THE GUDGEON. ni 



when the river is at its very brightest, the proper 

 way to fish for gudgeon being to employ 

 a rake. The gudgeon-rake is a formidable 

 implement ; its long teeth are intended to disturb 

 the gravel, and liberate the insects and slight muddy 

 deposit amongst the small stones ; so that, however 

 clear the water may be in its natural state, raking 

 will generally bring the fish together, and five or 

 six dozen gudgeon at a catch is not extraordinary. 

 The rake is heavily made, weight is necessary to 

 keep it down, and the pole or shaft should be heavy 

 as well. Raking may be practised either from the 

 bank or punt ; choose a gravelly swim about' three 

 feet in depth, anywhere you have seen gudgeon 

 grubbing about. Ply the rake vigorously ; then 

 fish with a small, well-scoured red-worm for bait. 

 This is the best, though I have taken gudgeon with 

 paste and gentles. Use fine tackle, No. 5 or 6 hook 

 (p. 1 59), thin cork float, light rod, and running line. 

 I employ running line when gudgeon-fishing, as it 

 is not uncommon to pick up a good perch or two. 

 The bait must be kept well down, therefore a thin 

 cork float is better than a small quill, as it carries 

 more shot. Gudgeon are very free biters, and their 

 capture requires but little skill ; in the blazing hot 

 midday sunshine of a summer's day, when hardly 

 anything else will bite, an hour or two of gudgeon- 

 fishing will fill up the time most pleasantly till the 

 roach come on the feed. Gudgeon are getting much 

 scarcer in the Thames — about Shepperton, at least ; 

 and I think this is partly owing to so many being 

 used for baiting eel-traps. 



The Thames trout-fisherman will do well to em- 

 ploy a small gudgeon for bait, particularly in very 

 bright water. 



