26 THE JOLLY ANGLER. 



manner of catching them, more particularly so as what 

 is termed "Roach fishing" is likewise one of the best 

 plans of catching Dace, Chub, Barbel, Gudgeons, and 

 occasionally Perch or Trout, but the proper place to 

 describe that will be under the head of " Bottom Fishing." 

 He does not take the fly in rivers near town, except 

 under water, where he will take the natural March brown 

 House fly, or the May fly; the latter he will rise after 

 during the season, as will every other fresh water fish, 

 though I do not intend to recommend any fly as good bait 

 for this fish. I have caught many Roach, Dace, Bleak, 

 and small Chub, with a house fly or gentles, during the 

 months of June and July, while the weeds are strong, by 

 putting my float about* three feet above my bait, and trying 

 up or down the river in between rows of weeds, behind 

 banks, or any other place that protected me from the 

 sight of the fish ; it is only at this season, when the weather 

 is hot, and the water very bright, that they lie about and 

 under tails of weeds, banks, &c. In the following months 

 they go off towards the deeps, when the right season for 

 Roach commences, and continues till March. During 

 July and August, the best places for Roach, Dace, and 

 Chub are in eddies, bends of the river, &c. where the 

 water does not run above five feet deep, as they seldom 

 retire into heavy water till the cold nights set in. They 

 spawn in May, and some of them in June if a late spring; 

 you meet this fish in another form, tinder the name of a 

 RUDD, or POND ROACH ; they are of a beautiful 

 vermilion colour on the fins, in other respects much like 

 the Roach, but I perfectly agree with Salter'st statement 

 regarding this fish, " That it is no other than a Roach re- 

 duced to its present form from being confined in still 



* Tt is only during (hose months (he Roach swim at mid-water: at 

 other times your bait being just on thj ground is of the first im- 

 portance. 



+ I knew a similar case to that which Salter alludos to at Earl's 

 Court Brick Fields. About 20 years ago, a clay pit pond was 

 stocked with Roach from (he Thames, which, when it was emptied 

 ten years ago, contained nothing but Rudd and Eels. Some authors 

 sp.y the Rudd is bred between tlr- Bream and Roach, but that must 

 be wrong, as they are often found in ponds where there are no 

 Ilrcam. Rudd are caught from May till October. 



