BLEAK AND ROACH 17 



THE BLEAK (Cyprinus alburnus) 



is a lively, gregarious little fish, and is very delicate eating 

 when cooked in the way in which sprats are commonly cooked, 

 which fish it rather resembles in appearance. It abounds 

 in many rivers, and, though not much of a quarry for the 

 angler, may be taken by whipping with a gentle or a small 

 fly on the top of the water, or by using a light quill float, with 

 a scrap of worm or a gentle on a small hook, some ten or 

 fifteen inches under the surface. The neighbourhood of an 

 outflowing drain is always a favourite spot for bleak, and the 

 more filth that exudes from it the more attractive it is. Quick 

 striking must be the order of the day, as they are very sharp 

 and active. The bleak, from its brightness, makes an attrac- 

 tive bait to spin with for trout and jack, but it is tender on 

 the hooks, and soon wears out. The scales formerly fetched 

 a high price from the artificial pearl-makers, for the nacre 

 on them. It spawns usually in the month of May. It delights 

 in warm summer weather, when the surface of the water is 

 often dotted all over with their risings. In winter bleak do 

 not show so much, but get nearer the bottom, and are much 

 less active. 



THE ROACH (Alburrus lucidus) 



The roach is a gregarious fish, abounding in many of our 

 rivers, ponds, and lakes. It feeds upon weeds, worms, grubs, 

 flies, and insects of various kinds, while it will also feed greedily 

 upon farinaceous matters, as bread, bran, boiled wheat, 

 grains, etc. Roach spawn about the end of May, after which 

 they shelter a good deal in deep holes, or in the thick weed, 

 living upon the weed and the insects found among it, until 

 the weeds begin to turn sour with the earlier frosts of autumn, 

 when they take rather more to the open streams. At this 

 time, when, as it is termed, " the weed is out of them," they 

 are in their very best condition, the slimy coat they wore 

 among the weeds being off them, and their scales hard and 

 bright as silver, and the fins clear and rosy. Roach seldom 

 much exceed two pounds in weight in any of the waters about 

 London. They have been taken of three pounds weight in 

 waters which are not often fished, and Pennant mentions 

 one of five pounds \ r but a roach of two and a half pounds 

 would be held by any London angler and they are the chief 



