ROACH. 83 



The haunts of Eoach, during spring, are on the 

 shallows and scowers, in summer among weeds, and 

 in winter in deep holes and eddies. It spawns 

 about the middle of May, and breeds abundantly. 

 The principal season for them is at Michaelmas, and 

 they continue good all the winter. It is easy to 

 distinguish whether it be in season or otherwise ; 

 tor if the scales on the back be rough to the touch, 

 it is out of season ; if they lie flat and smooth, the 

 reverse* 



In summer the Eoach bites best from sun-rise 

 till nine o'clock in the morning, and from four in 

 evening till dark ; in winter during the middle of 

 the day. It will readily take small red worms, 

 brandlings, maggots, wasp-grubs, and paste made of 

 crumbs of white bread slightly soaked in water, 

 with a little vermillion added to make it of a salmon 

 colour ; or the crumb of new bread without soaking ; 

 paste is certainly the most killing bait for large 

 -Roach; to bait with it, put a piece on the hook 

 about the size of a large pea, and before you begin 

 to angle plumb the depth, and permit the bait to 

 float near, but not so as to touch the bottom, or it 

 will wash off the hook. "When angling with worms 

 or maggots the bait should lie two or three inches 

 on the bottom. If fishing for Eoach in a still hole, 

 or a gentle stream, the best ground bait is chewed 



