60 COARSE FISH. 



Carp can frequently be seen sucking round the 

 edges of lilies and other water- weeds ; when they 

 do this, hook a piece of bread and crust on a small 

 triangle and let it rest over the edge of a weed ; 

 this can only be done fairly close in. Presently a 

 carp will come across the floating bread, and will 

 be nearly certain to suck it in ; let the line run for 

 just an instant, then strike, and take your chance 

 of pulling the fish through the weeds. 



To get sport, it is almost always necessary to 

 Ground- ground-bait a spot for some time before 



bait fishing. Bread and bran, with boiled pearl- 

 barley, make an attractive ground bait ; potato and 

 bread in small lumps are also good. Unless you are 

 fishing in deep water, I do not advise baiting more 

 than one spot, as moving about is so fatal to sport. 

 In muddy ponds, where the bottom varies, select, if 

 possible, the sandiest or most gravelly pitch you 

 can find ; and a hole between two weed beds that 

 can be conveniently fished is an excellent spot to 

 choose. If you are using a float, you must have 

 the depth plumbed and adjusted long before 

 fishing, for the use of the plummet will scare a 

 wily old carp for hours. 



There is no special rod built for carp-fishing, but 

 almost any rod that is strong and has good- 

 sized rings will do for legering. For dropping 

 a line Very quietly into holes alongside or near the 

 bank, a long rod is of service, and as the carp-rod is 

 seldom or never held while fishing, the weight does 

 not matter. It is essential to use a rod that will 

 really hold a very strong fish, for a roach-rod with 

 a stiff cane top would almost certainly be smashed 

 directly. The rod should be laid on the bank, or 

 supported in a forked stick, in such position that 



