56 COARSE FISH. 



losing much of their shyness as the night draws on. 

 I have watched them routing amongst grass and 

 rushes in such shallow water that the fish would 

 show their back fins and shoulders above the sur- 

 face, great fellows of ten to fifteen pounds apiece. 

 The noise of the " suck " can be heard at a long 

 distance on calm nights ; indeed, it is only on the 

 very calmest nights that the fish will venture on 

 the shallows in any numbers. The slightest 

 tremor of the ground, occasioned by a footfall, 

 sends them wallowing back to the deep water with 

 a rush like that of a dog. I have often been 

 startled by the sudden flight of a carp within a rod's 

 length of me, though so very quietly and cautiously 

 do they usually approach the shore that the 

 mere stirring of a lily-leaf will be all the indication 

 given. By carefully watching any moving or trem- 

 bling weed, the water around it will be noticed to 

 be the centre of tiny waves, caused by the grubbing 

 of a fish ; this presently ceases, and the fish perhaps 

 moves off with a steady roll in the water, edging 

 his way through the weeds and leaving a plain track 

 on the surface. When he stops near your bait, and 

 begins to rout for food, it becomes exciting, not the 

 slightest movement must disturb the fish, either 

 footstep or the shaking of rod or line. After a 

 seemingly interminable interval, the line is slowly 

 drawn off the winch, perhaps an inch at a time 

 only ; then it steadily moves off, suddenly the fish 

 bolts, finding something wrong, and the check 

 whirrs ; strike, and you are fast in a mighty carp, 

 a fish that can, and will, pull. Many times have I 

 seen the artful old fish grub apparently all round 

 and over the spot where the bait is lying, and how 

 seldom the great patience and quietude is rewarded ! 



