58 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



is oblong, rather round, and of a pretty equal thickness in the 

 greater part of the slope ', the scales are large, the irides silvery ; the 

 cheeks of the same colour; the head and back of a deep dusky 

 green; the sides silvery, but in the summer yellow; the belly white; 

 the pectoral fins of a pale yellow; the ventral and anal fins red; the tail 

 forked, of a brownish hue, but tinged with blue at the end ; and the 

 chub is altogether a handsome fish." So it is, a very handsome fish 

 when in full season and fresh caught. Authors differ as to the period 

 of the year at which this fish is in best condition. It spawns in April, 

 and Elaine says it soon recovers its condition. Daniel says it is not in. 

 prime condition until December. I am inclined to agree with the latter 

 authority. I have found chub in tolerable condition in the Thames in 

 July, but in the very same month I have caught the fish miserably 

 .emaciated in the Trent. There is no general rule for the colour or 

 condition of fresh-water fish. Each depends on the river in which fish 

 are bred, and on the atmospheric influence of particular seasons. Chub 

 generally prefer still waters, weedy, and over-hung with bushes. In 

 truth, the fish is a pond one, and in ponds fed with a slight dash of 

 running water, provided they are weedy, and so give a harbour for the 

 breed of insects, they thrive well. To bring them to a large size, they 

 should be fed with worms, larva?, grubs, horse -gentles, grains, pieces of 

 soft cheese, prepared greaves, and even raw beef cut into threads the 

 size of dew-worms. I have frequently caught chub in streams ; for 

 instance, in the Trent at Sawley bridge, and in the Thames at Sunbury. 

 Daniel says " The haunts of the Chub are in rivers whose bottoms 

 are of sand or clay, or which are bounded by clayey banks ; particularly 

 in deep holes, shaded by trees, weeds, etc." The late Mr. Elaine writes, 

 " They are sometimes to be met with in rocky rivers, but such are 

 always found to have some deeps with soft bottoms of their own, or are 

 found to communicate with waters which have. In fact, chub thrive only 

 in such rivers as present a diversity of rocky and strong gravelly currents, 

 widening occasionally into large and deep pools, where sand and ooze 

 accumulate. It is here they flourish ; and such situations they choose as 

 their winter hiding-places. In chub rivers, such pools are never without 

 them at any season, which has given rise to the angler's adage, ' Once a 

 chub-hole always a chub -hole/ In summer, river chub shelter them-" 

 selves from the heat, more particularly in such deeps and pools as are 

 overhung with foliage or trees. In stagnant or open waters they hide 

 themselves under aquatic plants." The reader knows, I hope, now the 

 most likely spots wherein to find chub. I must now tell him the best 

 modern ways to angle for this fish. At the bottom it takes gentles, 

 well-scoured large worms, prepared cheese, and bullock's pith or brains. 

 The two latter baits are generally used in winter. At the middle and 

 surface of the water, the chub takes grasshoppers, cockchafers, and flies, 

 artificial and natural. In my opinion chub are best caught by fishing 

 for them at the top of the water, either with artificial or living flies. 

 To be successful with the former in deep water, it should be ruffled by 

 the wind of a gloomy day ; but in the swift streams of rivers, wind is 

 not necessary. The best flies are large red, brown, and (in bright days) 



