306 WHA T I HAVE SEEN WHILE FISHING 



fins to suit only sedate movements in almost still 

 water. 



Thames bream are more sportive than those in 

 any other river ; their flesh is firmer and they are 

 far less slimy. 



They are to be found so far up the river as 

 Datchet, where they are sometimes caught of 

 quite large size, but not in such numbers as lower 

 down. 



Walton Deeps holds the palm for great suc- 

 cesses with this fish. When fishing there the punt 

 should be held by a ripeck fixed in the centre of 

 the river while the tail is turned a little slanting 

 against the stream by ripeck number two. 



Clay, grains and brandlings, well mixed and 

 made into balls, is by far the best ground-bait, 

 and red worms or brandlings the most successful 

 bait. 



The water is deep, but flows so easily that 

 a float is often used with much success, but I 

 prefer the ledger, and I use the same tackle as 

 that described for barbel, excepting only that I 

 have a smaller hook. 



When float-fishing the shots should be fifteen 

 inches above the hook, and the float should be held 

 back a little so as to let the baited hook be well 

 forward and slightly off the bottom, as bream have 

 to almost stand upon their heads to take their food 

 from off the ground. 



Now let us go up through Datchet, noted for 



