BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 



on the back and tail have blackish edges. A Roach of 

 i|^ to 2 pounds is a good fish, but it sometimes exceeds 

 that weight. It is a lover of lakes, ponds, canals, slow- 

 moving streams, and rivers. It keeps close to the 

 bottom in shallow water, but when it haunts, as it fre- 

 quently does, a deep hole or favourite bend of the river, 

 it comes nearer the surface. It is a social species, 

 travelling about in shoals, and when once a Roach 

 " swim " is discovered, and the fish are on the feed, large 

 hauls may be expected. A long rod, or Roach-pole as it 

 is often called, about i8 feet in length, is best, but it 

 must be light in weight. The extra length enables the 

 angler to get well out into mid-stream where the fish 

 congregate, and the bottom joint of the rod can be 

 withdrawn when pulUng in the Hne. On adding the 

 bottom joint and pushing out the rod to its fullest extent, 

 the line can then be dropped into the water without any 

 splash or noise. Roach bite in a niggling fashion, and 

 the float scarcely responds to the touch, even if a light 

 quill is being used. Large Roach, however, sometimes 

 take the bait with the least fuss, whilst small fish drag the 

 float under water almost out of sight. The angler should 

 not strike at the first shudder of the float, as experience 

 can alone teach the Waltonian the right second to hook 

 his quarry. For successful Roach-fishing, it is best to 

 find a good swim of fairly fast water where the line 

 quickly travels down-stream, as in this way the area 

 being fished can be worked to the best advantage. The 



swim should be somewhat deep, with a gravelly bottom 



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