THE ROACH. 153 



rough and harsh to the touch. Roach are fair baits 

 for pike, not equal to dace or gudgeon ; and a small 

 roach is a good, though little used, bait for Thames 

 trout. 



Roaph-rods may be divided into two classes : the 

 long or Lea rod, and the short Notting- 

 ham, or Sheffield, rod. Roach-fishers will 

 never agree which is the better of the two ; some 

 use the Lea rod, others prefer the short pattern. 

 A great deal depends on the river and its current, 

 still more pn habit. I have made good catches of 

 roach in the Lea with a teri-foot rod, and I have 

 done well in the Thames with a sixteen-foot 

 rod. 



The Lea rod is made very long, sixteen to 

 twenty-one feet or more. A rod of this length 

 requires the most careful workmanship, the leverage 

 on the lower joints being tremendous, and lightness, 

 compatible with requisite strength, being achieved 

 in its construction. The joints are carefully whipped 

 with silk, this greatly adds to the strength of the 

 cane. There is seldom more than one ring on the 

 rod, at the extremity of the top joint ; these are 

 the true Lea rods, of which poor Sowerbutts and 

 his father were the leading makers. I was examin- 

 ing some of his latest made rods only a few days 

 before he caught his fatal chill, and he told me he 

 had been working hard to get a good stock of them 

 ready, as he was, at last, going to take a holiday. 

 A few days afterwards I heard of his death, and 

 was much shocked. 



What I particularly dislike about these white 

 cane rods is the conspicuous colour and the glitter ; 

 surely the cane could be stained without adding 

 appreciably to the weight. I cannot but think the 



