quite satisfied with our sport, and that sufficient had
been caught to furnish the promised supper. As soon as some
of the party got to know that we had returned, they sent
several of the largest frying-pans they could get, and many
pounds of dripping. Not knowing what number of fish we had
brought home, and thinking that we had got few or none, they
sent the frying-pans and dripping as a take-ofi*, but these were
very useful, and my friend ordered the fish to be cleaned and
cooked, and the supper on the table to a minute. As the time
approached, a pretty good number of the Angling fraternity

81

assembled, not for the purpose of eating fish (for they were all
led to believe that there had been no fish caught), but to give
my friend a severe chaffing ; and they did go at him and no
mistake for about twenty minutes, but he bore it with the
utmost magnanimity until the servant entered and announced
that supper was on the table. This announcement rather
astonished and nonplussed them, and they looked at each other
in bewilderment. " Well," said my friend, " you have had a
good deal of fun at my expense, it is now my turn, but I
propose in the first place that we shall go and partake of the
supper that is waiting for us, then as a finisher I shall give you
an excellent dessert.^' We all sat down, about twenty in number,
and every one seemed to eujoy himself, for the supper was
splendidly got up. After the supper was over and the cloth
drawn, the party began to discuss the merits of diff'erent kinds
of fish. One said he always thought Bream were the coarsest
of fresh water fish, and not worth the trouble of cooking. I
explained that there were two kinds of Bream, and that the
white or silver Bream was certainly little worth, but the fish we
had just eaten were Carp Bream, and that I believed them to be
very excellent fish. " O, yes," said one, " we have had ample
proof of that to-night ; for my part, I never eat anything in the
shape of fish that I liked half so well." My friend now rose
and was about to deliver a tremendous broadside, when several
gentlemen got up and stopped him, one of them saying, " No

Mr. , we are extremely obliged to you for the supper

you promised and which we have all enjoyed very much, and I
think I may say for every one in the room that we have had
quite sufficient without any dessert. We are willing to make
any sort of apology, or pay glasses round and round again, if
that will make things agreeable and pleasant, and atone for the
chaffing which we did wrong in giving you a short time ago."
" Well," said my friend, " I am satisfied ; but I must make one
remark : if any of you should come to understand the art of
Angling as I do, you will have the same confidence as I had,
and find no difficulty in providing a supper of fish when you

G

82

have promised it." The night passed away as it should do
when Anglers meet together — pleasantly.

The best method of fishing for Bream is with the float, and
as you can catch Bream both in deep and shallow water, you
will require different tackle for each. For a deep water of from
twelve to fourteen feet in a stream, the rod, reel, line, float,
tackle, and hook recommended for Barbel fishing will be more
suitable than any other. When you fish in a water from four
to eight feet deep, the rod and line recommended for Chub
fishing with a quill float, that will carry five or six b.b. shor,
and a No. 7 hook will be most answerable You can fish either
with a cockspur worm, or the tail end of a female lob with this
tackle.

THE AET or BOTTOM FISHINa FOR BEEAM.

I will first give directions how to fish for Bream in a river
in deep water with a gentle swim ; then in a gentle stream of
four or five feet, where they will be found when there is a rise
of water ; and lastly in deep stagnant pools or lakes.

For fishing a place twelve feet deep in a stream, yoa will require
the tackle I have recommended for Barbel fishing, but always
fish with the smallest float that the water will admit of your
using. If you can fish with a large turkey or swan quill, do
so ; if not put on as light a cork float as you can fish with, for
the lighter the better. We will suppose the time to be July or
August, the bait you are going to use to be dew worms, and
the place you are going to fish to be ground baited with the
number of worms I have already recommended. The water
should be clear and low and the wind blowing behind you.
You should get the proper depth and measure it on your rod
the day you baited ; this will save a good deal of trouble after-
wards, and prevent you from disturbing the fish just before you
commence to angle for them. Bream is a bottom fish you
must remember, and you must allow your bait to swim as close
to the bottom as you can without touching it. Now cut up

twenty dew worms into bits an inch long, and throw them in,
spreading them as little as possible, so as to keep the fish
together, and all in one channel. Allow for the stream and the
depth of the \vater, so that the worms may get to the bottom
eight or ten yards below where you are to stand to fish. As
soon as they get to the bottom every bit will be devoured. Now
put on your hook a well scoured lob, allowing half an inch of
the bait to writhe about, and send it in the same direction that
your ground bait has gone, and it is almost certain you get a
fish the first swim. "When you are going to throw, fetch your line
from the third or fourth ring as may be most suitable for the
distance, and cast in the same direction as you have thrown the
worms, holding your rod in your right hand, and giving line
with the left, in such a way as to keep the float goino rather
tight, so that your bait may swim first. When you perceive
a nudge, do not wait until your float goes under, but strike at
once, for it often happens that the largest fish bite the shyest.
This style of Bream fishing resembles Barbel fishing, and I have
often caught both fish in the same swim. If you should get
them on the bite with the first bit of stuff", then you will know
that you are fishing the place in the right style ; but if not,
having the wind and water all right, you must have done some-
thing or other wrong. You may suppose there are no fish in
the place, but that is not the case. I have known parties to
fish different places for hours, and even days, and catch but very
few fish, and yet after they had done angling and gone away
with the idea that there were no fish in the water, I have fished
the same places, and had splendid sport for two or three days
in succession. Now, instead of coming to a hasty conclusion,
commune with yourself. The water is very clear and the sun
bright. You may have been fishing too close in. Throw in a
few more worms lower down, and further out, and take along-er
swim. It is perhaps deeper further out ; alter your fioat three
or four inches and put on a fresh bait. Now they are biting
every swim. By doing everything you can think of to dis-
cover the reason of your non-success, you have at last found it

84

out. As I said before, if there is only one thing wrong all is not
right. Now that you have got the fish on the bite, be very
careful how you treat them. Do not dash worms in after every
fish you kill. Catch three or four and then give them about
twenty worms, for the fewer you throw in the longer and
better they will bite.

