THE BREAM. 43 



these rushes and below the upper bank, almost 

 invisible to the fish, although close to the water, 

 and quite out of sight of passers by, unless they 

 walked on the very edge of the river. The eleven- 

 foot rod fished this swim perfectly, being quite long 

 enough to reach the central curl of the eddy, which 

 was a very slow one. Driving a long, forked stick into 

 the bank, I had a steady rod rest ; while the butt of the 

 rod, with the winch handles uppermost, rested close 

 beside me in easy position for grasping and striking. 

 The rod-top is kept at right angles to the main 

 stream, and after throwing in, the line is wound in 

 until the float is in its proper position. Instead of 

 putting the check on the winch, I placed a light 

 stick on the winch-rim, just heavy enough to keep 

 the winch from revolving from the slight drag of 

 the water on float and tackle, but taking care to 

 place the stick in such position that a feeding fish 

 would slip it off the winch by the pull on the line. 

 All this acted splendidly in calm weather, but in 

 windy weather it was necessary to hold the rod. 

 Using a six-foot cast, I put one shot about two feet 

 from the hook, then slipped on a small pear-shape 

 lead above the shot. Passing the running line 

 through the float-ring I knotted on the tackle, 

 making the float fast with two half hitches just 

 above its ring. This float was a five-inch porcupine- 

 quill. The line thus grips the float at the lower end 

 of the float only, and the float hangs loose when 

 the line is thrown out. In a seven-foot swim, with 

 very gentle current, the lead should be about eight 

 feet, or a little more, from the float ; in swifter 

 swims the distance must be increased. When the 

 bait is in position,- it is considerably down stream of 

 the float ; but the float sticks up straight in the 



