108 AN ANGLER'S YEAR 



ring. If the weeds are numerous the line must, during 

 this manoeuvre, be well vaselined ; the check is then to 

 be replaced, taking care that about two yards of slack 

 line are left free below the butt ring. Then pull the 

 little loop from beneath the india-rubber ring and hold it 

 in the left hand ; and taking the rod in the right make a 

 steady underhand cast about a yard above and in the 

 direction in which the fish was last seen. The 

 apparatus should reach the water with the worms a 

 little further down stream than the float ; the shot 

 prevents any entanglement, which is the great bugbear 

 of self-cocking arrangements. The worms wriggling, 

 kicking, and gradually sinking, precede the float down 

 stream and the yard or two of slack line runs out. This 

 is the killing moment for a big rudd ; as he^ passes the 

 sinking bait, he wolfs it down and proceeds on his way ; 

 thereupon away goes the float. Strike quickly and as 

 lightly as possible and then hold on, for the fish at once 

 makes for the weeds, and out of them he must be kept 

 at all hazards. 



Here the yalue of the pliable greenheart comes in. 

 Kick and struggle as he may, if steadily held and given 

 the butt he soon gives in and is scooped into the net. 

 The only critical moment is just as he is brought along- 

 side, for he almost invariably tries to dash under the 

 boat. But if, instead of this exciting episode, your 

 float, after alighting, proceeds for its yard or two 

 unmoved, quickly slip off the check and let the line run 

 on for ten or fifteen yards more, checking the reel every 

 now and then to make the bait come to the surface and 

 gradually sink again. If there is no attack made during 

 this period, reel quickly up for, say, twenty yards, and 

 then placing the rod horizontally out on the other side 

 of the boat, let the float run down as before. If there 

 is no offer, sit still and look about to see if you have 

 scared your fish, and, should one sport within reach 

 during the time, cast over it. If not, drop down further ; 

 or if a fish show anywhere not within casting distance, 

 get above him and repeat the manoeuvres above 

 indicated. 