There are several Bream holes that I know that are from
twenty to thirty feet deep, and you would find it difficult to fish
these places unless you understood fishing with the sliding float.
With the slider you can fish any depth with the greatest ease.
Some of my readers may not know how it is made or worked.
I will explain. This float is made the same as the cork float
for Barbel fishing, long and thin — a little larger than one you
fish with in water eight or ten feet deep. Fix two rings, just
large enough to allow your line to pass freely through, one
almost at the top and the other at the bottom of the float,
taking great care that they are in a direct line with each
other. AVhen you intend fishing with this float pass your
line through both rings, then put on your corking weights,
and tie the tackle on. Now you observe the float rests on the
corking weights. Let us suppose the water is thirty feet deep;
allow the float to remain where it is and measure thirty feet
from the hook up the line, at which distance make a drawn noose
in the line, and put a small bit of india rubber or line in the
noose and draw it carefully up, so that you can shift it out
again if required. Now wind the line up and throw from the
reel ; as soon as the float drop s give it line slack so that
it will pass freely through the rings on the float till it gets
to the knot ; when you wind up the float will go back again to
the weights. I must not forget to mention that you must have
fast rings on the rod to allow the knot on the line to pass freely
through. You will find this float excellent fordeep water, both
for Barbel and Bream fishing.

When there is a rise of water and Bream leave the deep holes,
they will be found in gentle swims three or four feet deep.
You should mark out when the water is low and you can see

85

the bottom, such places as may be suitable and are free of
weeds. You will then know where to go to at once, and avoid
much trouble. If you fish for Bream in March or April, the
shallows are the only places you can catch them in, for there
are none in deep water. It is of no use ground baiting in
spring ; the worms are too cold, and a very few bits will satisfy
them. But in the summer months in this kind of water you
should give them five or six hundred dew worms cut into bits
an inch long, because large Roach and Perch resort to the same
places, and the tackle and bait recommended for fishing such
places for Bream are also suitable for them. Having got tackled
out, get the proper depth, allowing your bait just to miss the
bottom, then cut four or five dew worms into bits about the
size of horse beans. If the stream be slow throw them in about
a yard above you, and they will get to the bottom three or four
yards from where you stand to fish. Now put on two inches of
the tail end of a well-scoured female lob, and be careful how
you move on the bank, for the least shake will drive away every
fish in the place. Fetch your line from two or three rings up
and make a cast the same distance as you have thrown the ground
bait. As soon as you see the float rising, lay the line behind
it, so that your bait may swim first. If the fish begin to bite,
give them no more worms until they begin to fall off, then
throw a few more in. If you do exactly as I have told you
there is no doubt but your sport will be good. It was in this
style, and with this kind of bait, that in 1855 I caught eighty-
lour pounds of Bream, in four hours, on the river Lee, near
London.

In deep stagnant waters the first thing you should do is to
find out that part of the pond, lake, or whatever it may be, which
is freest of weeds, and has nothing foul on the bottom. Then
ascertain the depth and allow your bait to lie two or three inches
on the bottom. This is the only kind of water in which
I recommend the bait to lie on the bottom, and the reason I do
so is, that the worms you have thrown in have gone to the
bottom, and must remain there until the fish find them, and

86

by allowing your bait to lie two or three inclies ou, the fish pick
it up the same as they would the ground bait. Some of my
readers may say, " You are now fishing with the bait on the
bottom to imitate the ground bait ; why, then, not do the same
in a stream ? the worms you throw in roll on the bottom
until something stops them, and to imitate this the bait should
drag two or three inches on the bottom." My answer is, that
as the bottom part of your tackle swims first, the bait would run
against the nose of any fish that lay in the way, and compel him
totakeit, but by allowing it todrag, evenif he should happen to see
it passing, he must turn round and swim after it before he can
take it ; then if the fish are eager and keen to bite, the head of
the worm which goes first when the bait drags, is sure to be
snapped at, and when you strike you miss the fish and spoil the
bait ; again, when the hook is dragging it is liable to catch
anything foul lying on the bottom, and in my opinion the odds
are a hundred to one against a dragging bait. In the style I
have recommended the bait goes first, the tail writhing on the
point of the hook. Is it likely that a fish would shift out of his
place to allow it to pass ? I should think not. It is like poking
your fist into a man's face, and daring him to come on. You
see fishing in a stream and in still water are two difierent things.
Now, having got the right depth, cut three or four dew worms
small, and as many cockspurs into two pieces, and throw them
all in together in the place you intend fishing. Then take two
good sized cockspurs and put your hook in at the head of the
first one, and out half an inch from the tail ; draw it up the gut
and put the hook in the other a quarter of an inch below the
bead, and thread it to a quarter of an inch of the tail, then draw
the first one carefully down to it, and you will have a very
attractive bait for pond fishing. Now, whether on a bank
or in a boat, be very still, and make a cast to the place
where you have thrown the ground bait. The moment the bait
gets to the bottom the chances are that the float goes under.
Throw in three or four dew worms about every twenty minutes,
and I have little doubt you will return satisfied with your sport.

THE ROACH.

This is a handsome, game little fellow, but perhaps the coarsest
fish that swims in fresh water. Koach fishers are, however, very-
numerous, and increasing every year, in fact, I believe there
are more anglers of this fish than of any other, and he certainly
affords good sport, and it requires no small amount of skill to
take him ; but there is not one out of ten who angle for him
that fishes in the right style, and with the proper tackle. Many
think that anything will catch Eoach, but they generally find out
their mistake.

!Roach Bpawn at the latter end of May, and deposit their
spawn on the top of weeds in shallow water. I have frequently
seen them in hundreds, I might say thousands, together, with
their back fins above the water, spawning on the top of weeds.
I have often watched them in shoals repairing to the spawning
ground, and fighting against strong currents until they had
found a suitable place. Roach are very quick over their work,
three or four fine days taking them away from their spawning
places. They then seek a shallow stream with a gravelly
bottom to scour themselves, and at this time, if you have a mind,
you may whip at them with the fly and catch any quantity, for
they will rise eagerly. I have frequently caught three and four
with one cast. It matters little what sort of fly you fish with,
they seem to take one as readily as another. All fish more or
less become stupified at the spawning season, but on the first

88

return of consciousness they will run at and bite anything that
comes in their way, and this applies to Eoach as well as to most
other fish. Eoach are not partial to strong streams at any time
of the year, and after they have done scouring, you will find
them in gentle swims of from three to six feet deep, but the
largest fish will be found in deeper water. I once picked ten
Eoach from a basket that I caught in one of the summer months
(I think it was in the latter end of August,) that weighed
fifteen pounds — the largest fish weighed two pounds and three
ounces. These were all caught in about eight feet of water
with the female lob-worm. I think I never saw a dish of finer
Eoach in my life. Erom October till March they will be found
in still water with a sandy bottom, sometimes a gravelly, but
never a muddy bottom.

