OR WALTONIAN CHRONICLE. 27 



THE ROACH. 



Roach breed in large quantities, and are, in the 

 neighbourhood of London, very numerous, perhaps 

 more than any other fish, therefore it happens that the 

 unskilful will often succeed in taking them; but if 

 they find them biting so fine as scarcely to agitate 

 the float, they will never take a fin, while the skilful 

 Angler will kill a good dish, although the water may 

 be clear and low. 



In Roach fishing in particular, I think the London 

 Anglers may challenge all the Kingdom for superiority. 

 The excellence of their tackle and practice, and their 

 general judgment, defy all competition ; it is not an 

 unfrequent occurrence for a single rod and line to take, 

 in a few hours, from twenty to thirty pounds weight. 



Roach are very pretty fish when in season, have 

 small mouths and their teeth in their throats, as have 

 Chub, Dace, Barbel, Bream, Gudgeons, &c. They 

 spawn about May or June (uninfluenced by the season) 

 The color and appearance of all fresh water fish depend 

 upon the state of the water they are taken from, as 

 after the rivers become thick from rain, &c. the fish 

 are pale and apparently out of condition, but they 

 recover their brightness after they have lain awhile. 

 The brighter the water, the finer the appearance of all 

 fish. 



The river Roach are superior to the pond, as indeed 

 are all other fish ; they delight in deep running water 

 and well shaded holes with a sandy bottom, in summer 



