BOTTOM EISHIKG. 57 



Upon hooking a fish, the chief consideration must he 

 how to extract him without damage to the swim,* dash 

 and bustle being highly unfavorable to the situation, the 

 capture must be consummated as soon as is compatible 

 with the general weal. A judicious change of situation 

 is the best thing under the circumstances, therefore 

 when this can be carried out effectually the fish may be 

 quietly landed in some secluded side spot away from 

 the baited swim. 



The persistent voracity of bleak, where they are numer- 

 ous, is often very annoying to the roach fisher. These 

 small fish, locating near the surface of the ^ater, absorb 

 the lure before it comes within the ken of the portly 

 roach. The effect of this is the more tantalizing when 

 fishing with gentles, or grain of any description. When 

 this petty larceny is going on, resort must be had to the 

 following expedients : Get a fair-sized piece of paste or 

 clay, bell-shaped, the hollow of which must be filled up 

 with dry bran. This should then be attached to the 

 hook and slowly let down. The bran will gradually 

 escape as it sinks, the bright atoms of which, as they are 

 carried down-stream, attract the small fry after them. 

 When clay or paste the latter is preferable, as it will serve 

 a double purpose in dispersing the bleak and forming 

 ground bait for the roach is not convenient, a handfulf 

 of bran thrown in the water will have the desired effect, 

 though somewhat temporary in its character. To reach* 

 the roach at the bottom of a still deep hole, a few gentles 

 should be pressed in clay, leaving small outlets for escape. 

 A few of these will have the desired effects of attracting 

 the notice and exciting the foraging instincts of the 

 larger fish. Whenever roach fail to approach the bait 



* The fish in a given water the swim of fish. 



1 1 have sometimes found that a handful of earth thrown into the 

 water will recall the fish when they have temporarily stopped biting. 



