184 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



accounted the water-fox, for his cunning, so the Roach is 

 accounted the water-sheep, for his simplicity, or foolishness. 

 It is noted, that the Roach and Dace recover strength and 

 grow in season in a fortnight after spawning ; the Barbel and 

 Chub in a month ; the Trout in four months ; and the Salmon 

 in the like time, if he gets into the sea, and after into fresh 

 water. 



Roaches be accounted much better in the river than in a pond, 

 though ponds usually breed the biggest. But there is a kind 

 of bastard small Roach, that breeds in ponds, with a very 

 forked tail, and of a very small size, which some say is bred by 

 the Bream and right Roach ; and some ponds are stored with 

 these beyond belief; and knowing men, that know their 

 difference, call them Ruds : * they differ from the true Roach 

 as much as a Herring from a Pilchard. And these bastard breed 

 of Roach are now scattered in many rivers ; but I think not in 

 the Thames, which, I believe, affords the largest and fattest in 

 this nation, especially below London bridge, f The Roach is 



* The Rud (Barbus or/us) is quite a different species from either the 

 Roach or the Bream, ft is found in the northern and midland counties, 

 and affords good sport to the angler. J. R. 



f I know not what Roaches are caught below bridge ; but above, I am 

 sure they are very large ; for, on the 15th of September, 1754, at Hampton, 

 I caught one that was fourteen inches and an eighth from eye to fork, and 

 in weight wanted but an ounce of two pounds. 



The season for fishing for Roach in the Thames begins about the latter 

 end of August, and continues much longer than it is either pleasant or 

 safe to fish. It requires some skill to hit the time of taking them exactly ; 

 for all the summer long they lire on the weed, which they do not forsake, 

 for the deeps, till it becomes putrid, and that is sooner or later, according 

 as the season is wet or dry ; for you are to know, that much rain hastens 

 the rotting of the weed. I say it requires some skill to hit the time ; for 

 the fishermen who live in all the towns along the river, from Chiswick to 

 Staines, are, about this time, nightly upon the watch, as soon as the fish 

 come out, to sweep them away with the drag-net ; and our poor patient 

 angler is left, baiting the ground and adjusting his tackle, to catch those 

 rery fish which, perhaps, the night before had been carried to Billingsgate. 



The Thames, as well above as below London bridge, was formerly much 

 resorted to by London anglers ; and, which is strange to think on, con- 

 sidering the unpleasantness of the station, they were used to fish near the 

 starlings of the bridge. This will account for the many fishing tackle 

 shops that were formerly in Crooked Lane, which leads to the bridge. In 

 the memory of a person not long since living, a waterman that plied 

 at Essex stairs, his name John Reeves, got a comfortable living by attend- 

 ing anglers with his boat : his method was, to watch when the shoals of 

 Roach came down from the country, and when he had found them, to go 

 round to his customers and give them notice. Sometimes they settled 

 opposite the Temple ; at others, at Blackfriars or Queenhithe ; but most 

 frequently about the Chalk hills, near London bridge. His hire was two 

 shillings a tide. A certain number of persons, who were accustomed thus 

 to employ him, raised a sum sufficient to buy him a waterman's coat and 

 silver badge, the impress whereof was, Himself, with an Angler, in his 

 boat, and he had annually a new coat, to the time of his death, which 

 might be about the year 1730. 



Shepperton and Hampton are the places chiefly resorted to by the Lon- 

 doners, who angle there in boats : at each there is a large deep, to which 

 Roach are attracted by constant baiting. That at Hampton is opposite 



