THE ROACH 137 



handy. Tlie line as fine as you please. A line of three 

 hairs, with a fine gut bottom, is perhaps the best that 

 can be used in all waters, and under all circumstances. 

 In fact, when the water is very clear and limpid, your 

 tackle can scarcely be too fine. 



The gentle is a very excellent bait during the finer 

 parts of the year ; and in August, if the hooks on which 

 are rigged the artificial house-fly be tipped with live 

 gentles, the roach will dash at them like fury. 



In the months of June and July we have seen very 

 large ones taken with the common yellow fly, which is 

 to be found in abundance on fresh-dropped cow-dung. 

 These are easily caught, and may be placed in a dry 

 phial-bottle. The angler should use a long rod, say 

 twenty or two-and-twenty feet, with running tackle of 

 the finest kind. About two yards of gut should hang 

 from the end of the rod ; and on a small hook, say No. 12, 

 one of the yellow flies should be placed; and then, 

 keeping out of sight as much as possible, the bait should 

 be dibbled lightly on the surface of the water. It is 

 curious to witness how eagerly and fiercely the large 

 roach will come otit of their deep and secluded holes, 

 and sail and sail around the fly, indicating great caution 

 and fear. But the temptation is generally irresistible 

 in the end ; and a splash, like a dog thrown into the 

 water, announces that the fish is hooked. In autumn 

 the same mode of fishing may be adopted by the use of 

 the grasshopper, which proves a very seductive bait. 

 Large roach may be taken in this way, when they are 

 utterly unapproachable in any other way. 



Another bait, strongly recommended for roach, 

 especially in the early part of the summer, is a gentle 

 that has been kept in bran until it has changed and 

 turned red. In this state, it is called by the French 

 I'epine-vinette, and is highly prized by them. We have 

 tried it frequently, and certainly must admit it to 

 be a successful bait ; but it is an extremely difficult job 

 to keep it on the hook ; and, after all, it is not com- 

 parable to the yellow fiy already mentioned. 



In roach-fishing, when a float is used, it should be a 



