CHAFT. xii. Striking, 163 



slowly and cautiously like a earp, and it is of no manner of use to 

 strike at the first bob of the Boat as for gudgeon, [fthey have not 

 been much fished for, and are biting freely, it is a very simple matter. 

 There will be a very slight movement of tli" Boat, then six or eight 

 quick bobs, and then the Boat will go right under and away : when 

 it disappears strike. It' they axe more wary or less on the feed, 

 the almost imperceptible quivers of the final will continue longer 

 and stop at times, till you almost think the fish have deserted 

 you; the subsequent perceptible bobs will be less vigorous and 

 will cease at intervals ; eventually your lloat will move away quietly 

 on the surface. When it moves off, strike immediately. If still 

 more wary they will not move your Boat off at all, and if you look 

 at your bait when the bobs cease you will find it lias all been 

 successfully stolen. When it comes to this you must strike on the 

 chance when the bobs are a little more vigorous and rapid than 

 usual. But do not be in such a hurry as that till you find they 

 have stolen your bait several times. Your bait is often stolen by 

 the little fish of other sorts that scramble for it if you have scared 

 away the l.abeos. Sometimes you will see your float tilt up and 

 lie down Bat on the top of the water. What is to be done then ? 

 That indicates that a fish has taken your bait from above it, and 

 has raised it so much that both it and the lead are lifted, and the 

 weight being taken off, the float it is no longer partially immersed, 

 but floats flat on the surface of the water. Strike immediately. 



Fish frequently suck up bait from below them, as you may have 

 seen in an aquarium or globe of gold fish. If bottom feeders 

 could not do so, they would be al a loss how to get at such of their 

 food as lies on the bottom. Some protrude their lips in cup-like 

 fashion over the object to be drawn up by suction, notably Barbus 

 curmvca. The mouth of the Labeo is ordinarily placed below the 

 anout, not at the end of it, so that it must often have to suck its 

 food upwards. The mouth is frequently (imbricated or fringed 

 with short tendrils, and looking like a frill. 



Always make preparations for striking by gathering in stealthily 

 all the slack line between the rod top and the float, so that when 

 the critical moment for sinking arrives, you may take instan- 

 taneous advantage of it. You will need all the quickness of which 

 v"ii at.' master, and still they will steal much of your bait. 



The stroke is made with a quick turn of the wrist, any blow 



THE BOD IV INI. IV II 2 