The baits for Eoach fishing are very numerous, and some
Eoach fishers are very whimsical about their baits, using different
kinds of colourings, sweeteners, and scents. But if you want a
scent you cannot have a better than I have recommended for
Barbel fishing. I will name most of the baits used for Eoach
fishing, and then I will tell you which, in my opinion, are the
best. Artificial and natural flies, gentles, straw-bait, cad-bait,
wasp-grub, creed malt, and wheat, grains, creed rice, and pearl
barley, white and red paste, red worms, and the tail end of the
female lob. All these baits will catch Eoach at certain periods
of the season, but not at all times. For instance, it would
not be advisable to fish with flies, grains, creed malt, and
wheat, in the coldest winter months.

I will here relate how I took the conceit out of a boasting
Eoach fisher, and convinced him that his style of fishing was
wrong and his fanciful baits useless. In the year 1 850, when
I resided at Derby, I made tremendous havoc amongst fish of
all descriptions, which made many Anglers very jealous of me,
one in particular. He said, " I will fish this man for what he
likes ; I don't care who he is or where he comes from ; he ma 7
be a good fisherman, but I think I can lick him at Eoach fishing.'*
An uncle of mine, who was present, hearing this challenge,

89

accepted it at once, each to fish with what baits he thought
proper, both to fish on the same mile of water, and to keep
twenty yards apart. The match to be for the greatest weight
of Eoach, no other fish to be weighed in. The 22nd or 23rd
of August was the day appointed, and we both started off to
the Trent, five miles from Derby. On arriving at the place I
proposed a glass of ale, but my opponent would not agree to
that, being very anxious to commence work, so I told him to go
on, and I should be with him in a short time. I staid and had
my glass of ale, so that he had about half an hour's start of me.
"VVhen I joined him I saw a spread on the bank that astonished
me : there, on a cloth, lay arranged, in perfect order, gentles in a
tin box, grains, creed malt, and wheat, white and red paste, and
a piece of white bread —baits which I considered sufiicient to
catch all the Eoach in the Trent if properly fished with. After
taking stock of this display, I enquired what sport he had had.
" I have not got them together yet," he answered, " I have only
caught one about two ounces ; they will come on to bite presently?
and then I shall have plenty to do to bait and take the fish off
the hook." I then left him and went to seek out a place for
myself. The water being a little coloured, and three or four
inches Tiigher than usual, I selected a gentle swim on a
gravelly bottom, about three feet deep. All the baits I had,
and all I cared for, were about two hundred dew worms. I was
quickly tackled out, with a nice light rod, fine silk line, small
quill float, No. 8 hook, baited with the tail end of a well-scoured
female lob. The style of fishing I will give you by and by.
Well, every swim I had either a fish or a bite of Eoach, Dace,
Perch, or Chub, but chiefly Eoach. I commenced at half-past
ten, and at one o'clock I found I had at least twelve pounds
of Eoach, besides other fish. I then lit my pipe, and made up
my mind to take it easy. While I was enjoying my smoke, up
came my antagonist, who asked me what sport I had had. I
answered, that if the fish continued to bite as they had been
doing, I should catch a good number before the time was up. I
asked him if he had caught any more. " Very few," he replied,

90

"perhaps eight or ten little things." " Why," said he, "you
are fishing with worms, and I never thought of bringing any
with me." They seem to prefer worms to-day to any other bait ;
we never know when to have them ; sometimes they fancy one
bait and sometimes another. You must let me have some of
your worms, and you can have some of my baits." Well, I
thought, here is a liberal offer : this looks something like being
licked, but its no use doing the thing by halves, I may as well
kill him with kindness, so I said you are welcome to some of my
worms, and as your float and tackle are not quite the thing for
worm fishing, I will lend you one. He accepted this offer, and
I arranged it for the proper depth, telling him he might fish
the same swim in which I was angling. He said that would be
against the regulations, as we had agreed to fish at least twenty
yards apart ; but I quieted his compunctions by telling him
that as I consented to it, no fault could be found. We then
fished in the same swim, and he caught the fish as quickly as
I did, to his great delight. I then left and went to fish a swim
thirty yards below, where in a few minutes I got them to bite
as fast as in the first place ; but they went off biting in the
place I had left ten minutes after I was gone, for the simple
reason that my opponent never thought of throwing in a few
worms. He quickly packed up his traps for the purpose, as I
thought, of going to fish another place. But I was mistaken,
for he went behind a hedge, lapped up his tackle, and bolted
home as fast as his legs could carry him. When I found this
to be the case I packed up and went after him, but could not
overtake him. At this time it would be about half-past two
o'clock. When I got home I went to my uncle and showed
him what I had caught, and told him what had occurred. He
weighed the fish and found there were seventeen pounds of
Eioach, and six or eight pounds of other fish. He then went to
my opponent's house and asked him why he ran away. " Oh," he
said, " I give in that I have been fairly beaten, but it was unfair
on your friend's part to go away and take all the fish with him ; I
scarcely got a bite after he was gone."

91

I do not recommend the worm as being the best bait for
summer fishing. On the contrary, I know several rivers in
which fishing with the worm for Roach wouldbe a perfect failure ;
you would probably not catch a fish in a week. Por instance, I
fished the Thames and the Lee for five weeks with the worm,
and during all that time, although T caught almost every other
kind of river fish, I did not get a single Eoach. I put on suit-
able tackle, and fished likely places, but it was no use, every
other fish took the bait freely, but no Eoach touched it. I could
not account for this, because I knew there were plenty of Roach
in both rivers : until one day, when fishing from the bank at
Hampton Court, I saw on the opposite side a nice swim. By
wading over a small backwater I could get to it, so I doffed my
shoes and stockings, and when I got into the water I was
astonished to find it as cold as ice. I have stood in the water
for hours together, but I could not have stood that for five
minutes. I then thought it was no wonder Roach would not
take the worm. The cause was at once discovered. I found out
that the Thames water was of about the same temperature as
the Derwent and Dove, being twice as cold as the Trent, and the
Soar and the Idle, in which Roach take the worm well nearly all
through the summer. It is no use fishing the Dove and the
Derwent with the worm for Roach, except in winter. I have
not fished the Thames in winter, but I have no doubt Roach
in that river would then take worms as well as in the former
two. I have studied to find out the reason -why fish would not
bite in one river as well as another, and I feel sure the cause
is, that the water of one river is much harder and colder than
another. In my opinion, you cannot fish with a better
bait for Roach for the first two or three weeks after spawning
than gentles, and indeed all through the summer you can take
Roach with this bait more or less. Erom the latter end of July
to the end of September, creed malt and wheat are very good
baits, with grains to throw in. "White and red paste are also
good, with chewed bread for ground bait. From October till
April the red worm or cockspur, and white paste are the best baits.

