262 AN OPEN CREEL 



rudd have become educated. Here, though rudd are 

 plentiful enough, they are not much sought, and are 

 not so shy. But at best rudd are more or less of an 

 accident, unless one fishes for them specially; they 

 move about a good deal, and to do much with them 

 one must follow the shoal. Roach and bream are 

 what the angler expects here principally. The bottom 

 is too muddy for perch, but there is always a chance 

 of big tench though it is a slender chance ; the tench 

 of the Broads are seldom taken on rod and line. 



Two rods are set up and ready for the fray. Both 

 are light bamboos of fourteen feet, one carrying a run- 

 ning line of the finest silk and gossamer cast and hook- 

 link for roach, the other being fitted with somewhat 

 stronger tackle for bream. The bream-line is swung 

 out first, baited with a good-sized lobworm. It may 

 be some considerable time before the bream find the 

 ground-bait, so the rod will probably not need much 

 attention. The other hook is next baited with a 

 plump grain of stewed wheat, and then cast out 

 towards the reeds somewhat to the right, where one 

 of the pieces of dry crust is already being attacked by 

 little rudd or roach. The roach-rod is held in the 

 angler's right hand, while the other rests on the thwart 

 of the boat on his left, with the end of the butt under 

 an oar. Almost immediately there is a bite at the 

 wheat, and the red top of the porcupine quill dis- 

 appears. Fortunately, these roach of the Broads are 

 not as the roach of the Lea, or it would be impossible 

 to strike them from such a distance. Here they bite 

 boldly, and take their time about it. The fish is, how- 

 ever, but a little thing, and is promptly returned on 



