CHUB. 57 



rod using red, brown or black Palmers, &c. , in some parts .of 

 the Thames a large black artificial caterpillar is very successful. 

 I have also taken some very fine Chub with the Spinning- 

 bait when fishing for Trout and Perch early in the season ; 

 towards the latter end of spring, angling with a live minnow 

 or small frog is sometimes very successful. 



f HE best time to angle with bullock's pith and brains is 

 from November till March. To prepare them for use, 

 take the skin from the brains, washing in fresh water 



two or three times to clear them from blood, and until 



they become white ; the outside skin of the pith of the back- 

 bone is very thick and tough, this must be carefully slit with 

 scissors (so as not to tear the under skin), and removed. When 

 this operation is completed, slit the underskin in like manner, 

 from end to end of the piece, open it so as to lay it flat, there 

 will then be skin on one side and none on the other ; the 

 skin is to bind it to the hook. Wash clean, boil the pith and 

 brains a minute, and they are ready for use. 



The Rod should be light and about twelve feet long if used 

 from the bank, but may be shorter to use from a punt. With 

 forty or fifty yards of fine prepared plaited silk line on a suit- 

 able winch. The bottom tackle should be composed of three 

 yards of fine gut line, a No. 5 hook, and a quill float of pro- 

 portionate size to the amount of stream in the swim ; using as 

 small a one as possible. Choose a gentle swim about six feet 

 deep where there are willow bushes overhanging the water ; 

 plumb the depth and fish an inch from the bottom, baiting 

 with the pith and using the brains as ground-bait. Strike 

 directly you see a bite, and handle your fish carefully ; if a 

 large one, it will probably rush furiously to the opposite side of 

 the river, directly it is hooked, give plenty of line, unless he is 

 going to dangerous quarters ; put on a little strain and after - 

 his first or second effort, and a few plunges you may venture 

 to bring him to the landing net. 



The usual method of ground-baiting with brains is by chew- 

 ing and then blowing them into the water; but as many 

 anglers object to this, they may proceed in this manner : 

 take a quantity of brains, either bullocks' or sheep's, clean 