92

The Eod for Eoacli fishing should be eleveu feet long, and
as light as possible. A two inch reel will be large enough.
The line may be any length you please, but I would recommend
it to be no less than one hundred yards, as larger and more
difficult fish to deal with might sometimes take your bait. It
should be made of all silk, one hundred yards to weigh about
two drams and a half. The smaller your quill float the better ;
one that will carry two or three small shot (the bottom one a
foot from the hook,) if you can work it will be very suitable.
Some Eoach fishers are partial to the single hair, but as you
can get gut as fine as hair I don't see the advantage of it.
Tou can see a hair in the water better than you can gut, and
why it should be fished with I don't know, unless it be to give
the best fish a chance of getting away. At one time the single
hair was a great favourite with me, and I once killed a Barbel
four pounds weight with one, but it took me twenty minutes
to land him, and I felt him to be very unsafe until I got him on
the bank. I have lost many good fish by using the single hair,
more than I ever shall again, for experience has taught me that
fine gut is decidedly the best for any sort of water. The hooka
for Eoach fishing should be No. 10 for gentles and white or
red paste, No. 12 for malt or wheat, and No. 8 for worms.
There are various opinions held as to the size of hooks, but I
think these are better than any other. Tou may ground bait
the place you intend to fish the day before. If you are going
to fish with gentles, bait the place with two quarts of small
gentles ; if with creed malt or wheat, bait with three quarts of
fresh grains ; if with white or red paste, bait with half a pound
of soft white bread, and half a pound of boiled rice, kneaded
well together ; and if with worms, bait the place with five or
six hundred red worms of all sorts cut in two. The only
period of the year to ground bait is from July till the end of
October. After this ground baiting is useless.

THE AET OF ANGLING FOE EOACH.
Under this head I will describe how to fish with gentles, with

creed malt or wheat, with worms, and with white or red paste.
I shall suppose that the water is clear, the wind blowing behind
you, and that you have selected a gentle swim from three to four
feet deep. Get the proper depth and fish so that your bait may
swim two or three inches from the bottom, never on it, for you
must bear in mind that Roach can see better above than below
them. Now sit down and *be very still on the bank. Throw
in about twenty small gentles (pick the large ones out) two or
three yards above where you sit. In a small box you have got
some gentles of a better kind, that you have kept purposely for
the hook. Take two, if they are not large, and put one on to
cover the shank, and the other the bend of the hook. Sit well
back and keep as much out of bight as you can. Now make a
cast the same distance out as you have thrown in the ground
bait, so that your float may swim to a nicety in the same direc-
tion as the ground bait has gone. Let your line swim behind
the float, and as much out of the water as possible, letting the
float go steadily down the stream as if there was no line attached
to it. As your line is very fine, it will glide free and easy
through the rings. You may occasionally take a swim of six or
eight yards. If the fish should not come on to bite in ten
minutes after throwing in the first few gentles, give them as
many more, and if this does not take effect, put about twenty
inside a small lump of clay ; these will go to the bottom at once,
but this style of ground baiting, although very good for boat or
punt fishing, makes too much noise when the lump has to
be thrown in from the bank, and if you can get the fish to bite
by throwing a few gentles in alone all the better. But some-
times this is useless, as a shoal of Bleak may be swimming a
foot from the surface, that eat up all gentles when thrown in
long before they get to the bottom. If the fish should bite
after the first lot of gentles, throw in a few now and then, say
about a dozen every five minutes. If you have good luck, you
will bring out all you throw in with the fish you catch. If there
is a good stock of Eoach in the place you are fishing, you can
keep them on the bite as long as you like — at least, I could.-

91

The style of fishing with creed malt or wheat differs little from
the above, but I have seen so much bungling on the part of
Eoach fishers with malt that I shall endeavour to correct them.
I have seen them fish sharp streams, and boiling eddies ten or
twelve feet deep, with their bait but a yard below the surface,
and throw in grains for ground bait, and not a few either, but
five or six handfuls the first start. ' Of course, after throwing in
such a large quantity of ground bait, it is impossible to get a
nibble, for the fish have all gorged themselves. I have known
this piece of folly to be committed both on the Trent and Thames
a hundred times. The Londoners mix up a fearful mess for
ground baiting with while fishing. I have seen one of these
messes mixed up by a gentleman in a punt at Chertsey bridge,
on the Thames. After he had tried my style of angling, and
found he could not manage the running line and a reel, which
ran too quick for him, he gave it up. I pressed him to try again,
and he did, and caught two or three fish, but he would not
continue the style ; so I went with him, not to instruct him, but
to look on and learn something that I had not known before,
for he said, " Now, master fisherman, we will show you our style
of angling, and how to catch Koach and Dace by wholesale ;
bring that tub here." I did so, and found it was full of clay or
rather slug. He now took ofi" his coat and turned up his
sleeves, made a hole in the middle of the clay, and put in
about a quart of bran, two pounds of soaked bread, one quart
of gentles, two or three handfuls of greaves in lumps, and two
or three hundred of chopped dew worms. He then kneaded
the whole together as a baker would knead his dough, and
having completed this process, he formed part of it into two or
three large balls, and dropped them carefully over the punt side.
Of course they went to the bottom at once, but as soon as these
dumplings dissolved the water became a living mass with the
different sorts of stuff" that the ground bait was composed of,
and I could see that a deal of it would go down the stream for
a hundred yards, and that there had been sufficient thrown in
to satisfy all the fish within a quarter of a mile of the place. I

95

could not help laughing at this performance, and I thought
if that was the London style of ground baiting it was certainly
a very absurd and ridiculous one. When the gentleman saw
that I was laughing, he said, " You may laugh, but we will show
you a bit of Eoach fishing that you don't often witness." " Well,"
I said, " I hope you may, but I very much doubt it." " Why,"
asked he. " Because," I replied, " in ten minutes there will not
be a fish in the place that would thank you for the best bait
you could put on the hook, for the simple reason that you have
thrown in such a medley of stuff, and such a quantity, that
the fish will be perfectly gorged." " Nonsense," he said, " there
is plenty of fish here, and I shall give them as much more in
about ten minutes." " Well," I said, " we shall see what effect
this first lot takes." So at it they went, a gentleman and a
lady.

First rotmd. — After a good deal of dodging, her ladyship let
fly a beautiful right hander, which nailed one on the conk,
drawing the first blood. .

Second round. — A little cautious sparring for about a minute,
when the gentleman made a slashing upper cut with the right
hand, which told with elfect on the nasal organ. He claimed
the first knock-down, but, unfortunately, the force of his blow
broke his tackle.

Third round. — Eather slow at getting to work. The gent
came up rather flushed and excited from the effects of hitting
in the last round, and after a few harmless taps on both sides they
pulled up.

