126 ROACH. 



with bleak, for which the strike should be instantaneous. 

 A gudgeon will sometimes nibble at the bait, before he 

 fairly takes it. A little practice will supply the re- 

 quisite knowledge as to the moment when you should 

 strike. 



V. THE ROACH. 



IN fishing for roach, which is a most interesting species 

 of angling, the rod should be about eighteen feet in 

 length, unless the stream be a very narrow one, and as 

 light as it can be made, without being whippy, having 

 a single ring at the top on which to hook your line. 

 Provide yourself with a case of hair lines, from six 

 to twelve feet in length, and as fine as you can use 

 them. The float should be a tipped-capped quill; the 

 size being adapted to the nature of the stream, as in all 

 other cases. But as roach are found in the greatest 

 abundance where the stream is nearly still, a float of 

 about three inches long, to carry eight or ten No. 9 

 shot, will generally be found of the right size. The hook 

 should be a No. 10, fine wire. The shot should be put 

 on close together, about twelve inches from the hook, 

 with the exception of one or two of a smaller size, 

 which should be put about four inches from the hook. 

 The shotting should be sufficiently heavy to leave only 

 about the eighth of an inch of the float above the 

 water. The length of line between the float and the 

 top of the rod should be about sixteen inches, and the 

 float must be so placed that the bait may touch the 

 bottom. Should the rod be shorter; say thirteen or 

 fourteen feet in length, the length of line between the 

 point and the float should be about twelve inches. If 

 this is strictly attended to, the fish, upon taking the 



