350 HOW TO ANGLE FOR ROACH. 



placed far from the bait. The link to which the 

 hook is whipped should be of a single long horse 

 hair of a good colour, and the upper part of the 

 line may be of two twisted hairs, or very fine gut. 

 Use a neat quill float, or a very small and light 

 cork one. From your float to the point of your 

 rod, let there be as little line out as possible, 

 eighteen inches or two feet,, and keep the point of 

 your rod perpendicularly over your float in the 

 water. Doing so will enable you to perceive the 

 feeblest bite, and to strike with effect. Do not fish 

 too close to the bottom, and ever and anon draw 

 your bait up to the surface of the water, and let 

 it sink gently again. Ground-bait moderately 

 with the meal ground-bait recommended in the 

 chapter on baits, particularly if you are angling 

 with paste. With whatever bait you angle, 

 ground-bait with a similar substance. Captain 

 Williamson says, " You will find it proper to bait 

 the place where you fish, with oatmeal a little 

 browned over the fire, and then made up into 

 balls with a small quantity of treacle. This 

 draws them together far better than any other 

 ground-bait I ever heard of. Throw a piece of 

 it about the size of a marble, now and then, 

 where your hook lies. It will gradually be dis- 

 solved, and attract numbers." 



Roach will take artificial flies, but not so well 

 as the dace. They like them best when tipped 



