250 COARSE FISH. 



roach-fishing, though a bag is still better for these large 

 fish. I have given instructions for making a cheap but 

 useful bag (p. 224). A few useful sundries that should 

 be carried in the basket are : a disgorger, measuring-tape, 

 a knife, steel-yard or spring-balance, thread, cobbler's wax, 

 float-caps, split and drilled shot, a few swivels, two or 

 three plummets of different patterns, bullets and leads of 

 various kinds, a pair of scissors, and a cloth to wipe the 

 hands on after handling fish, particularly bream. All 

 these are in frequent use, and there are many others too 

 numerous to mention. Many roach-fishers carry a 

 square-sided basket, which serves as a seat. 



Wasp-grubs are most killing baits for many coarse fish, 

 but they are of an uncommonly " squashy " 

 grubs nature, far worse in this respect than gentles. 

 A very sharp-pointed hook, fine in the wire, 

 should be used with this bait. A slight baking, or steam- 

 ing {not boiling) will toughen the skins considerably. 

 Bream, roach and chub are excessively fond of wasp- 

 grubs. Taking a wasp's nest is rather exciting, a 

 sting being excruciating to most people. Wasps gener- 

 ally make their nests in the banks of ditches, and the 

 nest may be taken by placing a lighted portfire in the 

 hole after dusk, and covering the hole with a lump of 

 clay or turf after the portfire is inserted, which must be 

 smartly and quickly done. The comb, full of grubs, 

 should be dug out next morning ; any wasps that remain 

 alive are stupid with the fumes, but stray ones, that have 

 not entered the nest, may possibly make things lively. 

 The " cakes " of grubs may be bought from several 

 tackle-dealers, and this is certainly a nicer and safer 

 plan. 



A method that gives sport with dace, chub, trout, and 



„, sometimes roach, is to fish with a blow-line, with 



line' ^ long, stiff rod, and the wind of course at your 



back. The line is made of very lightly spun, 



fibrous silk, carried out by the wind, and a natural fly is 



daped on the surface of the water. The rod is held in 



an upright position to keep the blow-line off the water. 



A short, fine cast should be used, with a grasshopper, 



bluebottle, mayfly, or similar bait. 



