194 ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT FISHERIES 



the angler must have a subtle eye and a steady 

 hand. If he is curious, he is at the same time 

 excessively suspicious ; and to catch him one must 

 use the finest possible tackle. This does not apply to 

 the smaller roach, which are " water-sheep " indeed. 



THE GUDGEON (Gobio fluviatilis) 



So far as I am aware, the gudgeon occurs no- 

 where in the Lake District except in the Kendal 

 and Lancaster Canal ; and from here, when the 

 water is run off, it occasionally finds its way into 

 the lower reaches of the Kent, where, upon rare 

 occasions, it is taken by anglers when trout fishing. 

 Twenty years ago the gudgeon was not uncommon 

 at a particular point near Sedgwick, but now it 

 is of the rarest occurrence. 



THE DACE (Leuciscus vulgaris) 



The dace is said to occur locally in the Eden. 

 It is, however, generally absent from the district. 



THE CHUB (Leuciscus cephalus) 



The chub x occurs in several Cumberland rivers, 

 and is here called the " skelly ; " but it should be 



1 "Chub or Chevin. They go down the lake into the 

 Eamont to spawn ; they sometimes weigh 5 Ibs. They are 

 commonly called Chevin here ; on the Eden, the Irthing, and 

 some other rivers in the county, they are called Skelly^ from 

 the large scales upon them," And again; "The skelly is 



