244 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



a fortnight after spawning ; the barbel and chub in 

 a month ; the trout in four months ; and the salmon 

 in the like time, if he gets into the sea, and after 

 into fresh water. 



Roaches be accounted much better in the river 

 than in a pond, though ponds usually breed the 

 biggest. But there is a kind of bastard small roach 

 that breeds in ponds, with a very forked tail, and of 

 a very small size, which some say is bred by the 

 bream and right roach, and some ponds are stored 

 with these beyond belief; and knowing men that 

 know their difference call them ruds : they differ 

 from the true roach as much as a herring from a 

 pilchard. And these bastard breed of roach are 

 now scattered in many rivers, but I think not in the 

 Thames, which I believe affords the largest and fat- 

 test in this nation, especially below London Bridge. 

 The roach is a leather-mouthed fish, and has a kind 

 of saw-like teeth in his throat. And lastly, let 

 me tell you, the roach makes the angler excellent 

 sport, especially the great roaches about London, 

 where I think there be the best roach-anglers ; 

 and I think the best trout-anglers be in Derbyshire, 

 for the waters there are clear to an extremity. 



Next, let me tell you, you shall fish for this roach 

 in winter with paste or gentles, in April with worms 

 or cadis : in the very hot months with little white 

 snails, or with flies under water, for he seldom 

 takes them at the top, though the dace will. In 

 many of the hot months roaches may also be 

 caught thus : take a May-fly, or ant-fly, sink him 