Fourth round. — In this round some good hitting took place ;
one napped it on the beak the other under the chin, a break-
away and at it again, when the gent succeeded in planting one,
two, on the mouth, and was about to administer another spank,
when her ladyship sent out a straight one, and nailed him on
the snuif box. This brought it to a close.

Fifth round. — The hitting in this round was all in favour of
her ladyship, for she succeeded in probing him three times in
succession on the breather, and got clear away without a return,

96

Sixth round. — It was now very plain that the gent had not
"inuch chance, for the odds were against him catching much fish.
Her ladyship caught him once more on the potatoe trap, and
another on the snout, and got clear away.

Seventh round. — On time being called, it was evident the
biting was all over, and he had not a shadow of a chance of
winning ; having got his tackle ravelled, he gave up licked. I
then threw up the gentle bag in token of defeat, and Mrs. Eish
was hailed the winner. Thus ended one of the worst exhibitions
of fishing I ever saw. Only fourteen sprats were caught, which
did not weigh in all above two pounds. The gent said it was
not a Eoach fishing day, that the sun was too bright — a common
excuse with anglers when they get Hcked by their own bad
judgment.

There are some writers on angling who recommend this ground
bait, with several other additions to it, for all sorts of fish that
require ground baiting ; but I am of opinion that it is a piece
of advice given without knowledge. I will state a few facts,
and leave them to the judgment of my readers. In the first
place, if you have baited a place with gentles for Eoach, what
bait do you fancy will catch him best after such a baiting ?
"What do you think of the worm ? do you think it would catch
him better than any other bait ? No, certainly not. He would
not takd it ; gentles would be the best. Yery well, suppose
you bait a place with worms, should you fish it with gentles ?
By no means. Now, say you bait a place with greaves, and
anotlier person comes three or four hours after you, and gives
the fish two or three quarts of gentles, and another follows and
throws in a lot of worms, what bait would you fish with next
day ? You cannot tell, nor can you invent one which the fish
will take, Then suppose you bait a place with bran, soaked
bread, and gentles, you would not think of fishing with worms ;
it would be absurd to do so. Well, take the London style of
ground bait altogether, and add what more you like, what bait
would you put on your hook ? G-entles, you say, why not fish with
the worm ? Because they would not take it so well you reply.

97

Then, I ask, what is the use of throwing in worms, or any other
sort of bait, if they prefer gentles to all the rest. I cannot tell
what purpose this mixed medley serves. The very person who
recommends it, tells the angler to see that no one cross bait the
place after him, while the mess of itself is a cross baiting. I
am certain, if any angler ever did catch fish after a baiting of
of this sort, that he would kill ten times as many if he baited
and fished with one kind of bait. I have not made these remarks
with an ill feeling towards any one, and I should be sorry if it
would be taken in that light. The sole purpose I have in view
Id writing this book, is to give the result of my own long
experience on fishing, so as to benefit the angling fraternity.

In fishing with creed malt and wheat, the same tackle may be
used as that recommended for gentles, but the hook should be
'No. 12, instead of No. 10. Ifc is a grand point, not only in
Eoach fishing, but also in every description of angling, to tell
the likeliest places in which to find the fish at different times of
the year. For these baits the water must be clear, and a gentle
swdm from three to five feet deep. Let your hook be short in
the shank, and lapped on with silk, so that you may bury it in
the bait. Get the right depth, allowing your bait to swim two
or three inches from the bottom. Sit down and be very stilL
Take a few grains in your hand and pick the whole ones out,
throwing the remainder in two or three yards above where you
sit. Now put on a bait and make a cast. Keep your line
behind the float, so that the bait may swim first, and allow the
float to swim as steady as possible, for if it goes tottering along
the bait will go through the same movements, making it more
difficult to catch this shy fish when the water is clear. If they
come on to bite, give them a few more grains every ten minutes.
"When you hook a good fish, keep it under the water, and get
it out of the place where they are biting as quickly as possible,
landing the fish above where you sit without getting up,
for your success depends much on your being quiet and still on
the bank.

The same rod and line will suit fishing with red and white

H

paste, but the float should be smaller, and the hook T^o. 10.
It does not matter much about the colour of the water, so long
as it is not too thick. For my own part, I prefer it being a
little coloured. If it is so, a water of three feet deep will be
quite sufficient. I should recommend you to take both baits
with you for summer fishing, for the fish will sometimes take
one and then the other, and the change will often work a difierence.
Select a water nearly still, for if there is a move either one way
or the other it will be sufficient. Get the depth, allowing the
bait to swim two inches from the bottom. Sit down of course
to Boach fish, unless you are fishing a great distance from you.
Chew a small piece of white bread and blow it in, if you can, to
the place you intend fishing, and repeat this every five minutes.
You will find this to answer the purpose better than throwing
in two or three lumps the size of a potatoe. If the fish don't
come on to bite in twenty minutes, I should advise you to seek
another place ; but before you leave, see that you have been
fishing the place properly. One little manoeuvre will make a
difierence. Alter your float a little higher or a little lower, fish
closer in or further out ; throw in a little more ground bait in
another place. Give the place a fair trial, then if you find the
fish do not bite seek another. White paste is an excellent bait
for Eoach all through the winter till April.

The worm is more suited for winter fishing for Eoach than
for summer fishing, although I know several places on the Trent
where Koach take the worm well in August and September,
but I consider October and IN'ovember as good or even better
than any other two months in the year for Eoach fishing with
the worm. I have, however, caught Eoach in eTery month of
the winter when the water was as clear as gm, and freezing
sharp, and also when there has been a rise of water and coloured.
In winter if you fish when the water has risen, it must be when
it is caused by rain, and not by " snow-broth" as it is called. It
matters not how fine the water is, so long as snow remains in
it fishing is useless. If the water be risen, and a little coloured,
seek a gentle swim, with a sandy or gravelly bottom, and from

99

two to four feet of water. If the water should be fine and low,
from three to six feet deep will be a suitable depth. The sarae
rod and line will do for this bait as the last mentioned. The
float should be as small as possible, and the hook a No. 8. You
should fish with a cockspur worm, but any kind of red worm
will suit for ground bait. There is a worm that we call the
leen-worm ; it is of a blood red colour, and about three inches
in length, not very tough, but it is the best ground bait that
can be used for Roach. Get the depth so as to allow your bait
just to miss the bottom. Cut three or four red worms into bits
the size of peas. You cannot cut them too small for Eoach.
If you are going to fish a gentle stream, allow two or three
yards for the worms to swim before they get to the bottom.
Now make a cast and see that your bait follows the ground bait
to a nicety. I have often found the fish bite better in the
middle of winter without throwing anything in. At least I
always try to catch them without ground baiting, and if they do
not bite, I give them only a few worms, as I know a little will
satisfy them when the water is cold.

