28 BLOWING THE TRUMPET. 



attractive this may be to small fry, it does not suit good 

 roach. Get a tube shaped like a trumpet or a post-horn, 

 Off get a common funnel with a large tube. Then get 

 three or four lengths of zinc or tin pipe, which will fit into 

 each other in joints like ferrules, of a foot or eighteen 

 inches each in length : screw on a sufficient number of 

 tfaeso to reach the bottom of the water ; tie a stone or 

 weight on to the small end, sufficient to sink it to the 

 bottom, and keep it steady ; then thrust it overboard to 

 the bottom of the water, the funnel remaining above the 

 water, and handy to you. Have a tub near, in which mix 

 up some clay or mould with bran and plenty of water. 

 Stir it up until it becomes thick slush. Then take a 

 half-pint mug full of this liquid and pour it into the 

 funnel. This rises slowly from the lower end of the tube 

 at the bottom of the water, and thickens it for two or 

 three minutes, quite sufficiently to attract the fish and set 

 them bi:ing, while it does not satisfy their hunger like 

 ground-bait. Dropping your hook-bait into the muddy 

 stream, let it follow it down, and you will be likely to get 

 a bite or two. You can renew the colouring matter about 

 every quarter of an hour, and, said my informant, ' no 

 matter how low or bright the water, you will get sport 

 when none of the boats or fishermen near you will perhaps 

 be able to get any.' 



I never tried the plan myself, but I know that the 

 author of it has made large takes of bream in clear water 

 with the assistance of it. His name is Wright, a plumber, 

 living at Twickenham, and one of the best bottom-fishers 

 I know on the Thames. 



The next most favourite pabulum with roach are 

 pearl-barley and then paste. Some prefer paste ; I prefer 

 pearl-barley. Firstly, because when roach get the taste 

 of it they like it better, and next because you do not miss 

 nearly so many bites with it. The point of the hook being 



