THE CAEP AND TENCH. 131 



it carefully on tlie hook, so that every part of it is hidden in 

 the worm, or Mr. Carp will soon find the latter out. Allow 

 the bait to be plenty deep enough, better let it lie a few 

 inches on the bottom, than hang clear. If the carp bites, 

 don't be in a hurry, for he is a very slow biter, the float will 

 sometimes bob and tremble for a few seconds, don't meddle 

 with it till it bobs under water and begins to glide away, 

 then strike firmly, and if he is a big one, look out for squalls, 

 should there be a weed bed handy so that he can pop in it. 

 If you wish to use paste, the bread paste recommended in 

 roach fishing will do, only instead of it being plain, it is best 

 mixed with a little honey ; a few pellets of this can be thrown 

 in before you begin to fish. The cunning old customers, how- 

 ever, will rob your hook of this paste continually, therefore I 

 should prefer the worm myself. 



The chief requirements of an angler for big carp in a pond 

 are, first, very fine tackle; second, a nice bait; third, keep out 

 of sight, and make no noise; fourth, plenty of skill; and fifth, 

 a very large stock of patience, and then you may perhaps 

 catch one or two, and perhaps not, for fishing for carp and 

 catching carp are two different things, and should not be con- 

 founded in the least. Should the angler be so fortunate as 

 to drop across a big pond that has not been fished since the 

 " Middle Ages," and it contains an abundance of fine carp 

 and tench, then the probability is that he will get a little 

 sport ; but in well-fished waters, these fish are not to be had 

 without a lot of trouble. The angler must be up to all sorts 

 of dodges. If the pond has a lot of weeds, or water-fiowers 

 on it, and the carp are on the surface, as they very often are, 

 grubbing about and eyeing the weeds, to see if there is anything 

 good to eat among them, a nice worm is just hung over the 

 edge of a leaf or flower, the fish will very often take it with- 

 out any preliminary hesitation, as he would if it were on the 

 ground ; but it is a very risky proceeding, carp being more 



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