THE DACE.

After the many days' good sport I have had with this little
fish, and the thousands I have caught, I cannot do less than
say a few words about him. I believe him to be the keenest
and boldest biter of the finny tribe. It indeed is surprising
to see how he will smash a nice red worm without even touching
the hook. I have seen Dace bite every swim when the water
was clear and low, and the sun bright, and nibble the last bit
of worm off the hook, and yet escape being caught ; but when
the day is cloudy and the water coloured, his bite is sure, and
if you are smart you may catch nearly every one that nibble.
He will rise at a fly boldly, and I have often caught three and
four at a cast, but sometimes you will not be able to catch one ;
his eye is good, and he can detect the deception you are using
in a moment. If any one is desirous to become a good bottom
fisher, let him practice fishing for Dace ; he can learn the art of
angling sooner and better by fishing for Dace with the worm
than for any other. The first four years of my angling experience
was devoted almost entirely to Dace fishing, and I can assure
you, had I not done so, I should not have known how to kill the
finny tribe half so well as I do at present. I have caught every
description of fresh water fish in one day's Dace fishing with the
cockspur. I once caught a Euffe, and in the very next cast a
Chub six pounds weight with the same bait, and it is the
uncertainty of telling what fish may bite next, that makes Dace
fishing so amusing and exciting-

101

Dace spawn in the latter end of March, in a gentle stream
with a sandy bottom. This is the only fish that I know that
will bite while spawning. I have seen them in thousands together
on sand beds at this season rise at the fly, and bite at the worm
as fast as you could throw in. Some will be caught just after
p^trting with their spawn, but I have seen the spawn run away
in a stream the moment they were touched. But it is not
sportsmanlike tor anglers always to catch fish when they can.
Give them sufficient time to recover from spawning, say one
month, and then it will take all the skill you possess to catch them.

As soon as Dace have done spawning, they make their way to
a sharp stream with a gravelly bottom to scour and clean them-
selves. This occupies the best part of April. IFrom the
beginning of May till the end of September, they will be found
in deeper water, but always a good stream. They do not like
still waters during the summer months. In October, when the
frosty nights set in, they retire to a gentle swim, from two to
four feet deep, with a sandy or fine gravelly bottom, where they
will continue all winter. Dace will. bite when it freezes in very
slow and languid streams.

The best months for Dace fishing are those from July till
November inclusive, but the fish will bite at certain baits more
or less every month in the year, but in my opinion the best
months are those which I have referred to, because after Novem-
ber Dace fishing is far from being certain, especially if a little
snow should get into the water. If so, cold worms do not very
well agree with them ; in fact, a very little food of any sort will
satisfy them in the winter months. Dace are caught with many
kinds of baits, and anglers differ much in their opinions as to
which are best. The principal baits used are the cad-bait,
straw-bait, wasp-grub, gentles, grains, creed malt and wheat,
flies, and worms ; but, in my opinion, if you were to fish with
five hundred different sorts of baits you would find none equal
to flies and worms. There is no doubt but Dace will take all
the above-mentioned baits, but even when they will take any
of the first seven, the last two will catch them better than aU

102

the others ; so, at least, I have always found. An occurrence,
which I shall here relate, will give you a hint or two about worm
fishing for Dace. I remember going to "Willington, a noted
locality on the Trent for angling, some seven miles from the
town of Derby, to fish a [[capital place for Barbel. Before I
stcirted I looked at the weathercock (as all anglers should do)
to see if the wind was right, and finding it was, off I went.
When I got to within two hundred yards of the place, I met
a fisherman returning home. He said, " It is no go, the fish
won't bite this morning. I have been fishing since five o'clock,
and now I suppose it is ten, but I have not had a single bite ;
the water is too clear. If I were you I should go home, for I
am sure it is no use fishing." I said, " It will never do for me to
go back after walking seven miles, without having a try ; I
must be convinced as you have been." " Well," he said, " I will
go down with you, but I doubt you will do no good." So we
went away together. I was quickly tackled out, and I think I
never felt more confident in my life, for I saw that everything
was in my favour. I got the depth, threw in a few worms, and
in the second swim killed a Barbel three pounds weight, and five
more very quickly, all of which the fisherman landed, expressing
great astonishment. " Barbel bite well," he said, " that is certain,
but I have been fishing for Dace, and it is a great certainty they
won't bite.'' " Well," I said, " if you will wait a short time
longer, I will go with you and try the place you have been fishing."
" Very well," he answered, " I shall bet you two glasses of ale
you don't catch two dace] out^of the place in half an hour." I
agreed to this, and after I had caught twelve Barbel, I found
I had got as much as I could carry, so I tied up the];basket
handles and went with him to the place that had licked him.
As soon as I got to the spot, I asked him what baits he had
been fishing with. He answered that he had first tried gentles,
and then the worm, but never had a bite. I took off the Barbel
tackle and put on suitable tackle^ and [float] for^Dace fishing.
I then asked him to give me what worms he had left, which he
did, and offered to double the bet, to which I agreed. He took

103

out his watch to time me, and in the first fifteen minutes I
caught eight fine Dace ; by the time the half hour was up, I had
caught twenty. I had no occasion to speak a word, for I never
saw a man so stunned ; the colour went from his face, and he
stood aghast. At last he said, " You may fancy how disgusted
I feel with myself at my conceit in thinking I was a fisherman,
and that because I could not catch them no one else could.
Now you have taken the worms from the same bag and caught
this lot of Dace. I will sell off my fishing tackle this very day,
and renounce the craft for ever." I told him not to be too
hasty, and that it only required a little practice to make him a
good angler ; but he would hear no reason, so I put the Dace in
his basket, lapped up my tackle, and went to get the glasses.
In all my fishing excursions, I never saw a man so much amazed
as he was. I have seen him several times since, but he says
he will never make another attempt at fishing so long as he lives.

You may ground bait for Dace the day before you fish, with
five or six hundred dew worms, but you must remember when
you are baiting for Dace, you are doing the same for all other
kinds of fish, for there is not a single fish that swims in fresh
water but will more or less take the bait.

