56 ANGLING. 



They will take a crumb of bread or a gentle voraciously. 

 If a worm is used, tied to a horse-hair, they may be pulled 

 out by the dozen. Walton and other old writers speak of 

 minnow as forming a nice dish when caught in sufficient 

 numbers, but they are more trouble than they are worth. 



The LOACH is not a pleasant fish to look at. His bullet 

 head and heavy shoulders give him a clumsy look. They 

 bite freely at a worm, and do not despise gentles. 



The RUFFE is a fierce-looking, bold biter, somewhat like 

 a small perch. They may be caught during the whole of 

 the summer months, and afford excellent sport to the 

 young angler. Wherever one is caught there will be plenty 

 of others. They lie in rather deep water, in a hole close 

 by the eddying of a stream. You may ground bait with 

 clay balls, in which bits of worms have been rolled. 

 Though small, they form a respectable fry. 



The GUDGEON is a better known fish, and one that is 

 esteemed a choice morsel, even by gourmands. They bite 

 freely, and there are but few streams in England where he 

 does not abound. I have caught them by the dozen in canals 

 and in the rivulets running into larger streams. There is no 

 difficulty in getting a respectable dish of this fine-shaped and 

 excellent fish, which are largely in demand for live bait for 

 jack, and occasionally for trout. They are very prolific, and 

 are supposed to spawn about May. The tackle adapted to 

 catch them is a small light rod, a fine gut or single hair bottom 

 line, a very small hook, a small brandling worm, a bit of 

 paste, or a gentle. A light quill. float is generally used. 

 A paste in which a little hemp-seed has been mixed has 

 been used and recommended as a ground-bait. In all run- 

 ning streams and clear water the grand secret of catching 

 gudgeons is to rake the bottom of the stream so as to stix 



