THE JOLLY ANGLER. 57 



that when your plumb touches the bottom, the top of your 

 float may be an inch above the water, in the middle of the 

 swim ; now, as you ought always to choose a place where 

 the end of your swim is shallower than the middle, your 

 bait towards the end will just drag on the ground, which 

 is the right depth; when you have found that, press your 

 caps tight on the float, to prevent its slipping down the 

 line when you strike, which it will sometimes do; if you 

 suspect that, always plumb again; if you do not fish at the 

 right depth, all I can say on the subject of Bottom -fishing 

 will be thrown away. 

 With regard to 



THE HOOK, 



that should always be in proportion to the size of the bait, 

 and the mouth of the fish you are endeavouring to catch. 

 If where Barbel and Chub are found among the Roach, 

 have the hook (No. 9) of stronger wire than if fishing for 

 Roach or Gudgeons only. Remember, a small hook will 

 catch, and generally hold, a large fish*, but a large hook 

 cannot take a small one. For Roach-fishing use a short- 

 shanked hook, and not one long enough to dress a fly on. 



THE IiINE 



for Bottom-fishing, should be about three feet longer than 

 the water is deep, in order that you may not be incum- 

 bered with too much line between the top of your rod and 

 the float, for when this is the case, you cannot strike so 

 quick as is necessary in Roach-fishing, I should recom- 

 mend a fine gut line, about three and a half yards long, 

 though I am myself in the habit (whenever I can) of using 

 single hair; but there is more skill and attention necessary 

 in managing it, than generally falls to the lot of an inex- 

 perienced angler ; and observe, when fishing with gut, let 

 the top of your line be stouter than the bottom; and when 



* Before tying on your hooks always pull them between yoar 

 finger and thumb to see if they break, or straighten, in which case 

 they are either too hard, or too soft, a circumstance that often 

 occurs to some among the best of hooks, in the tempering, through 

 their not all being at the same temperature; the Kirby shape is the 

 best. 