The Eod for Dace fishing should be twelve feet long, and
very light, the lighter the better, if the action be in the right
place, and it strikes sharp from the top. A three-inch common
reel, varnished to keep the rain from swelling the wood, is most
suitable. One hundred yards of line for this style of fishing
should weigh three drams, not a fraction more, else it will be
too thick. Your tackle should be fine gut, one yard long, and
your hook No. 8. Let the bottom shot be one foot from the
hook. You will require a quill float, but the size must be
regulated according to the stream and the depth of water in
which you are going to fish, but it should be always as small
as possible.

THE AET OF BOTTOM FISHING FOR DACE.

When the water is clear and low in summer, select a swim from

104

four to eight feet deep, with the stream no stronger than will
prevent your fishing with a turkey or swan quill float, that will
carry not more than six or seven b.b. shot. Never use a cork
float for Dace fishing. If you fish with the line I have recom-
mended, you will find a four shot float sufficiently large to fish
Dace swims in general. For summer fishing I would advise
you to fish with the tail end of a well-scoured female lob. This
worm wears better and stands more tugging than the cockspur,
and Dace will take it as well, or perhaps better, in the summer
months, though not from October to March. See that your
baits are well scoured in moss, but the worms you intend throwing
in or using as ground bait are better unscoured, as it is desirable
to have the worms for the hook in better condition than the
ground bait. I shall suppose you are going to fish a water six
feet deep, but don't make the attempt unless the wind is at your
back. If it does not do so on one side of the river go to the
other. This is always a great point, and, indeed, it is impossible
for any one to fish for Dace with the wind blowing in his face,
or down the river. Now get the depth, letting the bait swim
as close to the bottom as possible without touching it, and fish
that part of the swim that has the levellest bottom. Although
your float should go under in one place you may not be too deep,
for it may be a bunch of weeds or a large stone in the swim
that catches your hook. Lift your float and let it swim again,
and then you will see whether it is the bottom, or anything foul
lying upon it, that brought your float down. If it should be
merely a stone, or a lump of something or other, and you put
shallower to miss it, you may be fishing with your bait perhaps
a foot from the bottom. This is a common reason why anglers
return home with empty baskets, and you must therefore
remember to examine the bottom well before you commence
fishing, and avoid the foul places by going a little above or below,
for unless you have a level bottom your chance is but a poor
one. I remember fishing a Dace swim with a gentleman on a
foul bottom. I could not imagine what lay on the bottom,
but it was certain there was something standing at least a foot

105

high, and about half way down the stream. "We would have
stood five or six yards higher up or lower down, but we
could not, as we were fishing in a hole several feet deep,
with only about three feet of water above and below it. "We
were therefore compelled to keep our ground. I got the right
depth of the hole, and every time the float got to the spot I
put a little pressure on, and allowed the under current to lift
the tackle and bait over the foul place, and then let it swim
again. Strange as it may seem, nearly every fish bit as soon
as the bait fell on the other side of the lump. I killed about
twenty Dace and two Barbel before my friend caught a single
fish. He could not understand what the matter was, as he was
fishing the same swim with the same sort of tackle and bait as
I was. I suspected what was wrong, and asked him to measure
depths. We did so, and he was twelve or fourteen inches
shallower than I was. I explained to him that he had mistaken
the foul place for the bottom, and that his bait was not near
the fish. He was not the only one who has been licked by an
uneven bottom ; it is a common occurrence, and unless you can
make sure that you are fishing the proper depth, you will never
be a successful angler.

"We will suppose the bottom is level, and that you have got
the depth. "Well, then, cut five or six dew worms into small
particles, and throw in above where you stand to fish, but how
many yards above you I can't tell. You must regulate that
according to the stream and depth of water ; but if it be six feet
of water you are going to fish, and be what w^e call a steady swim,
two or three yards above you will be sufficient. If the water
runs about the same depth eight or ten yards below where you
stand to fish, and the ground bait swims that distance, it does
not matter, as you can with care let your float swim after it
with that fine line. In fact, the further away you fish the better,
as the water is clear. Put about an inch of the tail end of a
well-scoured female lob on the hook, and make a cast the same
distance in as you have thrown the ground bait, so that your
bait may follow exactly in the same direction. Let the line

106

swim behind the float, so that the bait goes on first. Be careful
always to keep your running line free, for although you are Dace
fishing, a Barbel or any other large fish might come, and if your
line is not clear, you may guess the consequences. If the fish
come on to bite at once, fish until they get rather backward,
and then give them a little more minced worm, but take care
to throw it in exactly where you threw the first lot. Be careful
how you strike with this tackle. Hit short and quick, and if a
good fish should pay you a visit, and break your line or tackle,
never talk about it, for you would for your pains be called a
"duffer only;" but be more cautious for the future.

When there is a rise of water, and it is coloured, your only
chance is to fish in shallows. If it is coloured so much that
you cannot see more than, say, six inches down, then select a
slow swim of from two to three feet deep, on a gravelly bottom.
In this state of the water the fish are close to the side, and will
bite there if you stand well back, and keep quiet, for you must
know that the least shake on the bank sends all the fish off" in a
moment. Ton cannot be too still when fishing a place of this
sort. Fish in the same style as recommended for clear water,
but a three shot float will be large enough, and you will catch
them better with half the quantity of ground bait. Two, or not
more than three, dew worms cut very small will be quite suffi-
cient at a time. If you wish to fish places of this sort, you
should look out when the water is low for level spots, free of
rubbish. Mark them, and you will then know where to go
when the water has risen.

THE GUDGEON.

This is a well-made little fish, and is considered by most
people to be excellent eating when nicely cooked. Although
he is diminutive, there are many very partial to angling for him.
The Londoners enjoy Gudgeon fishing very much ; the ladies
in particular are very clever in capturing him, and seem to take
as much delight in angling for him as the gents.

Gudgeon deposit their spawn in the middle of May, seeking
for that purpose a shallow stream with from eight to ten inches
of water. I have seen them in thousands together at this time
of the year. They seem to prefer a fine gravelly bottom for
spawning to any other. I never saw them, while performing
this operation, on a sandy, or a rough gravelly bottom ; they
select a medium between the two. They are not long in com-
pleting the process — something like five or six days will take
them clean away, and then they will begin to bite in a fortnight
after. Some writers are of opinion that Gudgeon spawn two
or three times a year, but this is a mistake ; I feel perfectly
satisfied it is. No fresh water fish do or can breed twice a year,
and once is quite sufficient to keep all the rivers and ponds well
stocked, providing we could put a stop to the netting. This is
the angler's greatest enemy, and there ought to be a law made
to put it down altogether. The poachers who use this means
of capturing fish, not only catch the fish in an unfair and
cowardly manner, but drag weeds and spawn out, and leave them

108

on the bank. I cry shame on all the netting fraternity. At
all seasons it is a mean and unsportsmanlike method of catching
fish, but at the spawning season it is doubly despicable.

