THE CHUB. 65 



tion that he cannot help taking it, and with it the hook. 

 July and August, when the weather is very hot, is the best 

 time for this class of sport ; indeed, good bags of chub may be 

 made by this means, when the weather is too hot for any- 

 thing else. 



When you are fishing this method under an overhanging 

 bank, and no bushes line the bank, it will be necessary to 

 crawl to the spot on hands and knees, or even on your belly. 

 An old friend who once saw me capture a three-pound chub 

 that had his home in a deep hole under a high over-hanging 

 bank, termed it taking a mean advantage of the fish. The 

 weather was very hot, and so after catching a big humble 

 bee, and putting him carefully on the hook, I crawled to the 

 edge and just poked the rod top and my own nose over. I 

 dropped the bee carefully on the water. It began to buzz and 

 spin in a very attractive manner, and presently Mr. Chub came 

 to have a look at him and swim round him a time or two 

 with back fin erect. The attraction was, however, too strong, 

 he opened his mouth and took his last bite. 



When the angler operates from a high over-hanging bank, 

 he ought to take notice that the bank is sound, for an old 

 friend of mine one day thoughtlessly stepped on one, and the 

 next moment he and part of the bank were in eight feet of 

 water rather disagreeable, you know, when a little observa- 

 tion would have prevented this. Whipping with a small 

 frog is also a very good plan. The frog is thrown somewhat 

 similarly to a fly. No float is required, nor shots on the 

 tackle. A lip-hook and a double hook just below it is the 

 best form of tackle, the lip-hook is put through the lips of 

 the frog, and the double hook tied to one of the thighs with 

 a little bit of yellow silk, it is thrown or pitched in all likely 

 looking spots and allowed to sink a little below the surface, 

 being worked by a series of shorts jerks. At the symptoms 

 of a bite, the angler instantly strikes. Artificial chub baits 

 have also been made and used with effect, but natural baits, 

 &c., are so numerous and deadly that for my part, I think it 

 is a waste of money to buy artificials. An artificial chafer is 

 used with effect on the Thames, however, and this bait, which 

 is garnished by two or three gentles, giving it the appearance 



