BAIT FOR TENCH. 143 



slugs, and some lumps of the most tallowy Cheshire 

 cheese you can find ; thicken the veal batter into a thick 

 paste with this compound, and then roll it up into little 

 balls; these balls must be thrown into a compost of tallow 

 greaves, and grains steeped in bullock's blood, and the 

 whole mess sunk in the place you intend to fish some 

 hours before you commence." 



This, we were informed, is a most attractive ground- 

 bait, and, sure we are, it is sufficiently nasty to satisfy 

 the most inflexible advocates of this unsportsmanlike 

 practice. 



Carp, like pike, may be taken with the snare, when 

 they lie basking in the sun. The operator must conceal 

 himself as much as he can, and then no more dexterity is 

 required than in snaring pike. This is by no means an 

 uncommon practice in France. 



i3att for 



This is by no means a shy fish, but he bites perhaps 

 the slowest of all fish. He will play with and mumble 

 the bait some time before he will take it, so that he re- 

 quires a great deal of indulgence, and must be allowed to 

 have his own way for some minutes before the angler 

 can venture to interfere with him. 



The baits commonly recommended to be used are the 

 same as those suggested for carp-fishing; and the ground- 

 bait, when required, may be made up from the recipe 

 just given. 



Some anglers, and very skilful ones too, have a few 

 pet baits peculiar to themselves, which they pronounce 

 irresistible in angling for this fish. We are acquainted with 

 a clever artist, who never fishes for tench with anything 

 but a large dew-worm ; and he boasts of his extraordinary 



