58 THE SCIENTIFIC ANGLEK. 



presented, a change should be made, if practicable. The 

 wisest policy is, however, to examine the stomach of the 

 first capture, as in the case of fly-fishing. 



We have frequently found a predominance of beetles, 

 and even flies, in the stomachs of the fish, which ac- 

 counted for a previous marked indifference to our bottom 

 bait : we are now speaking of roach in our smaller 

 streams, where the variety of food is much greater. In 

 the lowest portions of the majority of our best trout 

 streams, as, for instance, the tributaries of the Thames 

 and Trent, much execution may be done with the sunk 

 house-fly in September, when these and the wood-fly are 

 blind and feeble, and are scattered as the falling leaves 

 by each gust of wind. Whatever may be the contents of 

 the stomach of the fish, the bait should harmonize as 

 much as possible with what is found to be the inclination 

 of the quarry, whether it be worms, grubs, larvae of 

 insects, or even weeds, for the roach is occasionally a 

 vegetarian. In the case of the last-named predominancy, 

 paste may be used with advantage, and failing this, silk- 

 weed when procurable. Whatever you do, do not use 

 stale bait, or the sure Nemesis will be stale sport. Eoach 

 are excessively nice in their ideas, and the careful pan- 

 derer to their base desires will reap ample payment for 

 his exertions.* 



* * I have given the chapter on roach fishing in full, because every line 

 of it is of use to that class of anglers who fish shallow ponds or small 

 lakes and the rivers above tide water, where the sunfish and perch 

 gather in the deep holes. Fine fishing (there is none more delicate 

 than the English method of fishing for roach) is in such waters indis- 

 pensable to a fair creel. The section on Barbel fishing is omitted, as we 

 have no fish in American waters which can be called its congener. 



