THE CAEP AND TENCH. 153 



nine feet long, and three round, and which weighed seventy 

 pounds ;" and in the lake of Zug, in Switzerland, one was 

 taken which weighed ninety pounds. Carp are found in 

 lakes and ponds, and sometimes in rivers, the big ones being 

 the most shy and suspicious fish that swim in our waters. 

 Small ones of a pound or so will sometimes bite very freely, 

 but the big ones are not to be had except with great difficulty ; 

 indeed, it often happens that when the angler has exhausted 

 all his patience and ingenuity, the carp has not come to hand 

 and rewarded him for his trouble ; for as the poet justly 

 remarks, 



" Of all the fish that swim the watery mead, 

 Not one in cunning can the carp exceed." 



All sorts of baits are recommended in carp fishing pastes 

 of all sorts and colours, sweetened with honey and sugar, or 

 flavoured with gin or brandy ; green peas, small green beans, 

 while others swear by a bit of half -boiled potato, a bunch 

 of gentles, or a few grubs. Perhaps, however, as good a bait 

 as can be used is a well-scoured worm, a brandling, or a 

 cockspur. If you know of a lake or pond that contains carp, 

 it will be as well to bait a pitch. If you keep your eyes open, 

 you will soon see which is a favourite feeding-ground, and a 

 day or two before you fish, get the right depth. Having 

 done this, throw in a handful or two of chopped worms the 

 first thing in the morning, or whatever ground bait you pro- 

 pose trying, and, if possible, repeat this for two or three days. 

 When you come to fish, if you can keep quite out of sight, 

 and you have a beautiful well-scoured brandling on your hook, 

 you may perhaps delude one of the big fellows, though hook- 

 ing one would be the signal for the rest to bolt. You should 

 then go to another part of the pond, and operate there in the 

 same manner, and so give the carp in the first swim time to 

 recover from their astonishment. Whatever you do, don't 

 insult the carp by fishing for him with a heavy cork float, 

 a long necklace of chain shot, and a coarse tackle ; the self- 

 cocking float, the one split shot, and the fine tackle recom- 

 mended for roach fishing must be the order of the day. 

 Remember that 



