THE CHUB. 51 



Very small chub, of say half or three-quarters of a pound, 

 when crimped and fried dry, are eatable. The French call 

 him " un vilain," because they can do nothing with him ; 

 and if they are beaten in making a toothsome dish of him, 

 we may safely say these fish are not very edible. 



As I have before remarked, various methods are employed 

 for the capture of the chub ; and as this little work more 

 particularly relates to bottom fishing, I will commence with 

 that. The rod, the reel, and the line described in the pre- 

 ceding chapter will be just the things for chub, and your 

 bottom tackle should be as fine as you like, the finer the 

 better consistently with strength. Eemember, you have to 

 deal with a very shy and cautious fish. Your tackle for 

 bottom fishing for chub should be about four feet long, but 

 it will be as well to have some not more than a yard in 

 length, in case you should want to fish in rather shallower 

 water. Pale blue gut, or that stained a brown colour (a 

 recipe for staining gut these colours was given in the pre- 

 ceding chapter), is in my eye, and is the very best sort to 

 make your tackle of. For a float, if you can help it, never 

 employ one larger than a goose or small pelican quill, that 

 will carry from six to ten split shots, for summer fishing, 

 when the water is low and bright, and never have one of 

 the split shots less than eighteen inches from the hook. For 

 successful chub fishing, your tackle, &c., should be as neat as 

 possible. It is a downright insult to the intelligence of a 

 chub to drop a lot of big split shots and heavy leads on coarse 

 tackle over his nose. Your hooks may be of sizes Nos. 4, 6, 

 7, or 8, according to the bait in use ; and remember when 

 you whip your hooks on to have your waxed silk the colour 

 of the bait you intend to use. Chub may be ground-baited 

 for beforehand in the same manner as barbel, if you like, 

 but I do not think it pays very well, as a general rule. More 

 chub may be caught by " roving " for them. Half an hour 

 in a place is quite sufficient in my opinion, unless the place 

 is very productive of sport. Keep throwing a little ground 

 bait in as you go along, or just before you fish another 

 place. If the water runs tolerably fast, throw your ground 

 bait in a dozen yards above where you are going to stand, or 



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