THE ROACH. 115 



unregarding stream and float, and verily he has his reward. The bright 

 sun showers down its plenteous beneficent warmth and light, the six 

 previous days' toil is forgotten, for perchance it is Sunday, and the birds are 

 carolling their high songs, not in temples made with hands, but beneath 

 the expansive vault of infinite space the temple of nature ; the stream 

 flows on with fluent music and the perfect harmony of green fields, um- 

 brageous trees, and cloudless skies is appreciated by the innocent fisher 

 as he sits quietly watching and manipulating. Small wonder, therefore, 

 that the placid spirit of Walton recognised the actual fact of the 

 specialist roach fisher's superiority. That the Londoner (or Cockney) 

 should be selected is only natural, for is he not, by right of high-pressure 

 toil through six days, a Sunday fisher, and is not the quiet of an 

 angling rest the time to accept Nature's gifts and to learn of her beautiful 

 creations and their characteristics ? 



But to resume. Plunging into the midst of this branch of the subject, 

 I may be first allowed to make a selection of a suitable rod. In my 

 opinion there is no rod superior to a well-made ordinary Japanese cane 

 ''telescope" rod, that is, for ordinary still bank fishing. "Why?'' 

 it may be queried. "Because" of the following reasons, gentle 

 reader. The ideal of a roach hole accessible from the bank, and 

 not only the ideal but the general character of all the successful swims 

 of the bank angler is as follows : Chiefly gentle running water, consider- 

 able depth, weeds beyond, or a rapid stream, as well, probably, as such 

 inconveniences as sunk stumps, roots or boughs, from which it is 

 desirable to restrain the fish when hooked. 



Take up a Japanese " telescope," therefore, and observe the fulfilment 

 of the requirements indicated. You have a rod, when extended, of almost 

 perfectly symmetrical build. It is light very light; it is sufficiently 

 pliant, yet, in proportion to its length (of, say, from fourteen to twenty 

 feet) , it is a stiff rod, and is nearly perfect for retaining your fish when 

 hooked from entering the "inconveniences" surrounding the scene of 

 action. Also, after your reach is " played " to exhaustion, the form of 

 the rod, from .the availability of its collapse joint by joint, allows of the 

 landing of the fish without the necessity of rising from your seat and 

 receding from the water, to the detriment of the sport, which is incon- 

 testibly the case with the ordinary rigid rod. From its perfect fit of joint 

 in joint its extended form is easily restored. Lastly, it has another 

 important advantage. Owing to its comparative stiffness without weight, 

 the power of striking with instant effect is greatly increased ; but thia 

 will require some explanation. Sometimes roach are so shy in biting that 

 the float only descends some eighth of an inch as the fish takes the bait. 

 In this case, however, the skilful roach fisher, being all attention, strikes, 



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