ROACH 383 



commercialist, whose sole idea of life is number and adver- 

 tisement. 



The roach's chief food is weed, which they get from the 

 bottom ; but gentles and worms are the surest baits. On 

 the tidal rivers, Mr. Grimsell of Reedham, an old Lea roach 

 fisherman, and an expert, tells me he always ledgers in the 

 tide-way, using eighteen yards of fine gut-line, one foot of 

 the finest gimp, two feet of the finest gut, a lead shot, and 

 a Pennel hook. He fishes on the top of the flood. The 

 swim is ground-baited with balls made of boiled wheat and 

 rice, some uncooked wheat, and the ball is filled with bran in 

 the centre. Besides these balls, he throws uncooked wheat 

 against the tide, for it settles quickly ; and so he keeps his 

 fish together, which, he says, is the great thing in roach 

 fishing. If they do not bite well, he throws them a few grains 

 of cooked wheat. Mr. Grimsell uses an eighteen-foot split 

 cane rod, and ties his line to his rod about three-quarters 

 of the way down the rod, thus fishing with a tight line. Mr. 

 Grimsell's heaviest roach weighed one pound thirteen and 

 a half ounces, a full fish. 



