42 THE DRIFFIELD ANGLER. 



Roach, and is a leather-mouthed fish. He 

 breeds almost in all rivers, and generally lies 

 near the top of the water ; he is a very brisk 

 and lively fish, and swims swiftly, like a dart, 

 from whence he derives his name. These 

 fish spawn in February and March, and are 

 fit to eat by April or May, but their highest 

 season is in September. They delight in 

 gravelly or sandy bottoms, and the deepest 

 parts of rivers, under the shade of trees, or 

 dock leaves : they are a very simple breed, 

 and will often bite when you least desire it ; 

 however their darling bait is a gentle at the 

 bottom, and a small fly at the top ; in the 

 summer months an ant-fly is best ; they will 

 likewise take any paste, as well as all sorts 

 of small worms. Angle for him with a very 

 slender rod, a line of very fine single gut, 

 at least for two yards above the hook, which 

 must be a very small one ; one small shot, 

 a float made of two very small goose 

 quills, cut within half an inch of the feather, 

 thrust one of the open ends into the other 

 and whip it fast with fine waxed silk : w r hen 



