19 



have hooked a carp, give him the line, and be wary 

 and patient, or you will lose him again. In rivers, 

 strike directly he bites ; but in ponds, wait a few 

 minutes. Look after your bait when you are using 

 paste, for you will sometimes find that he will suck 

 it completely off the hook without biting. 



Roach. 



The roach is broad, deep-bodied, but flat-sided 

 and thin. Angle for them with a cane rod and 

 quill float ; a fine gut line and No. 10 hook, or a 

 single hair line and No. 12 hook. To take roach 

 like an artist, you must use a light cane rod, nearly 

 twenty feet long, with a fine light stiff top, a single 

 hair line, a tip-capped float, and No. 12 hook. 

 The float should be so shotted that not much more 

 than an eighth of an inch appears above the water, 

 for roach (and very often the heaviest) bite so finely 

 or gently, that without attending to the above 

 nicety in adjusting your line, you will lose the 

 chance of two bites out of three. Always keep the 

 top of your rod over the float, and when you see 

 the least movement of it, strike quickly, but lightly. 

 If you hook your fish, keep him as much under 

 the top of your rod as possible, and by playing him 

 carefully you will soon secure him ; always have 

 a landing net w r ith you. 



" The best bait for roach is paste, made of second- 

 day's-baked white bread, slightly dipped in water, 

 which must be immediately squeezed out again; 

 then place it in the palm of your left hand, and 

 knead it with the thumb and finger of your right, 

 until of a proper consistence. Roach will take 

 this paste nearly the whole year, and by adding a 

 little vermilien it will be of a pink colour, which 



