CH. I1.] HOW TO CATCH CARP. 35 
two great objects should be, not to alarm the 
Carp, and to get them to feed. They are very 
timid, and if they have once taken fright at 
anything, and left a place in consequence, it will 
generally be a good while before they will return 
to it. For this reason I prefer not to throw in 
any ground-bait when fishing for them, until all 
my preparations are made, and the actual bait 
is in the water. If you can once induce them 
to begin to feed, they will continue their search 
for food in every direction, and infallibly in due 
time come to your bait. When they begin to 
come to the bread, if the bottom is at all muddy, 
and the water not too deep, you will see lines 
of mud stirred up by them as they come on nuz- 
zling in it like so many pigs. You have then 
only to keep perfectly quiet and bide your time. 
The float will give you sufficient warning when 
to strike, and you should only do so when the 
Carp is going well and steadily away with it. If 
your tackle is sound, and you are not in too 
great a hurry, you may make pretty sure of 
landing him, for, as Izaak Walton truly says, 
“The Carp is a leather-mouthed fish, which doth 
seldom break his hold.” 
Although I think it better, for fear of alarm- 
D2 
