PISHING FOR BLEAK. 57 



np the mud and discolour the water. The gudgeons fly 

 to where they suppose their food to be, and with a small 

 well-scoured red worm, lightly threaded on to a small hook 

 close to the bottom of the stream, they may be caught by 

 scores. If the worm is too big, use only the head. When 

 one spot has been fished, repeat the process in another 

 place. Gudgeons are too fond of " nibbling," but otherwise 

 they bite freely. There is another mode of angling for 

 gudgeons, but it is only excusable when in a hurry for 

 " live bait." The flat plummet is fixed just to an ordinary 

 perch hook, and attached to a horse-hair line. Two or 

 three hooks are suspended above the bullet, in the manner 

 of a "paternoster," and firmly looped in the manner of 

 '' droppers," as described in " fly-fishing." These hooks 

 are baited with worms as before mentioned. The plummet 

 is let down to the bottom in a promising part of the stream, 

 and the hooks are suffered to lie on the bottom or float 

 about in the running water. If the line be held tight, 

 every bite will be perceptible, and the fish caught, if the 

 youth is not in too great a hurry to strike. Epicures in 

 all ages of the world have admired the gudgeon when fried 

 crisp on butter and bread crumbs, and served hot with 

 melted butter for sauce. 



The BLEAK is found in the majority of clear streams, 

 where there is a good current. They spawn in May or 

 June, and are soon as active as ever. Small as they are, 

 they are active, and shine like silver. In fine weather they 

 play on the surface of the water, and will bite freely at a 

 small brown fly, and, indeed, there are worse sports thac 

 whipping for bleak on a summer's evening with a light 

 rod, fine tackle, and half-a-dozen flies attached to eight or 

 nine feet of gut as droppers, on very fine hooks. When the 



