12 



The Gentle Art of Angling. 



the rationale of this description 

 of casting. It is not easy to 

 describe it without a rod and 

 ocular demonstration. It is done 

 by a high cast, and dipping the 

 top of the rod when the line is 

 nearly fully stretched ; this takes 

 the strain off, and the fly falls 

 heavily by virtue of its weight, 

 and makes the desired splash. 

 The rise of a chub to a fly 

 proffered in this way is sharp, 

 and the answering strike should 

 be equally so. 



it with an avidity that shows a 

 discernment for good things 

 scarcely credible in view of his 

 baser proclivities. Even straw- 

 berries have beguiled him to 

 destruction. 



A float must be used propor- 

 tionate in size to the bait. The 

 hook should be larger and the gut 

 stouter than those used for roach, 

 and mounted on a heavier rod. 

 When hooked, chub make for the 

 weeds or the roots of trees, and 

 one must be armed with a weapon 



THE WEIR CHUB POOL. 



Bottom fishing is a less scien- 

 tific, but not less effective, method. 

 Large specimens are taken with 

 bait of different kinds, for the chub 

 is not fastidious. Lures varying in 

 degrees of nastiness comprise the 

 menu with which the angler goes 

 forth to beguile him slugs, frogs, 

 grubs, greaves, pith, and brains of 

 bullocks, and ill-smelling cheese. 

 De gustibus non est disputandum. 

 To do him justice his low-bred 

 tastes take an aesthetic turn, and 

 if a cherry or damson tree drops 

 its fruit into the water, he takes 



of sufficient resisting power. In 

 the winter they fight harder and 

 give better sport than on a hot 

 July day. If the water is dis- 

 coloured, it is well to fish nearer 

 the bottom, under normal con- 

 ditions 3 or 4 inches above it. 

 Lobworms, threaded on the hook 

 from tail to head, are good bait. 

 If the head is high up on the 

 shank the hook is often missed, 

 as all large-sized fish show a pre- 

 ference for seizing their prey by 

 the head rather than the tail. 

 This hint will be found useful, 



