220 THE CHUB, 



Where a stream floats through the hole, and you use a bait, 

 the better plan is to lead the line very lightly, so that the bail 

 may drift through at about midwater ; and if the main current 

 runs strong, you should then fish only the deep water in the 

 eddy under the banks. Where the stream runs sluggish, then a 

 small float may be used. 



The larger chubs very frequently run at a minnow, and are 

 sometimes taken by that bait by persons trolling for trout ; but 

 few persons troll for a chub purposely. Towards the autumn and 

 winter a yellow paste, made of the strongest cheese and pounded 

 in a mortar, with a little butter and saffron, so much of it as, being 

 beaten small, will turn it to a lemon colour ; but a far better bait 

 than this is preserved salmon spawn, which will be taken by hi on 

 better than any other throughout the fall of the year, at which 

 time the chub is considered in the highest perfection, though he 

 continues in good condition all through the winter ; but he is it 

 must be confessed at best but a very poor fish, though Walton 

 seems to consider that he and the barbel have lost part of their 

 credit by ill cookery, and by his account if dressed soon after it is 

 caught, and in the manner pointed out by him, it will not only 

 look lovely, but be most excellent meat : but if not dressed soon 

 after it is taken it is not worth a rush. 



For the benefit of such of my readers as may not possess " The 

 Complete Angler," I will give honest Izaak's recipes, (for he 

 points out two ways of dressing a chub) in the precise terras laid 

 down by him. 



" First scale him, and then wash him clean, and then take out 

 his guts ; and to that end make the hole as little and as near his 

 gills as you may conveniently, and especially make clean his throat 

 from the grass and weeds that are usually in it, for if that be not 

 very clean, it will make him to taste very sour ; and having so 

 done put some sweet herbs into his belly, and then tie him with 

 two or three splinters to a spit, and roast him, basting often with 

 vinegar, or rather verjuice and butter, with good store of salt 

 mixed with it. Being dressed thus you will find him a better dish 

 of meat than you, or most folk, even than anglers themselves do 

 imagine; for this dries up the fluid watry humour with which 

 all chubs do abound." 



The other plan is as follows : 

 " When you have scaled him (the chub) and cut off his tail and 



