THE ROACH. 29 



thousand additional lamps " in the long-extinct 

 Vauxhall Gardens, are rarely counted, or rather 

 counted with rare liberality ; at all events, they 

 consist principally of the youthful fry, all in- 

 experienced in the wicked devices of the angler. 

 " Non cuivis contingit" it is not every one who 

 can fill the well of his punt with really good roach, 

 each from half a pound to a pound and a half 

 in weight, in a day's angling. The fisherman 

 who can do this in ordinary circumstances may be 

 sneered at by the mighty salmon-fisher, but give 

 him the same opportunity, and rely upon it he 

 will make good use of it ! 



The roach affects deep running, but not rapid 

 water ; he feeds near, but not on, the bottom ; 

 and, after plumbing, the bait should be regulated 

 so as to travel two or three inches from the 

 bottom. The roach may be fished for either 

 from a punt or from the shore, and to the bank- 

 fisher there is no inhabitant of the Thames that 

 affords such constant and unintermittent sport. 

 The rod for this purpose is made of bamboo, 

 eighteen or twenty feet in length, the last joint 

 of the butt end being readily removable to facili- 

 tate the landing of the hooked fish. When a reel 

 is used, it must be carried in the pocket, but a 

 reel is generally dispensed with, the length of the 



