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return of consciousness they will run at and bite anything that 

 comes in their way, and this applies to Roach as well as to most 

 other fish. Roach are not partial to strong streams at any time 

 of the year, and after they have done scouring, you will find 

 them in gentle swims of from three to six feet deep, but the 

 largest fish will be found in deeper water. I once picked ten 

 Roach from a basket that I caught in one of the summer months 

 (I think it was in the latter end of August,) that weighed 

 fifteen pounds the largest fish weighed two pounds and three 

 ounces. These were all caught in about eight feet of water 

 with the female lob-worm. I think I never saw a dish of finer 

 Roach in my life. From October till March they will be found 

 in still water with a sandy bottom, sometimes a gravelly, but 

 never a muddy bottom. 



The baits for Roach fishing are very numerous, and some 

 Roach fishers are very whimsical about their baits, using different 

 kinds of colourings, sweeteners, and scents. But if you want a 

 scent you cannot have a better than I have recommended for 

 Barbel fishing. I will name most of the baits used for Roach 

 fishing, and then I will tell you which, in my opinion, are the 

 best. Artificial and natural flies, gentles, straw-bait, cad-bait, 

 wasp-grub, creed malt, and wheat, grains, creed rice, and pearl 

 barley, white and red paste, red worms, and the tail end of the 

 female lob. All these baits will catch Roach at certain periods 

 of the season, but not at all times. For instance, it would 

 not be advisable to fish with flies, grains, creed malt, and 

 wheat, in the coldest winter months. 



I will here relate how I took the conceit out of a boasting 

 Roach fisher, and convinced him that his style of fishing was 

 wrong and his fanciful baits useless. In the year 1 850, when 

 I resided at Derby, I made tremendous havoc amongst fish of 

 all descriptions, which made many Anglers very jealous of me, 

 one in particular. He said, " I will fish this man for what he 

 likes ; I don't care who he is or where he comes from ; he may- 

 be a good fisherman, but I think I can lick him at Roach fishing." 

 An uncle of mine, who was present, hearing this challenge. 



