THE GUDGEON 141 



Gudgeons undoubtedly multiply prodigiously, and in 

 certain favourable situations are to be found in immense 

 quantities. They are used in some parts of France to 

 stock lakes, ponds, and rapid streams, as food for pike, 

 eels, and trout. 



Gudgeons may be caught all the year round, but 

 August and September are the best months. In favour- 

 able weather they wiU keep the angler well employed, 

 and he may fill his basket in a very short time. 



The rod used in gudgeon - fishing should be an 

 extremely light one, made of cane, and without much 

 spring in it. The line should be all gut, or, at anyrate, 

 not more than three hairs thick, if of horse-hair, with 

 very small hook, say No. 13. A float is sometimes used, 

 but we think it better dispensed with. The best mode 

 is to fix a small bullet to the end of the hne, fasten one 

 hook below the lead, so as to let it drag on the bottom, 

 and suspend two or three others at short intervals above 

 it. The bullet is dropped into a Kkely part of the 

 stream, and the hooks, baited with a very smaU red- 

 worm, or gentle, or grub (the worm is the best), are 

 suffered to lie on the bottom, or work about in the 

 running water. When the gudgeon takes the bait, he 

 will make Uttle short jerks, which are easily perceptible 

 if the line be held tight, and the angler be careful not 

 to be too quick for him. 



The best general baits for gudgeons are small red- 

 worms, grubs, and gentles. The very small grubs to be 

 found sometimes under antique cow-manure, in company 

 with an admirable red-worm, are very tempting bait, 

 which we have seen the gudgeons take with great 

 rapidity. When the red-worm is used, it should but 

 just fit the hook, Kke a tight glove; to accomplish 

 this, it is often necessary to bait only with the shining 

 red head of the worm. If the bait hang loose, the 

 gudgeons wUl bother you Hke eels, and you wUl hardly 

 ever succeed in hooking them. 



Some amateurs recommend baskets containing the 

 leaves of marsh-maUows, with a paste made of hemp- 

 seed, to be sunk in the water previous to angling for 



