310 MERITS OF THE GUDGEON. 



You must dip for them as cautiously as for chub, 

 keeping carefully out of sight. In bottom-fishing 

 your success will be augmented by ground-baiting 

 with lumps of clay mixed with clotted bullock's 

 blood. 



SM| 



THE GUDGEON. 



This is a good, game little fish, and the best to 

 initiate the young angler into the art of bottom- 

 fishing. The best bait is a very small red worm 

 or a part of one. Hundreds of them are to be 

 caught in the moderately shallow streams of the 

 Thames, and indeed in the shallows of all our 

 mixed rivers. By a mixed river I mean one that 

 is not confined to the production of the salmon 

 tribe, but which produces the carp family and 

 other coarse fish. If you can .mud the bottom, 

 that is, cause an artificial discolouration in the 

 water by means of an iron rake, or any other way. 



