52 ART OF ANGLING. 



authenticated instances are adduced of its arri- 

 ving at that of considerably more than a cen- 

 tury. 



The Carp chiefly inhabits lakes and ponds, 

 being seldom found in any of our rivers ; it fre- 

 quents the deepest and most quiet places, es- 

 pecially if the bottom be of sand, clay, or 

 weeds. It is naturally a cunning, shy and tim- 

 orous fish ; so much so that the angler must be 

 possessed of great patience. It is best in sea- 

 son in March and April, being then very fat ; 

 and the flesh is much more delicate and agree- 

 able to the palate, than at any other time. 



The prime months to angle for Carp are from 

 February to June ; if the weather is mild, they 

 will then bite more freely than at any other part 

 of the season, and at any time in the day, par- 

 ticularly if there be a slight shower of rain fal- 

 ling. From June till Michaelmas they are to be 

 fished for very early in the morning or late in the 

 evening ; during cold weather they will not bite 

 at all. In angling, use a long light rod, with a 

 reel and reel-line of the finest description, the 

 bottom of which must be at least two yards of 

 gut ; and, as the mouth of this fish is small, it 

 is necessary to use smaller hooks than for other 

 fish, viz. the hook for worms should be No. 5 

 or 6, for wasp-grubs No. 7, and for maggots 

 No. 8 or 9 ; the line to be lightly leaded with 



