66 



and chopped worms may be .thrown in the day before, and 

 the hook baited with a fine red worm, well secured on a 

 No. 6 or 7 hook, and, if not successful, a wasp grub or a 

 caterpillar may be tried. In a muddy or clay bottom, 

 later in the year, gentles and garden slugs will be found 

 good and attractive baits. The sweet honey paste is per- 

 haps the best general bait. If the pitch is well ground- 

 baited for a couple of days with the bread and clay ground 

 bait (page 54), and a few small pellets of the sweet paste 

 thrown in the night before, the angler will assuredly have 

 good sport in the early morning with the sweet paste. 

 They feed morning and evening, and all day in warm 

 showery weather, when they will not refuse a snail. The 

 tackle should be strong ; the rod should be long if the 

 banks are much encumbered with weeds, and fitted with 

 running tackle ; the foot line should be of gut, about eight 

 or ten feet long, stained a light green. A small cork float 

 should be used. Tench are wary and careful with the bait ; 

 they do not gorge it quickly, and require time. When the 

 float lies flat it shows they are rising with it. Then the 

 fish may be struck firmly but gently, and when hooked it 

 will be necessary to prevent the fish from indulging his 

 fancy of seeking the muddy bottom or the sedgy weedy 

 banks. Keep his mouth open, and though he starts 

 spasmodically, as it were, from place to place, he will soon 

 tire. I have only met with the tench in a few rivers, 

 except where they were carefully preserved. In ponds, 

 however, they are plentiful enough, and afford good sport 

 from April to October. They spawn in the early summer, 

 and are wonderfully prolific. 



The BARBEL derives its name from the peculiar beard or 

 wattles which hang about his mouth. Though not one of 



