32 THE JOLLY ANGLER. 



ing, and go cautiously, the same as described for Bream, 

 as a great deal depends on their not seeing you; they do 

 not always keep so close to the ground as Roach and many 

 other fish, consequently the depth of your bait is not of 

 that paramount consequence. The Lea and Colne are the 

 best rivers I know of for brain-fishing; the best parts are 

 about Iver in the Colne, and the Rye and Broxbourne in 

 the Lea; for many other ways of taking Chub, see 

 " Bottom Fishing, Minnow ditto, &c." Your tackle for 

 Chub should be strong, as they always pull hard the first 

 rush or two, after which a single hair would take them. 

 The Chub is of little value at the table, being coarse and 

 insipid; it is only during the winter months that it is worth 

 cooking. Many years ago, I caught several Chub in the 

 New River, under Hornsey Sluice-house, with a live Frog 

 hooked under the back, the float carrying eight or nine 

 shot ; I mean in the rough water under the arch on the 

 lower side in the eddies; it was in the summer; the frogs, 

 which were small, I caught in the meadow behind where 

 you stand on the path to fish. In the winter, when you 

 cannot procure brains, a piece of white fat bacon, paste 

 made of bread and honey, or nice white greaves will do; 

 the greaves should be well scalded for this purpose, as 

 they look whiter. I have been thus explicit on the sub- 

 ject here, as no other fish are angled for with brains; for 

 the same reason I treated at large on Gudgeon Fishing, 

 under the head of the Gudgeon. 



THE BARBEL. 



This Fish is very plentiful in the Thames and Lea; I 



