136 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 



I have never seen it in operation, but I have been assured that 

 it is exceedingly effective. The recipe is as follows : Boil 



\\ lb. of rice until rather soft (not so much so as to cause it to 

 adhere), let it cool, then add i^ lb. of flour, i oz. of Cocculus 

 Indicus^ and crumble up with the whole a threepenny loaf of 

 stale bread. Mix all together with the hands, and fling it in 

 pieces about the size of swan-shot into the haunts of chub and 

 other coarse fish. These will eat it — though trout, it is said, 

 will not — and presently float up in a disgraceful state of in- 

 toxication, when they may be scooped out with a landing-net. 

 Chub gather into companies in the spawning season, which in 

 Britain takes place in May, and deposit their ova in gravelly 

 places. Were the chub a more valuable prize, angling for him 

 Angling for would be a very exciting sport, for he is a wary 

 Chub, fellow, and must be approached by stealth and with 

 fine tackle, which by his strength and weight he is able to test 

 to the uttermost. He takes both fly and minnow, as trout- 

 fishers know to their chagrin. Many a time is the dry-fly 

 fisher deceived by a fish rising seductively in a difficult place 

 under the trailing sprays of a willow. With skilful sidelong 

 cast he manages to deliver his fly neatly a yard or more above 

 the spot ; it lights like gossamer on the surface and travels 

 down, airily cocked in irresistible fashion. A modest dimple 

 on the placid current — the line tightens bravely, and the reel 

 spins merrily as the fish makes a strong, deep rush towards the 

 pollard root. The angler's heart is in his mouth, for this feels 

 like a trout of 3 lb. at the least. Next moment an angry 



Lonosyllable disturbs the serene air ; the rush is checked and 

 spent, and a great chub comes lumbering to the surface, soon 

 to be dragged without ceremony to the net, for summer chub 

 make but a poor fight, and no trout-fisher would soil his basket 

 with such slimy quarry. 



Quick sport may be had with chub in weir-streams and 

 swift, shallow water during June and July ; but the fish are 

 not at their best till September. In that month they seek the 



