16 



The Gentle Art of Angling. 



of the weight assumes the hori- 

 zontal position. Bream in feeding 

 look as if they were standing on 

 their heads. They suck in the 

 bait and then quickly move off, 

 like Oliver Twist, in search of 

 more. This action is further re- 

 flected in the float which gives a 

 quiver rather than a bob, regains 

 the perpendicular again, goes 

 under and moves off in a slanting 

 direction, following the sluggish 

 movement of its captor. The 



Shoulder-strap net with knuckle-joint 

 closed. 



moment the float goes under is 

 the time to strike, which should 

 be firm and decisive. It frequently 

 happens that the fish does not 

 move off after taking the bait. 

 In that case the float still lies flat 

 on the surface. It should not be 

 allowed to remain long in that 

 position without striking, especi- 

 ally if the bait be paste. Too 

 long delay brings an empty hook 

 back to the angler, as bream 

 quickly strip it, even with worms 



as the lure. More bream are 

 lost by delay than precipitancy. 

 In fishing without a float a 

 method much in vogue by some 

 anglers the fish is felt by vibra- 

 tion, followed by the slackening of 

 the line, when the strike should 

 follow with as little delay as 

 possible. 



When the bream is hooked the 

 first plunges are formidable, not 

 unlike that of the barbel, but 

 the subsequent movements are 



Shoulder-strap net open. 



different. The barbel goes off in 

 a straight line after boring down- 

 wards, if he goes off at all ; the 

 bream moves in a zigzag fashion. 

 It is well to distinguish between 

 them, as the barbel may mean 

 mischief, and should be held up 

 to prevent entanglement of the 

 line. The bream has no such 

 intention and may be controlled 

 with a lighter hand. He does not 

 maintain the promise of the hard 

 fight that the initial plunges 



