THE BLEAK 157 
Few people of mature age would be at the pains to 
catch bleak, either for sport or because of their quality on 
The uses of the table. Some there are who affirm that bleak 
Bleak. are no whit inferior to sprats, others pronounce 
them insipid and even disagreeable. For my own part, 
were I inclined for a meal upon small fish, I should choose 
one like the sprat, a cleaner feeder and less infested with 
parasites than the bleak. Nevertheless, it is sometimes of 
the utmost importance to one intending to angle for nobler 
fish—Thames trout, for instance—to be able to obtain a 
supply of bleak. True, one can always telegraph to any 
London tackle-shop for a jar of small fish, beautifully 
bottled and preserved in formaline, but sometimes one stands 
in immediate want of bait. At such crises it is well to 
know how to catch bleak. There is not much difficulty 
in that, provided the sun be hot and the air calm. Cold 
blustery weather puts them off the feed altogether, and 
they disappear from view ; but so long as they are cruising 
about near the top, any small artificial fly will attract them. 
You must use the finest of tackle, drawn gut or, better still, 
single horse-hair; for bleak have brains, and learn very 
quickly to use them in a river so full of snares as the Thames. 
Those who make it their business to catch bleak for 
bait, and to supply the tackle-makers with them, do not 
depend on the artificial fly. They keep gentles in a jar, 
covered with muslin over the top, till they turn from white 
maggots to brown chrysalis, and finally to bluebottles. 
No bleak that ever was born can resist a fat bluebottle ; 
and if you are well supplied with these, killed by pouring 
boiling water over them, the services of a professional with 
a casting-net will seldom be required. But to avoid dis- 
appointment, you must ground-bait cunningly. Bread is 
the best for that purpose, but bread cast upon the waters 
is soon floated away, and the bleak follow it. Cast your 
bread, therefore, but let it be a slice secured to your punt 
