THE DACE 25 



a somewhat similar fish to the roach, though of a more coppery 

 tinge, and of a rather deeper and shorter make. They seldom 

 exceed one pound and a half in weight, and are not common 

 of that size.* For all angling purposes, the directions given 

 for roach answer for the rudd equally. In the Thames the 

 two fish are often caught in the same swim, and confounded 

 together. " What a short, thick roach ! " the angler will 

 sometimes observe, as he drops it into the well. They spawn 

 in April, or early in May, and are said to be a better fish for 

 the table than roach. 



THE DACE (Leuciscus vulgaris) 



The dace is an active and prolific little fish, slender and 

 graceful in its proportions. It seldom exceeds a pound in 

 weight, and in few rivers in England is it even taken up to 

 that weight ; in the Thames a dace of half a pound is unusually 

 large, though I once remember taking thirteen that weighed 

 seven pounds, my companion having previously taken his 

 share from the basket (which was the product of our joint 

 efforts), which consisted of a like number as fine or finer ; 

 all these fish were taken with the tail of the lob worm when 

 we had baited for barbel. Never before or since, through 

 many long years' experience, have I seen such a take of dace 

 on the Thames, nor one at all approaching it for average size. 

 In the Colne, and the Hampshire Avon, and the Usk, however, 

 I have often seen dace that would weigh full three-quarters 

 of a pound, and even more. The dace is gregarious, and 

 spawns in May or June, and gets into fair condition again by 

 the middle of July. By August they get on the shallows, 

 where they may be taken in large numbers, by whipping 

 with almost any small fly, or even with a single gentle ; some 

 people, to make the fly more attractive, point the hook with 

 a gentle ; others, as I have recommended in roach-fishing, 

 use a small shred of kid or wash-leather. I have found the 

 inner rind of a scrap of stringy bacon answer the purpose 

 better perhaps than either, being a kind of compromise 

 between the two ; that is, something to taste, and not liable 

 to be whipped off. A short stiff rod (about eight feet long) 

 is the best for this work. The line should not be too long, 



* I am informed on good authority that rudd are frequently taken at 

 Slapton weighing 2 Ib. " Big rudd," writes Mr. A. W. Hi41, " won't take fly, 

 but are taken by keeping well out of sight and casting a bit of breadcrust 

 like a fly and letting it float." ED. 





