1 86 FISHES I HAVE KNOWN 



mixed with sand and kneaded into balls, throwing 

 them exactly where the top of my rod would 

 reach over. I used as tackle a long single hair 

 which I had contrived to obtain from one of the 

 cream-coloured horses in the Buckingham Palace 

 stables. I used two hooks (the upper just clear of 

 the other), and a minute quill float, while for bait 

 I had the cleanest and liveliest of sheep's liver 

 gentles. 



Roach-fishing requires a delicate and steady 

 hand, and a quick eye for the least tremor of 

 the float ; the biggest fish often giving the gentlest 

 of pulls, and when the float suddenly and entirely 

 disappears, it usually is because some inexperi- 

 enced youngster has rushed to the front and 

 hastily swallowed the gentle. 



Thus, when, in the midst of the tournament, my 

 quill gave a quiet bob, I was not surprised to find 

 what appeared to be a heavy roach, which, after 

 delicate handling, I got to bank. It turned out 

 to be a beautiful rudd of ij Ibs. weight, much 

 resembling a roach, but with brighter red eyes 

 and a slightly different arrangement of the dorsal 

 fin rays. 



Some of the roach (the proceeds of the tourna- 

 ment) after being kept in the larder all night, were 

 cooked for breakfast. In less than twenty-four 



