The Gentle Art of Angling. 



is illustrated on Plate II., is suit- 

 able for roach. The line should 

 be very fine, and consist of un- 

 dressed silk. To prevent it from 

 sinking several dressings of vase- 

 line should be applied, each coat- 

 ing allowed to dry before the next 

 is added. 



Everything being now ready, a 

 ball of ground bait is thrown into 

 the river. If the swim is long, 

 and fairly rapid, a piece the size 

 of a pigeon's egg should be at- 

 tached to the gut trace, and 

 dropped gently into the water. 

 As the float is carried forward 

 the ground bait will be gently 

 washed off, and sprinkle the 

 swim. 



As gentles were an ingredient 

 in the ground baiting of the pre- 

 vious evening, it is advisable to 

 mount a couple on the hook. 

 They can be procured all the 

 year round, and at a trifling cost ; 

 the angler is, therefore, advised 

 not to get into disrepute with the 

 cook and the household in general 

 by attempting to raise them on 

 the premises. Two are attached 

 to a No. 4 or 5 hook, and the 

 fishing begins. As the float drifts 

 with the current, the line is paid 

 out by an occasional touch of the 

 reel, and kept sufficiently taut for 

 rapid striking. Roach are dainty 

 feeders, and the bigger they are, 

 the more dainty they become. 

 The smaller fry are bolder, and 

 seize the projecting parts of the 

 gentles and tear them away ; the 

 snatch is reflected in a sudden 

 bob of the float, and on striking a 

 bare hook returns. Heavier fish 

 usually get the bait into their 

 mouths, and suck it dry. In this 

 case the float scarcely sinks. 

 Several large roach were weighed 

 into a club a fortnight ago, and 

 the fortunate captor told me that 

 in no case was the float pulled 

 down beyond the cap. This is 

 common experience. It is advis- 



able, therefore, to strike the 

 moment the float stops, or is 

 agitated to the smallest percep- 

 tible degree. The strike should 

 be short and sharp, and the hand 

 removed from the reel when the 

 fish is felt. This takes the strain 

 off the gut, and transfers a share 

 of it to the rod and line. Two 

 objects must now be kept in 

 mind : first, and chief, to land the 

 fish ; second, to achieve this end 

 with as little disturbance as pos- 

 sible. If the fish break away, 

 there is a loss to the basket, and 

 a possible indirect loss by scaring 

 others in a feeding mood. A 

 roach that breaks away, probably 

 dashes through the shoal, others 

 take alarm, and follow him. It 

 is advisable to get the fish away 

 from the spot where he has been 

 hooked as soon as possible. If 

 one is fishing from the bank, he 

 can be coaxed down stream by 

 inclining the rod in that direction. 

 From a punt this plan is impos- 

 sible ; the captive must be drawn 

 up stream, but by leaning the rod 

 to one side he can be brought 

 away from the main swim. By 

 sinking the landing net a little in 

 the water, it is possible to secure 

 him without a splash. 



When the take goes off with 

 one bait, it is advisable to try 

 another. A variety of pastes 

 are open to the angler's choice. 

 Bread is the easiest made, and 

 perhaps the best of all. The 

 crumb of a white loaf a couple 

 of days old is broken off and 

 placed in a clean linen cloth, 

 which is immersed in cold water 

 until it is soaked through ; it is 

 then squeezed dry and kneaded 

 in the cloth until the paste stage 

 is reached. It must be kept per- 

 fectly clean, and not touched with 

 the hands. Roach are clean 

 feeders, and although they will 

 take a specially prepared yellow, 

 and even a red, paste, they draw 



