DACE AND CHUB. 265 



a few Inches of the boughs — often into a space the size 

 of his hat — under penalty of losing either his fish or his 

 tackle, and it will be conceded that the task is no easy 

 one. In fact, in this school not a few of the masters of 

 the craft have passed their apprenticeship. Thus much 

 as to the fish themselves ; the idiosyncrasies mentioned 

 will assist the angler in applying the following observa- 

 tions on the method of catching them. 



Dace Fishing. 



The Dace will occasionally take all the baits enume- 

 rated for Roach and Rudd, especially gentles ; but the 

 best bait for them all the year round is a small red 

 worm, the tackle and mode of using it, as well as the 

 method of ground baiting, being identical with that 

 described for Roach fishing. Any of the smaller de- 

 scription of worms, broken into two or three pieces, or 

 carrion gentles, will be found the best ground bait 

 The haunts of Dace at different seasons, and conse- 

 quently the best places for catching them, are also very 

 similar to those of the Roach, the only difference that I 

 am aware of being that the Dace affects rather stronger 

 and more rapid waters than the Roach. Indeed, espe- 

 cially during the summer months and towards evening, 

 Dace can be most readily taken with a fly on the swiftest 

 rapids and shallows. 



Either of the flies recommended in this book for 

 Trout and Grayling (p. 140), dressed on a No. i or 2 



