276 THE COMPLETE ANGLEB. [PART I. 



have a small hook, a quick eye, and a nimble hand, or the 

 bait is lost and the fish too if one may lose that which he 

 never had. With this paste you may, as I said, take both 

 the roach and the DACE or DARE/ 



Dace. 



for they be much of a kind, in matter of feeding, cunning, 

 goodness, and usually in size. And therefore take this 

 general direction for some other baits which may concern 

 you to take notice of. They will bite almost at any fly, but 



1 When you angle for dace in the deeps, with a float, it must be a very 

 small one, that will require but one shot to poise it. Your hook and line 

 must be fine. Bait either with house-flies, cadis, small red worms, or 

 grasshoppers with their legs off", and fish not deeper than two or three feet 

 at most : conceal yourself as much as possible if you expect any sport, for 

 the dace is most like the trout of any fish in his shyness and fear. Strike 

 nimbly as soon as he bites. On a shallow gravelly scour use the running 

 line, with paste, worms, or gentles. If you angle in a river where two 

 mill streams are going at the same time, let it be in the eddy between 

 them. If the water prove deep, put within a foot of the bottom ; but if 

 shallow, wliich is best (not exceeding three feet), then bait with three large 

 gentles ; use a cork float, and place it a foot and a half at most from the 

 hook : have a quick eye, and strike at the very first bite. If any large dace 

 are in the mill-pond, you will be sure to meet with them here. 



At top water use a flesh fly (none equal to this), or the small house fly. 

 Have a cane rod, seventeen feet in length, your line somewhat longer, to 

 which fasten three or four hooks, with single hair links, not above four 

 inches long. In a summer evening go to the smoothest part at the end of 

 a mill-stream, where they will rise freely, especially in that part where 

 the sun does not shine. This sport will continue as long as you have light 

 to see your flies ; and you may take two or three at a time. The ant-fly 

 is advised here in a morning, or on a scour, before the sun comes on the 

 water. 



When the stream is high, and rises almost to the bank of the river, put 

 on an artificial fly, called a caterpillar- fly, with the yellowest gentle you 

 can get, drawn on your hook up to the tail of your fly ; whip with it (as 

 for bleak) on the surface ; and if you are expert, you may satisfy yourself 

 you will have good sport. Browne. 



