AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 319 



to do the impossible ? Away it goes, and " swish " 

 says the rod, with the true off-side chub strike. 

 No need to give advice here ; the point of the rod 

 is well down and out as far as the arm can reach ; 

 the fish makes a desperate fight for his home under 

 that bough ; but he has met his master at last, and 

 all he can do is to die gallantly. Quietly we want 

 his mate the net is put under him, and a five- 

 pound chub is in the well. 



Two clean lobs are cut into halves and thrown 

 into the water so that the stream will carry them 

 to the spot where our hopes of the next fish are 

 centred. The hook is carefully baited, the float is 

 cast well out into the stream, and, as it travels 

 down, it is quietly drawn under the bough. 

 Almost before it settles into its former position 

 you may have seen the same slight nervous shake 

 of the float as if it knew full well the rush and 

 fight that were coming ; away it goes some 1 2 to 

 1 8 inches under water, and then the same perfect 

 chub-strike which so few can imitate ; a strike that 

 seems to come from the fish with a thud all up 

 the line and down the rod ; like a flash of electri- 

 city it travels ; and it does not end with the rod, 

 or its wielder, but goes right through the nervous 

 system of your companion. 



ROACH. 



Now we are coming to boughs that overhang 

 a steady eddy into which shoals of roach have 



