THE GAME FISHES OF THE WOBLD 



Both fell asleep, but after a while one awoke, and seeing^ the 

 ' float ' gone, aroused his companion in alarm. 



' Hey, BUI, what d'ye think that " bobber " cost 1 ' 



' I dunno,' replied his friend looking anxiously out over the 

 waters for his own, ' Why ? ' 



' Why, the bloomin' thing 's sunk.' 



I do not mean to infer that it is too peaceful on the Thames, 

 as one of the earliest pictures of my recollection was one by Leech 

 in Punch, showing two happy and contemplative anglers standing 

 in their punt and intently watching their ' float.' Behind them 

 comes a long narrow boat rowed by two unconscious men, and 

 just about to strike them amidships. I think this picture bore 

 the legend ' Peace.' The essence of angling is peace and patience, 

 and without it, the angler may as well give up, as an impatient 

 angler is impossible. 



England has a large number of small game fishes in its lakes, 

 rivers and streams that are included in the term coarse fish ; 

 roughly, they include the pike, referred to elsewhere, the dace, 

 rudd, roach, perch, barbel, chub, gudgeon, eel, and several 

 more. An interesting fact is that these fishes have from the 

 earliest times received the closest attention from anglers ; and 

 an angling literature has been bidlt up about them and their 

 methods of capture, worked out with an almost inconceivable 

 minuteness of detail. This is most commendable, as I am a 

 protagonist of the principle that man, at least in America, works 

 too hard, plays not enough ; and that anything, no matter how 

 trivial, that can be invented to force him out into the open air, 

 bring him into close contact with rivers, flowers, trees, sky, is a 

 distinct advantage, and fishing tackle and fishing methods do it. 



My experience with the rudd has been confined to sitting 

 comfortably in the Fly Fishers Club of London, and with Messrs. 

 Marston, Graham-Clarke, Coggshall, Dr. Sewell, Mr. Stern and 

 others, admiring and wondering at the gigantic rudd on the walls 

 of this famous Club. I had never seen a rudd j somehow it fascin- 

 ated me, and I hope some day to take one. Walton thought but 

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