270 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



pea and a cherry be first placed on the hook, it might have been better 

 still ; the carp could then have taken vegetables with his dinner and 

 dessert to follow. 



To CATCH Prussian cakp.— "There is another species of this fish, 

 termed the Prussian carp, which seldom reaches a pound in weight ; in 

 shape and color it is similar to the ordinary carp, partaking very much of 

 the nature of the goldtish and silver-fish, and like them may be kept, 

 when small, in a globe. They are easily caught in ponds during the sum- 

 mer months with a small red or blood worm ; fish very fine, with a No. 

 10 hook and a very small quill float. It is essential that the bait should 

 cover the entire hook and look fresh and tempting. Fish two or three 

 inches from the bottom." — [From the Modern Angler, London, 1883.] 



A GAME FISH. — " Carp are in season through March and April, and 

 therefore I have advocated the increase of them in the Thames, as 

 they would afford good support when the ordinary Thames fish are out 

 of condition. 



How TAKEN. — " To fish for carp the angler requires to be very quiet 

 and unobtrusive, particularly when they are iu ponds. Carp grub for 

 their bait along the bottom, and if the angler keeps quiet and out of 

 sight he may often see them within reach of his rod, rooting along the 

 quiet and shallow water, with their tails or back fins above water. I 

 have often taken them when thus occupied by softly casting my float 

 and tackle out a yard or two ahead of them, in the direction they were 

 traveling, and allowing the bait to lie on the bottom, when I have fre- 

 quently managed to capture the rover. Carp will take both worms and 

 gentles well at times, but farinaceous baits are more in favor with the 

 carp fishermen of the present day ; for if there happens to be a lot of 

 small roach, perch, or eels in the same pond, as there too often is, these 

 will, if worms or gentles be used for ground bait, hasten to the spot 

 and eat up most of it before the carp can find it out ; and, added to 

 this, when you begin to fish, the first miserable little eel or perch you 

 take will drive many of the best carp away ; and after you have taken 

 two or three, there will hardly be a carp left. 



Baits. — "Carp will take a variety of baits, as worms, gentles, wasp 

 gi ubs, plain and sweet paste, boiled green peas, and potatoes. The last 

 is the best bait that can be used, particularly with big carp ; it should 

 be about three parts, or rather more, boiled — rather a waxy sort being 

 chosen — and the best way of baiting with it is to use a small triangle on 

 a single thread of gut, with a small loop to the other end of it, having 

 a good big loop in the line to loop it to. Then take a baiting needle, 

 and, hitching it to the looj) of the triangle, draw the gut through 

 the middle of the potato and pull the triangle up so as just to bury 

 the hook points in the potato. Then cut the potato round with a knife 

 neatly till ic is about the size of a good-sizgd gooseberry, and loop it on to 

 the line, the big loop allowing the bait and all to pass through easily. 

 The best way of fishing this bait is with a very light ledger, a small 

 pistol bullet being quite heavy enough. The gut should be rather fine, 



