158 COARSE FISH. 



procured. Take care to avoid any grease on the 

 gut line ; gut holds beads of air, and grease aggra- 

 vates this fault. 



Float-caps are hollow circles of quill, or india- 

 Float- rubber, that fix the float at a required 

 caps depth ; they are fitted on the upper part of 

 the float, for every roach float should be ringed at 

 its lower end. If two caps are used, instead of 

 a ring and a cap, the float may possibly be lost 

 by the caps loosening their hold and the float 

 being shaken off. I have lost one or two like 

 this when "hung up," the jarring on the tackle 

 loosening the caps, the float being carried away 

 by the stream. I use two caps with very heavy 

 floats, one broad one of india-rubber and one of 

 quill. When two are used, the quill cap need not 

 be pressed on the float so tightly, and the gut cast 

 is better preserved from injury. In choosing porcu- 

 pine or other quills, see that they taper very 

 gradually at the top (so that the quill cap may not 

 be shaken off). India-rubber caps do not hold the 

 float so tightly on the line as quill caps, but they 

 are less liable to injure or break the gut. The upper 

 loop of the cast is passed through the ring of the 

 float first, and then through the float-cap. I have 

 seen a few beginners fishing with their float upside 



down, which does not 

 look very sportsmanlike. 

 Hardy Brothers give 



Hooks in their catal g ue 

 ROACH HOOKS. six sizes of roach 



hooks, Nos. 3 to 8, of 



which Nos. 7 and 8 are worm hooks, the others 

 being suitable for paste or gentles. Personally, I do 

 not believe in very small hooks for large roach, so 



