THE BLEAK 157 



Few people of mature age would be at the pains to 

 catch bleak, either for sport or because of their quality on 

 The uses of ^^e table. Some there are who affirm that bleak 

 Bleak, ^j-g j^q -^hit inferior to sprats, others pronounce 

 them insipid and even disagreeable. For my own part, 

 were I inclined for a meal upon small fish, I should choose 

 one like the sprat, a cleaner feeder and less infested with 

 parasites than the bleak. Nevertheless, it is sometimes of 

 the utmost importance to one intending to angle for nobler 

 fish — Thames trout, for instance — to be able to obtain a 

 supply of bleak. True, one can always telegraph to any 

 London tackle-shop for a jar of small fish, beautifully 

 bottled and preserved in formaline, but sometimes one stands 

 in immediate want of bait. At such crises it is well to 

 know how to catch bleak. There is not much difficulty 

 in that, provided the sun be hot and the air calm. Cold 

 blustery weather puts them off the feed altogether, and 

 they disappear from view ; but so long as they are cruising 

 about near the top, any small artificial fly will attract them. 

 You must use the finest of tackle, drawn gut or, better still, 

 single horse-hair ; for bleak have brains, and learn very 

 quickly to use them in a river so full of snares as the Thames. 



Those who make it their business to catch bleak for 

 bait, and to supply the tackle-makers with them, do not 

 depend on the artificial fly. They keep gentles in a jar, 

 covered with muslin over the top, till they turn from white 

 maggots to brown chrysalis, and finally to bluebottles. 

 No bleak that ever was born can resist a fat bluebottle ; 

 and if you are well supplied with these, killed by pouring 

 boiling water over them, the services of a professional with 

 a casting-net will seldom be required. But to avoid dis- 

 appointment, you must ground-bait cunningly. Bread is 

 the best for that purpose, but bread cast upon the waters 

 is soon floated away, and the bleak follow it. Cast your 

 bread, therefore, but let it be a slice secured to your punt 



