154 COARSE FISH. 



dangling of a dazzling white rod over the heads of 

 a shoal of roach in clear, or nearly clear, water 

 must tend to spoil sport. I never feel comfortable 

 when fishing unless I use a running line, which is 

 not customary with the Lea rod. The line is made 

 fast to the end of the top joint, and the rod-point 

 follows the float, being kept immediately, or nearly, 

 over it. To bait the hook, or to land a fish, the 

 butt has to be unshipped each time. The great 

 idea of .the Lea roacher is to keep a straight line 

 over his float, with as little slack as possible. 

 Rings add somewhat to the weight, and prevent 

 the rods being packed up into two or three pieces, 

 which is a consideration. To get rid of slack line 

 in a rod with rings, the Lea roach-fisher need only 

 adopt a very simple plan, that of using a winch 

 with a strong check, turning the top ring down a 

 little, and tying a small piece of twig or match 

 crosswise on the line between float and rod-top. 

 When the tackle is fishing, wind on the winch till 

 the match or twig is held by the check on the 

 winch against the top ring ; a tight line is thus 

 easily provided for, and there is running line to 

 play a bream or barbel, for it is no uncommon 

 occurrence to hook either of these fish in a roach 

 swim. It is most exasperating to lose large fish 

 for the want of running line, and I have seen it 

 done in the Wey by most skilful handlers of the 

 roach-pole. As regards rings, very few would 

 suffice. Upright rings could be quickly whipped 

 on (before fishing) with a few turns of waxed silk ; 

 the larger ones could be fixed quite firmly enough 

 with two or three fine india-rubber bands; although 

 the rings would be far apart, the line could not lap 

 round the rod, as the check on the winch acting in 



