CHAPTER XIV 



ROACH 



The roach is a deep-water fish in winter, as the perch and 

 pike know well. But in the most severe weather, like most 

 bottom-feeders, they will draw under the " segs " or floating 

 hovers that the ice has prized from the bottoms. In winter, 

 when the weather is open, they keep to their haunts, and do 

 not go far away — in this respect resembling swans. Nor 

 do they confine themselves to the broads, but are common 

 in the tidal waters ; indeed, for eating, a good " salt-water 

 roach " is far and away the best. 



The roach, like most fish, feeds mostly at night (except, 

 perhaps, in the depth of winter) ; so that you may know 

 holes that are full of bream and roach by day, yet at night 

 they will be empty ; for they go forth to their feeding- 

 grounds, returning at daybreak, or later. Night, therefore, 

 is the time chosen for netting them; and for the same reason, 

 an angler stands a poor chance by night. Pike " flight" at 

 night, too, often going to the dikes, as do gudgeon, though 

 they will not go near a salt. In fact, fish flight as do birds, 

 and for much the same reasons. By day, then, is the best 

 time for anghng; and choose a roach swim in an eddy or 

 tidal water ; and let the wind be a south-westerly, blowing 

 with a gentle breeze, for no fish will bite on a perfectly still 

 warm day ; and the time to catch them to eat is two or three 

 weeks before they cast their spawn, when they are full ; and 

 the way to cook them is d /aj'uz've, as directed for pike. 



At the end of May the roach shoals collect, a few days 

 before the bream, on the shallows, on broad or river edges 



