ROACH, RUDD AND DACE. 63 



smooth and stiff. This is, when well made, the best paste 

 for Roach, and they seldom refuse it at any time of the year. 

 Many add a small quantity of honey, in this case the bread 

 will not require dipping in water. Some also prefer a pink 

 paste, this is made by mixing a small 'quantity of vermilion 

 or red ochre with the one first mentioned. The Cadis is also 

 a good bait, and should the angler be fishing any water where 

 this bait is plentiful, at the time when it is leaving its shell, 

 he will probably find that the Roach will take nothing else, 

 this being then their natural food. At other times a small 

 red worm or a portion of the tail of a small lobworm will be 

 found successful ; note, when using these, to ground-bait 

 with a quantity of a similar description of worm chopped up 

 into small pieces ; instead of the bread and bran, which 

 should be used when paste is the bait. In the same manner 

 as the carrion gentles are added when liver-gentles are used 

 on the hook, the fish, as is often the case, appearing to judge 

 from outward appearance only, and therefore preferring 

 the well-fed aldermanic individual moving along in grand 

 state on the hook, to the dirty canaille who are swept along 

 with the stream. Yet with Roach as with all other fish, the 

 water may appear in good order, the wind in the right quarter, 

 and everything else equally favorable, but the fish will not 

 take the bait, let it be ever so tempting. The disappointed 

 angler declares that " they are not on the feed " the simple 

 fact being that by a natural instinct, they appear to expect, 

 at certain seasons of the year, and in certain conditions of 

 the water, some particular natural food which is in the water ; 

 whether in the shape of decomposed weeds, grubs, cadis or 

 other insects not easily to be discovered. To fish with one 

 gentle, enter the point of the hook (which should be No. 10 

 or 11) near either end, bring it out at the other, and drawing 

 the point back again sufficiently to conceal it ; pursue a 

 similar method if using more than one. A larger hook No. 

 8 or 9 is required for a worm, to bait with which enter the 

 point of the hook near the head of the worm, which must be 

 worked gently on to the hook with the thumb and finger, 

 while the right is gradually working the hook down yards ; a 

 small lively piece of the tail may be left moving about, but if 



