THE ROACH. 161 



lighter than this. I make most of my heavy floats ; 

 it is a very simple matter, but the floats with long 

 tapered cork are best procured from the makers. 

 For very heavy floats, there should be a good sub- 

 stance of cork near the upper end of the float only ; 

 thus, the cork on the float taking twenty-two shot 

 is one and three-quarter inches in length, but it is 

 nearly three inches in circumference at its widest 

 part. (The circumference of a float is most deceiving 

 to the eye, the measurement far exceeding what 

 one would expect, and if the reader will take the 

 trouble to measure some of his floats, he will find 

 the results somewhat curious.) The quill of the 

 big floats is eight inches in length, the cork running 

 up to within an inch and a half of its top. This 

 body of cork, at the upper end of the float, keeps it 

 wonderfully steady in the water ; very long, tapered 

 cork or reed floats are inclined to wobble, whereas 

 the float should travel as steadily as possible. The 

 cork is fixed on the porcupine quill in the same 

 manner as described in chub-fishing, though it is 

 not made a slider float. The shots sink the float till 

 the cork is just submerged for its entire length ; as 

 I use the float for very long swims, I leave rather 

 more " top " than usual above the surface. I have 

 other floats made on the same system, but carrying 

 fewer shots ; tapered cork floats of different sizes, 

 the taper running well down the float ; also the 

 plain porcupine quill. Roach-floats are subjected 

 to hard work, and want something pretty solid to 

 stand the incessant striking ; I therefore eschew 

 artificially tapered quills or reed floats made in 

 several pieces. Reed floats are liable to split, and 

 the whippings on tapered quills (made of several 

 pieces, bone and quill) sooner or later give way. 



M 



