262 FISHES AND FISHING. 



proper tackle for pike, as they are sometimes attracted 

 by the shoal of gudgeons ; and if your sport for those 

 small fish fail, it is probable one of those fresh- water 

 sharks has intruded on your fishing ground. 



Some persons prefer angling from the bank, so as 

 to be able to move about, or do not choose to be at 

 the expense of a punt and fisherman. It is useless 

 to expect sport unless the gravel be raked ; I, there 

 fore, invented, many years ago, a portable gudgeon- 

 rake, with bayonet joints, it being nearly impossible 

 for an angler to convey one of those in general use 

 to any distance. My first rake of this kind was sold 

 with my other fishing tackle, when obliged to sell it, 

 as I before-mentioned, in France ; that one had a 

 large jointed iron landing-net ring, with net complete, 

 which by removing the rake fitted the screw, and 

 which I found useful, as I have said, in fishing for 

 crabs ; the rake and ring of the net should be coated 

 with black varnish, and I had a hole through the 

 rake, and a small brass staple on each joint, through 

 which a piece of plaited cord passed, to prevent losing 

 any part of it. Mr. Anderson, of Long Acre, a year 

 or two ago, carried out my original plan ; but since he 

 has made the folding rods, I think the plan would be 

 advantageously adopted for this indispensable adjunct 

 to a gudgeon-fisher's apparatus. 



The gudgeons in the Lea are more fastidious than 



