THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



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biting creatures, and it needs considerable skill to 

 catch them. We have seen an angler who could 

 kill a fair basketful of trout on the brightest day at 

 Coquetside, fail to maintain his reputation when 

 roach-fishing in this stream. One's tackle must be 

 of the finest. Many anglers, especially London 

 ones, who are great roach-anglers, use footlinks a 

 single horsehair thick ; but we are inclined to think 

 this a refinement of luxury, for gut is now drawn 

 so fine as to be practically invisible in the clearest 

 water, and it is stronger than hair. The rod should 

 be long and light, and the baits, if natural ones or 

 paste, should be perfectly clean and fresh. Yet all 

 these things avail nothing if the angler's eye be not 

 quick, his attention unflagging, and his wrist supple 

 and dexterous in striking. 



A clear river roach, his stomach and his strength 

 being unimpaired by gross feeding, fights well for 

 some time ; and supposing he is over half a pound 

 in weight, and you are using fine tackle, a landing- 

 net will be found extremely useful. On the present 

 occasion we have one slung at our back, and it can 

 be unhooked in a moment when required for use. 



There are many ways of fishing for this handsome 

 fish for handsome he is, with his silver scales, his 

 red fins, and his yellow eyes. You may fish for 

 him in muddy water with worms. You may use 

 wasp grubs, or gentles, or pastes of various mixture. 

 On hot days you may dib for him with a natural 

 fly under the bushes which overhang the still deeps, 



