26 



Gudgeon. 



The gudgeon is straight, slender, neatly shaped, 

 finely spotted on the back and tail, and of a bright 

 clear colour, almost transparent ; it is a pleasant, 

 well-tasted, wholesome fish to eat, and easy of 

 digestion. 



The gudgeon loves a clear water, a sandy or 

 gravelly bottom, a gentle stream, not rapidly swift, 

 nor heavily slow and dull ; and they chiefly delight 

 in small rivers : hence it is observed of the Thames, 

 that all the smaller rivers that run into it are full 

 of excellent gudgeons, but not the Thames itself. 



They bite fair and bold, and will take bait and 

 hook all down together, without fear; therefore 

 use a small, fine hook, and a neat round bait, just 

 enough to cover it. 



When you fish for them in shallows, take a long 

 pole with an iron rake at the end of it, and disturb 

 the sand or gravel ; then throw in, and they will 

 float round. 



Angle for gudgeons with a cork float, so that 

 you may distinguish their bite; let your bait lie on 

 the ground, but so as to drive with the stream, 

 which the cork flat will help it to do, and keep it 

 stirring. 



The bait for a gudgeon is the red worm, clean 

 and wholesome, not stale, or the cadis, or gentle, 

 or paste, all in their turn; and if you wish to bait 

 the ground for them, the best method is, only to 

 throw in a basket of dry earth and sand, and when 

 you are sure they are come to it, throw in some 

 paste in small quantities at a time, and in small 

 round pellets, of such a size as they may easily 

 swallow at once. 



