C2 THE ROACH. 



" fishing, as I could at any time do better with the gentle. 

 " In the summer, I use a float that will carry about five or 

 "six middling-sized shot; and I may as well say that the 

 " Nottingham style, with reel and fine-running tackle, is far 

 " away the best plan to adopt. In August and September 

 " boiled malt is a very good bait, especially in the running 

 " stieams. For this last bait I use the same small float as 

 "before, but the hook is a smaller one, No. 12 being the 

 " best, and the tackle must always in the summer time be 

 "of the very finest drawn gut, as the water is then very 

 " clear. I personally prefer winter fishing for roach, as I 

 " consider these fish are not in condition before November ; 

 "in August, and even in September, they are very slimy, 

 " and bad to handle ; but about Christmas time they are as 

 "bright as a bar of silver; I don't care how cold it is, I 

 "have fished all through the winter, and have had some 

 " good bags still using my favourite bait, the gentle. I now 

 " increase the size of my float, and use one that will carry 

 " eight or nine shots, with a line, and tackle and a No. 9 

 " hook, threading four or five gentles on it. For ground- 

 " bait I use the same that is g:enerallv adopted, viz., bread, 

 "bran, and barley meal, mixed together rather stiff, and 

 " pitched into the top end of the swim in little lumps about 

 " as big as walnuts. Sometimes I fish on the bottom^ ; 

 " sometimes from one to four inches above it. I don't lay 

 " down a hard and fast rule,, but suit my fishing as to how 

 " the roach are feeding, trying all sorts of dodges to make 

 " a good bag. I do not agree with a good many anglers, 

 " who write to the sporting papers and say that roach will 

 " never bite in snow broth. I have found it just the other 

 "way. I remember well a friend and myself going out 

 " roaching one Christmas Bank Holiday. A foot of snow 

 "was on the ground, and it was melting fast. The river 

 " when we got there was nearly bank full, and coming down 

 " thick as souo, and yet we g^ot 241b. of good roach, fishing in 

 "an eddy with gentles, a good few of them over a pound 

 "each. I can call to mind several occasions when I have 

 " met with good sport in a high and heavy snow water. 

 [This is rather a curious experience, Mr. Hayward,] " The 

 * river Frome here contains some splendid roach. I con- 



