The Compleat ^Angler 



months ; and the salmon in the like time, if he gets into the sea, 

 and after into fresh water. 



Roaches be accounted much better in the river than in a pond, 

 though ponds usually breed the biggest. But there is a kind of 

 bastard small roach, that breeds in ponds, with a very forked tail, 

 and of a very small size, which some say is bred by the bream and 

 right roach ; and some ponds are stored with these beyond belief ; 

 and knowing-men, that know their difference, call them ruds ; they 

 differ from the true roach as much as a herring from a pilchard. 

 And these bastard breed of roach are now scattered in many rivers ; 

 but I think not in the Thames, which I believe affords the largest 

 and fattest in this nation, especially below London Bridge. The 

 roach is a leather-mouthed fish, and has a kind of saw-like teeth in 

 his throat. And lastly, let me tell you, the roach makes an angler 

 capital sport, especially the great roaches about London, where I 

 think there be the best roach anglers. And I think the best trout 

 anglers be in Derbyshire ; for the waters there are clear to an 

 extremity. 



Next, let me tell you, you shall fish for this roach in winter with 

 paste or gentles ; in April, with worms or cadis ; in the very hot 

 months with little white snails, or with flies under water, for he 

 seldom takes them at the top, though the dace will. In many of 

 the hot months roaches may also be caught thus : take a May-fly or 

 ant-fly, sink him with a little lead to the bottom, near to the piles 

 or posts of a bridge, or near to any posts of a weir, I mean any deep 

 place where roaches lie quietly, and then pull your fly up very 

 leisurely, and usually a roach will follow your bait to the very top 

 of the water, and gaze on it there, and run at it and take it, lest the 

 fly should fly away from him. 



I have seen this done at Windsor and Henley-bridge, and great 

 store of roach taken, and sometimes a dace or chub ; and in August 

 you may fish for them with a paste made only of the crumbs of 

 bread, which should be of pure fine manchet ; and that paste must 

 be so tempered betwixt your hands till it be both soft and tough 

 too ; a very little water, and time and labour, and clean hands, will 

 make it a most excellent paste : but when you fish with it, you must 



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