CIRCUMVENTING A CARP. 103 



baits. As soon as the ground-bait is ready we go down to the 

 lake, divide our worms over two of the swims near the bank, 

 adding a few balls of the bread ground-bait as we have hardly 

 enough worms, and throw the last of our bread ground-bait — 

 about 1 gal. — into the other two swims. To bait the holes near 

 the centre of the pond we get into the punt, and throw in nearly 

 1 gal. of potatoes at two places about 40yd8. from the shore, 

 where the carp are usually found. So that we may know 

 exactly where to cast the legers, the keeper pulls up a reed, ties 

 a piece of cotton to the thick end of it, and to the other end of 

 the cotton fastens a small stone. He drops one of these 

 arrangements overboard a few yards beyond each of the potato- 

 baited spots, so that when we cast from the bank in the 

 direction of the reed — which the stone causes to stand upright 

 in the water — we shall, if we go within about 3yds. of it, put 

 the leger in the right place. 



Before returning to the shore the keeper draws our attention 

 to the back fins of certain large carp which are showing above the 

 water, near some water-lily leaves about 50yds. oif. A small 

 worm, if it could be dangled just over the edge of a water-lily 

 leaf, might be taken by one of those big fellows. I fortunately 

 have a light rod and a N'ottingham reel and line with me. It 

 does not take long to straighten out 1ft. of moderately fine gut, 

 and fasten it to the end of the line, also a small Round Bend 

 hook with the shank painted worm colour. A foot above the 

 hook I place two small shot, and thread on just enough of a 

 worm* to cover the hook, leaving the ends dangling. The punt 

 is then backed up very quietly and gently towards the water- 

 lilies, keeping them between us and the fish. After one or two 

 unsuccessful casts I manage to drop the shot on to a solitary 

 leaf, and the worm hangs over the side. We are too near for 

 the fish to take the bait, so I pass the butt of the rod back into 

 the punt, and getting to the top ring, pull line off the reel as 

 the keeper very quietly rows the punt away from the water-lilies. 

 When some 20yds. or so away we stop. After about five minutes 

 the shot are slowly pulled off the leaf, and I know that a fish 



* A green pea is a good bait for this method of fishing. 



