72 BOTTOM FISHING. 



being just in the way of the rodster's hand when 

 using, and also highly inconvenient generally. In 

 the early autumn months chub are to be taken by 

 dibbing (surface fishing) daping (midwater) with live 

 insects, such as the larger of the flies and beetles, 

 humble bees, grasshoppers, etc. Instructions as to 

 the method of using these we have given in a separate 

 chapter. Upon the Thames and Trent of late young 

 frogs have become the favourite bait for chub in their 

 season. The average yield of a day's "chubbing" 

 with these lures is about 8 to 10 brace of heavy fish. 

 This would often be larger were it not for the smaller 

 fry biting so voraciously, and thereby causing loss of 

 time to the angler, whose duty it is to carefully un- 

 hook and return them to the river. It is now no 

 uncommon thing to meet an angler with his bait- 

 kettle converted into a temporary prison for frogs, so 

 popular has become this system of fishing for chub. 

 The arrangement of tackle is simple : A No. 4 Ken- 

 dal hook, at the end of two feet of tolerably strong 

 round gut (slightly stained blue) with a scrap of lead 

 wire wound round above the knot. The baby frog is then 

 hooked by a bit of the tough skin at the back of the 

 neck, and carefully lowered from the point of the rod, 

 the weight of the bait taking out the line through the 

 upstanding rings, when allowed, until it reaches the 

 water's surface, the rod meanwhile being kept 

 stationary. The struggling movements of the cap- 

 tive quickly attract the attention of the best and 

 largest fish near, amongst whom the bait is often 

 divided, and, when this is so, great diversion is afforded, 