There are writers on angling also who fancy that Gudgeon
migrate at spawning time, but this I believe to be mere fancy,
for they do nothing of the kind. I have watched the fish for
hours together, and I could see nothing like migratory habits.
The bottom they live on in spring is always close to their
spawning beds, so that they do not migrate above twenty yards,
if that can be called migration. In ponds, lakes, and canals,
they might show symptoms of these habits. They can live and
thrive without a stream eleven months in the year, but if there
is a stream to be found, be it ever so small, they will seek and
find it in the spawning season. It is a continual change of
water they want, and this is all they seem to migrate for. I have
seen them caught with the net, half a peck at a cast, and put
into a bucket of water for baits, and die almost immediately for
want of a continual supply of fresh water. All they migrate
for is a change of water.

The best months for Grudgeon fishing are July, August, and
September, though they will bite more or less all the year round,
but not so well as during the above months. But there are
very few who would care about Grudgeon in the winter months,
even if they were to bite every swim ; the excitement they afford
is not sufficient to keep one warm. If you should catch any in
the winter months, you will find them much more eatable than
they are in summer.

The best baits for Grudgeon are gentles and worms — the
cockspur, or red worm, is the best. There are several other
baits that will catch them, but none so well as these. Gentles
for the early parts of summer, and worms for the latter end, and
all through the winter. In my opinion the cockspur is the best
bait you can fish with all the year round, for when Gudgeon will
take grubs of any sort, I have found they will take the worm
fully as well or better than any other bait ; but I would recom-
mend you for summer fishing always to take gentles and worms

109

with you, for if they should not fancy the one, perhaps the
other might tempt them.

A rod ten feet long will be sufficient for Gudgeon fishing,
as light as possible, with plenty of spring in it. 1 don't mean
weak in the middle, but a rod each part of which will bear an
equal share of the labour, and that will strike sharp from the
top. A rod light at the top and stiff in the middle is of no use
whatever, when you are fishing with a light tackle. I would
recommend a two and a half inch wood reel that runs freely,
for sometimes a Barbel will take a fancy to your nice red worm,
and unless you have a free running reel, you know what would
happen. The line recommended for Eoach fishing will be just
the thing to fish for Gudgeon with, but always keep sufficient on
the reel in case a large fish should bite. I remember fishing
a place for Gudgeon with the worm, and was agreeably surprised
to find a shoal of large Perch in the swim. Two out of the
first three got away in consequence of the hook being so small, but
I quickly put on a larger one, and soon captured them all ; then
the Gudgeon came on to bite, and in a short time I caught as
many as I wanted. Never use a cork float for this style of
fishing, always a quill one ; the smaller the better, if you can
work with it. Your tackle should be fine gut, your hook for
gentles No 12, and for worms No. 10. Let your bottom shot
be about nine inches from the hook, but if the stream is rapid
six or seven inches wiU be enough.

Another person and I once laid a wager as to which of us
would catch the greatest number of Gudgeon in two hours,
I will here mention the plan I adopted to win the match. I
took a piece of brass wire a foot long, and about the thickness
of a common pin, and twisted a small noose in the middle, and
another at each end of the wire. I then tied a single gut with
a shot in the middle to each end. I put a No. 10 hook on each,
and baited them with small cockspurs. The wire was intended
to keep the tackle apart. I had a rod about eight feet long,
and a piece of line the same length. I put on a small quill
float, and then tied the line to the noose in the middle of the

110

wire, which made my tackle complete. I then put on a pair of
water boots and walked into a gentle stream to the thigh, stirring
up the mud with my feet, and continuing to do so that the
water might not get clear. In about a minute after I commenced
a shoal of G-udgeon rushed up to the muddy water, close to my
feet. I caught them like fury, often two at a time, and rarely a
swim without one. In the two hours I caught ninety-six, and
my opponent forty-three. If you should be hard up for Pike
baits at any time, adopt this plan for catching Q-udgeon, and
you can take them in any quantity all through the summer,
when the water is clear.

G-udgeon swims are most likely to be found on the shallow
side of the river, or at the top or bottom of a deep water.
Tou will find Gudgeon in a brisk stream with a gravelly bottom
from two to four feet deep. Q-enerally speaking, if the water
be clear, three feet will be deep enough. "When you have
found a suitable stream, get the right depth with or without
the plummet, allowing the bait to swim as close to the bottom
as possible without touching. This done, take about twenty
small gentles, and if you can throw them in high enough to
sink in the swim do so, but if the stream is rapid put them in
a piece of soft clay and drop it in at the top of the swim. Fish
with a better quality than those you ground bait with. Let
your hook be lapped on with white silk, and if your gentles be
a good size, one will be sufficient to put on the hook, if not put
on two, one to cover the shank, and the other the bend of the
hook. K you at e going to fish from the bank, make a cast the
same distance as you have thrown the ground bait ; if from a
boat or punt, drop in your tackle so that it may take the exact
course that the ground bait did. Keep your line behind the
float and let it swim as steady as if there was no line attached
to it. If the fish begin to go off the bite, throw in a few more
gentles, but do not do so if they continue to bite well.

But worm fishing for G-udgeon, in my opinion, is by far the
best. Every fresh water fish will take the worm, and you are
obliged to keep your running line clear in case a Barbel or

Ill

Trout, or a thumping Perch, should take a fancy to that bright
red worm you are fishing with, and excellent sport it is, after
killing a lot of small fry, to hook a fish that will give you a
run of thirty or forty yards. The same rod and line recommended
for gentle fishing will do for fishing with the worm, but the hook
should be No. 10. Get two or three hundred red worms of all
sorts for ground bait, and one hundred well-scoured cockspurs
for the hook. Arrange your depth so that your bait will just
miss the bottom, then mince five or six red worms into very
small bits, and if the water is three or four feet deep, and the
stream not very rapid, throw them in three yards above you, and
you will find that the fish will bite about two yards below where
you stand. Now take a well-scoured cockspur and put the hook
in at the head and carefully thread it to an eighth of an inch
of the end of the tail. You must not run the hook quite to the
tail-end as that would kill the bait and take away its attraction.
Allow a little bit to writhe at the point of the hook, and if you
have a sharp rod and a quick eye you will catch nearly every
one that bites. Let your float swim in the right style, and give
the fish the same treatment as for ground baiting that I have
recommended for fishing with gentles, and you cannot fail to
have good sport.

THE END.

T. FORMAN, PRINTKR, " GUARDIAN" OFFICE, NOTTINGHAM.

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