38 A BOOK ON ANGLING 



Indeed, by laying the rod down and stopping the reel, the fish 

 as often as not will hook themselves. After catching a few 

 fish, whether by float or ledger, if the fish go off biting a little, 

 throw in two or three broken worms to set them on the feed 

 again ; but the angler must beware of overfeeding them 

 while the fish are biting, as many a day's sport is spoilt by this 

 foolish habit. 



The next stationary way of fishing is by what is called the 

 clay ball. This plan is used chiefly from a punt or boat, and 

 is often successful in clear water ; it is employed, too, chiefly 

 when gentles or greaves are used as a bait, about half a dozen 

 gentles or a small piece of greaves being stuck on a perch- 

 hook. About a foot or more above the hook, a little bit of 

 stick, of about an inch in length, is fastened cross-wise ; 

 this is for the purpose of holding the ball on the line. A lump 

 of stiff clay, of the size of an orange, is then taken, and some 

 gentles being enclosed in it, it is worked up with bran over the 

 piece of stick on to the line. The gut between the ball and the 

 hook is then wound round the ball and drawn into the clay, 

 which is squeezed and worked over it, so that only the hook 

 shall protrude beyond the proper end of the ball, which is 

 then dropped to the bottom the hook with the gentles show- 

 ing just outside the ball, in the most attractive way (see 

 Plate II. Figs. 8 and 9, p. 49). Soon the gentles in the clay 

 force their way out, and the fish taking them from the ball, 

 almost invariably take those on the hook also ; the angler 

 strikes when he feels a bite, which he does almost as easily 

 as with the ledger, and the strike shakes and breaks off the 

 clay ball, leaving the line free to play the fish. Some anglers, 

 to make the lure more deceptive, enclose the hook in the clay 

 ball and let the fish dig it out, but it is not necessary ; a stoutish 

 rod and tackle are required. This is a very killing plan, when 

 the fish are biting shyly ; but it cannot, of course, be practised 

 far from the punt or boat. 



The French fish somewhat in this style, using a short 

 piece of whalebone or stick, of some eighteen inches long, 

 instead of a rod, and playing the fish, when hooked, with the 

 hands. The tackle they use is of course stout. They weld up 

 horse-dung with the clay ball, which is supposed to render 

 it more attractive. I have seen a Frenchman make some 

 very good takes of barbel in this way, with about twelve 

 feet of water-cord, and the half of an old umbrella rib. The 

 slightest bite is felt very distinctly with this apparatus. 



