14 HULL SCIENTIFIC AND FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 
The Roacw occurs plentifully. They may be seen during 
May and the beginning of June in immense numbers scouring 
themselves in the rough water at Top Lock, the weir sometimes 
presenting the appearance of a seething mass of living roach. 
Roach are at their best in October, but to the general palate are 
not by any means a dainty dish; for as a native of Holderness 
once remarked to me, ‘They are dry mate.” The River Hull 
roach is an exceedingly cautious and wary fish, great skill being 
required to angle for it with success. This is attributable to the 
clearness of the water and to the large number of anglers who 
desire to make this handsome fish their quarry. 
The Dace is a surface-loving fish, but is nearly always found in 
the Hull in company with the roach. I have noticed, however, 
that for some reason or other dace can be caught when roach 
will not bite at all, and I have ofter observed that the best catches 
of dace are usually obtained when very few roach have found 
their way into the angler’s pannier. They love strong streams and 
shingly bottoms, and can usually be found in such situations. 
In the Driffield trout stream they abound, and in that water will 
take a fly more readily than the trout will. Hence they are some- 
what of a nuisance to the fly-fisherman, and are netted down as 
much as possible. 
The CxHus is not by any means a common fish in the river, 
but is found locally in certain places. It seems to delight in the 
neighbourhood of old piles or sunken keels. About the piles at 
Swing Bridge, a mile above Top Lock, some very fine specimens 
can always be seen when the water is clear. It is no uncommon 
thing to see three or four of these fish at this spot averaging 3lbs. 
each. A deep hole extending under a wall undermined by the 
water, and in the neighbourhood of the Lock, is another sure 
haunt of the chub. The deep water just at West Beck end is 
also much frequented by them. 
The GuDGEON occurs but sparingly in the Hull. It may be 
found where chalk is used to protect the banks, and is also 
generally present at Top Lock and the various beck ends. It is 
plentiful in the Barmston Drain. I have observed that it 
disappears in winter—hibernating, I believe, in the mud. 
The Bream is certainly a rarity in our river, but is found in 
tolerable plenty in the Leven Canal. Here the water being deep 
and sluggish the bream thrives very well. Mikla Dyke also 
sometimes contains very fine bream, and when it has been cleaned 
out specimens have been taken weighing upwards of 3lbs. No 
bream are found in any of the becks on the right bank of the 
river. Once every year, in October and November, bream mount 
up stream and enter the quick-flowing currents of the weir below 
