84 ANGLING. 



amount of skill and caution, and affords very respectable sport 

 when of good size and in full season. 



Walton calls this fish the "water-sheep/ 3 on account of his 

 simplicity and foolishness. However this may be applicable to the 

 small fry of roach during the summer, and in turbid and thick 

 waters, the larger fish are unquestionably timid, shy, cunning 

 fellows, undeserving the reproach cast upon them by so high an 

 authority. It is, indeed, very difficult to catch a large roach in 

 bright water, unless you use very fine tackle, and carefully keep 

 yourself out of sight. 



The rod for this fish should be light, supple, and handy. The 

 line as fine as you please. A line of three hairs, with a fine gut 

 bottom, is perhaps the best that can be used in all waters, and 

 under all circumstances. In fact, when the water is very clear and 

 limpid, your tackle can scarcely be too fine. 



The gentle is a very excellent bait during the finer parts of the 

 year ; and in August, if the hooks on which are rigged the arti- 

 ficial house-fly, be tipped with live gentles, the roach will dash at 

 them like fury. 



In the months of June and July we have seen very large ones 

 taken with the common yellow fly, which is to be found in abun- 

 dance on fresh dropped cow-dung. These are easily caught, and 

 may be placed in a dry phial-bottle. The angler should use a long 

 rod, say twenty or two-and-twenty feet, with running tackle of the 

 finest kind. About two yards of gut should hang from the end of the 

 rod ; and on a small hook:, say No. 12, one of the yellow flies should 

 be placed : and then, keeping out of sight as much as possible, the 

 bait should be dibbled lightly on the surface of the water. It is 

 curious to witness how eagerly and fiercely the large roach will 

 come out of their deep and secluded holes, and sail and sail around 

 the fly, indicating great caution and fear. But the temptation is 

 generally irresistible in the end ; and a splash, like a dog thrown 

 into the water, announces that the fish is hooked. In autumn, the 

 same mode of fishing may be adopted by the use of the grass- 

 hopper, which proves a very seductive bait. Large roach may be 

 taken in this way, when they are utterly unapproachable in any 

 other way. 



Another bait, strongly recommended for roach, especially in the 

 early part of the summer, is a gentle that has been ^ kept in bran 

 until it has changed and turned red. In this state, it is called by 

 the French Vcpine-mnette, and is highly prized by them. We have 

 tried it frequently, and certainly must admit it to be a successful 

 bait; but it is an extremely difficult job to keep it on the hook ; and, 

 after all, it is not comparable to the yellow fly already mentioned. 



In roach fishing, when a float is used, it should be a very small 

 one ; a bit of quill an inch long is quite sufficient. One small shot, 

 No. 7 3 will sink the gut without drawing down the float, and this 

 timid fish will be unable to distinguish it from a straw on the sur- 

 face of the water. 



