ROACH, RUDD AND DACE. 6l 



The size of the Hooks varies considerably, some experienced 

 anglers using them as large as No. 6, whilst others never use 

 anything larger than No. 11 ; a medium size about No. 9 

 will generally be found the most useful. As regards shape, 

 this is very much a matter of fancy, the very fine round bent 

 hooks requiring great care in use as it is impossible for them 

 to have very much barb and the skin of a Roach's mouth 

 being very tender the fine wire is apt to work out or cut its 

 way through if the fish is large or gives much play ; they are 

 however much used by those anglers who prefer fishing with 

 hair, whilst those who use fine gut generally prefer the bright 

 sneck, a short square shaped hook, extremely sharp, with a 

 good barb. 



The best and neatest Float is the taper quill ; though for 

 rough work, a very thin cork is very useful. Roach floats 

 are of all sizes from those carrying half-a-dozen shots, to some 

 for use in heavy water, and which require thirty shots or 

 more. Observe, to shot the line so that a very small portion 

 only, of the tip of the float is left above water, for Roaoh fre- 

 quently bite so very fine, that without attending to this you 

 will probably miss the chance of two bites out of three ; 

 neither should the float be larger than is actually necessary, 

 although it must be obvious, that in fishing some of the deep 

 swims in the Thames, where there is a strong steady current, 

 unless the angler has a tolerably large string of shot his bait 

 will not reach the bottom until it arrives at nearly the end 

 of the swim ; therefore always match the size of the float as 

 near as possible to the degree of current in the river you 

 intend to fish, 



Plumbing the depth is performed in the following manner ; 

 if using a roll plummet, as it is termed, (which is simply a 

 small roll of thin sheet lead about an inch wide) unroll about 

 two inches from the end, lay the hook in, and roll up the 

 plummet again ; your hook is then secured. This is not so 

 good as using the ring plummet, the hook in this instance 

 being passed through the ring, and the point inserted in the 

 cork at the bottom of the plummet, which may be either 

 taper, like a sugar-loaf or square ended. 



As success in Roach-fishing depends much upon angling a 



