32 THE ROACH. 



viously provided. These materials are kneaded 

 into round balls somewhat bigger than one's fist, 

 the object being to amalgamate as much bread, and 

 more essentially bran, as the clay will carry to 

 the bottom. Boys delight in the essentially nasty 

 operation of manufacturing ground-bait, and casting 

 the balls into the swim. The action of the water 

 disintegrates the ball, and the floating particles 

 pass down the stream, offering a lure to the fish, 

 which they follow up from great distances. The 

 ground-bait should be thrown in at intervals now 

 and again a lump not continuously, or it is pos- 

 sible that the fish may make their dinner off what 

 is intended merely as a whet to the appetite. 



The rod required for roach-fishing from a punt is 

 not nearly so long as that used from the shore, the 

 bottom joint of which, as has been said, is generally 

 taken off before the fish is landed ; but as compared 

 with that used for gudgeons it should be lengthy 

 say thirteen or fourteen feet. It must be tolerably 

 stiff, too, to ensure rapid striking, which is absolutely 

 essential in roach-fishing. The line should be fine, 

 the reel true, and the bottom of the very finest gut, 

 or, which is generally preferred by the accomplished 

 angler, of single hair ; the float of cork, long, large, 

 and tapering, heavily shotted with numerous fine 

 shot, until it swim with not more than half an inch 



