<64 



THE RUDD. 



heavy rod for rudd fishing; this weapon must be light, 

 strong, handy, and, above all, prompt in its actions. Twelve 

 feet in length will be found ample; in fact, the chub rod 

 described in Chapter II., Page 79, Vol. I is the very thing. 

 The same remark also applies to the reel, the centre-pin, 

 three and a half inches in diameter, being so free and easy 

 running is to be recommended above any other (see Chap. 

 II, page 80, vol. I). The silk running line can hardly be 

 too fine, provided it is fairly strong, forty or fifty yards of 

 the plaited silk chub fine described on page 82 being the 

 best size and quality that can be procured for this purpose. 

 For floats, almost any good roach or chub float will do. 

 Still, if I have a preference for any it is for those cork and 

 porcupine floats, one about four to six inches in length and 

 painted green, with a white tip being the best ; these floats 

 do not show so conspicuously in the water as a long white 

 quill. Another float that I ami very fond of for rudd fish- 

 ing is a small disc of cork painted green, with a hole through 

 the centre, which said hole contains a removeable plug of 

 wood. This float is shaped somewhat similar toi a small 

 " pilot " that is used in jack fishing ; only it is very much 

 smaller, and perfectly round, the exact size being five-eighths 

 of an inch in diameter. There is a little advatnage in us- 

 ing this float, because you are fishing where weeds are very 

 plentiful, and a long float is liable to be pulled by the fish 

 into the weeds; the point that sticks up beyond the cap 

 and line will catch among them, and cause you very much 

 annoyance. But in this round float with the line threaded 

 through the centre, and secured in its place by the little plug 

 of wood, presents no inequalities or points that can catch 

 under or over the weeds. 



It is not advisable to use the finest gossamer four X drawn 

 gut for bottom tackle, as recommended for roach, in rudd 

 fishing, as the latter fish is a strong fighter, and will try his 

 very utmost time after time to reach his hover of weeds, 

 which, if he succeeds in doing, will most certainly break you. 

 I have seen it stated somewhere or other that the rudd is a 

 very cowardly fish, and gives up directly he is hooked, but 

 in actual practice, with good ones, I find the very opposite 

 to be the case, and not until the landing-net is fairly under 



