6 4 



CHAPTER IV. 



BOTTOM FISHING Continued. 

 ANGLING FOR CARP, TENCH, BREAM, AND CHUB. 



THE CARP (Genus Cyprinus) is a very wily 

 fish ; in waters much fished, they come rather 

 as an exceptional prize to the angler, whose attentions 

 and baits were intended for the allurement of other 

 fish. In well-preserved and little fished waters, they 

 are to be occasionally taken of very large size. The 

 smaller fish, under three pounds or so, are far less 

 cunning. 



The angler for carp cannot be too careful and quiet 

 in his movements, nor too skilful in the use of the 

 tackle, which latter cannot possibly be too fine, so long 

 as a reasonable amount of strength is retained. We 

 put forth the above, notwithstanding the exhortations 

 of the early writers as to the use of strong " harness- 

 ing " and tackle, for if any fish is gifted with reason- 

 ing powers it is the carp ; as even when hunger-bitten 

 it displays the most tantalizing caution in what it 

 absorbs. An all-round inspection is invariably given 

 to the bait before it is cautiously closed upon ; some- 

 times the rodster in clear water plainly discerns a 

 yellow monster, which, after describing a number of 

 circles around the bait, traces the line to the surface, 



