3i 4 PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



On some of the shallows above and beyond Richmond, I 

 had in bygone years very good sport with the dace, using the 

 artificial fly ; and at Twickenham dace-fishing appears to be still 

 a profitable pursuit, to judge by the following account of a suc- 

 cession of takes in the neighbourhood during the last season by 

 Mr. R. A. Banfield, of the Clapham Junction Angling Society : 



I fished on fifteen days ranging from August 26, 1883, till 

 February 10, 1884, my total take during that time being 107 Ibs. 

 4^ ozs., an average of 7 Ibs. 2^ ozs. The best take was on the 

 first-mentioned date, viz., 17 Ibs. 10 ozs., the whole being dace, with 

 the exception of 13 ozs. of roach. . . . The lowest day's take was 

 on November n,viz., I Ib. 4 ozs. 



The dace spawns about June in most, or, at any rate, in 

 many rivers. In the Teme they come up in great shoals, and 

 at this time are often caught by the net, as it is desired to keep 

 down as much as possible the stock of coarse fish. 



The principal Characteristics of the Dace are : The whole 

 length of the fish, body, head, and tail-fin being considered as 

 5, the length of the head alone is about as i. Depth of body, 

 about same as length of head Back fin commencing half-way 

 between point of nose and end oft. fleshy portion of tail. Tail 

 fin small and a good deal forked. Scales smaller than those of 

 chub, 50 in lateral line. Colour : back, dark olive or brownish 

 green, becoming rapidly silver on the side. Belly, white. 

 Cheeks, gill covers, and eyes silvery, with a touch of bronze. 

 Pectoral fins, pale pinkish, sometimes nearly green. Ventral 

 fins, ditto. Anal fin, pale greenish-white, sometimes with very 

 slight tinge of red. Back fin and tail fin, same colour as 

 back. 



Of the chub as a 'sporting' fish, less can probably be said 

 with truth than of the dace. It is not so mettlesome or game- 

 some, but it grows to a far greater size, and has the merit of 

 taking the artificial fly kindly. 



As its specific name 'the headed dace' implies, the chub is 

 somewhat slow and clumsy in its movements and appearance, 

 though, withal, a stately and handsome fish when large and in 

 good conditiou , but I cannot but think that the fashion with 



