52 ELEMENTS OF ANGLING. 



the novice is playing a half-pounder, which is duly 

 basketed. A little later the float goes right under, 

 and a second roach of fib. is the result. Sometimes 

 the fish bite more boldly, and even swallow the 

 bait ; but, as a rule, their attack is short and sharp. 

 After half a dozen fish have been caught bites will 

 become less frequent, and then another ball or two 

 of ground-bait may be thrown in. 



Roach have other ways of biting besides the 

 obvious one which draws the float straight down 

 in the water. Now and again the float will 

 simply stop, as though the hook had caught in a 

 weed or something at the bottom, and this may 

 denote a bite, though oftener it is due to a weed. 

 Sometimes again the float rises up out of the water 

 in a queer manner and even lies flat ; this means 

 that a fish has taken the bait and then gone up with 

 it towards mid-water, so raising part of the shotted 

 line and freeing the float of some of its weight. 

 This kind of bite I have generally found to be due 

 to a small roach, but bream also do it occasionally, 

 and so do those freshwater sprats, the bleak, which 

 are a great nuisance in a roach swim. Another 

 bite which the novice must be ready for is not so 

 easy to recognise, especially if there is any wind. 

 The float may perhaps be seen going along with 

 the stream, but slightly aslant and moving a trifle 



