9: It will break loose, as it usually darts furiously away to the opposite side, the moment it is struck. 100 THE TENCH. The tench thrives best in ponds where the bottom is composed of mud or clay, but a few may sometimes be taken in rivers. They will take the same baits, and may be found in the same haunts as the carp; they bite freely in summer months, especially on dark, warm, muggy days, and during fine mild showers. They spawn in May, and the best time to angle for them is early in the morning, and late in the evening. 1001 THE PIKE. hook, either spring or plain composed of three hooks fastened together, Nos. 2, 3: with the bead book, formed of two single hooks, tied back to back, with a little drop or bead of lead 50 affixed to a link or two 2 Hook the curved end of a baiting-needle, No. 7, to the loop of the gimp on which the hook is fastened, pass the needle through the mouth of the bait, and bring it out at the tail; the lead on the hook will thus be hidden in its belly, and the barbs or shanks inside its mouth; and in order to keep the bait steady on hook, it is a good plan to tie its tail to the gimp with some white thread. The snap-hook is baited by thrusting the point of the upper or small hook under the skin of the bait, on the side, and bringing it up the back fin. Another snap-hook is baited by passing the loop of the gimp inside the gill of the bait, and bringing it out at the mouth; the lead thus lies in its throat, the first hook outside its gill, and the others in its side, the barbs being just beneath the skin; the bait's mouth should next be sewn up, so as to keep the lead and hooks in their proper places. On a Bead-hook, a gudgeon or barbel is the best bait; the little drop or bead of lead should be put into its mouth, which should afterwards be sewn up with white thread. The Live-bait must have a No. 3 or 4 hook passed! either through its lips or the flesh beneath the back fin. In the latter plan, care must be taken not toi touch the back bone, or the bait will soon die. The road for trolling must be very strong, about fourteen feet in length, and have a whale-bone, or hickory top; the line must be at least thirty yards in length, made either of silk, or silk and gut twisted together, and be kept on a winch. When you begin trolling, first fasten the winch on to the rod, then pass the line through the rings on the under side of the rod, and attach the hook to the line by a small swivel; next grasp the rod in your right hand, just above the winch, and rest the butt end of it against the side of your stomach, draw out, with your left hand, a yard or two of the line from the swivel, hold it firmly, and then with a sharp jerk from your right hand, cast the bait into the stream, and let the line which you hold in your left hand run out freely, that the hook may not be checked when cast out, by your holding the line too fast, and so fall short of the spot you wished to reach. The favourite haunts of pike are the deep eddies in tumbling-bays, and deep still water in rivers; near beds of candock weeds, and mouths of ditches or small streams which empty themselves into rivers, and near flood-gates. -00❤ THE DACE. angler, as it bites freely. The dace is found in most rivers. Itisahandsome fish, and is gene rally accounted light, and nourishing food. It gives good amusement to the The hook should be a size larger than for roach, but in all other respects the tackle may be the same. Use a ground-bait of bran and clay mixed, and throw it into water frequently while angling. Dace wille >take red worms, maggots, wasp grubs, greaves, and a paste made of cheese and honey; they are partial to red worms in the spring, and in the summer if you use gentles, put two at a time on the hook; a small piece of greaves with a gentle is also a very good bait. You may begin fishing for them in March, and they continue in season till October; after that time they seldom bite unless the weather is very mild. -000 THE GUDGEONY The gudgeon is a very bold biting fish, and gives much amusement to the angler. It is in season from April to Dctober, and may be taken at any time of the day, particularly in dull! weather. The best bait is a blood worm, and the tackle should be a fine gut or hair line, light cork float, and a No. 9 or 10 hook. Gudgeons frequent the shallows, where the river is + free from weeds, with a gravelly or sandy bottom,. which must be often stirred with a rake made for that purpose. Allow your bait to touch the ground, and before you begin, plumb the depth of the stream. In the rivers Lea and Thames immense numbers of this fish may be taken in a day. 000 THE BARBEL.. not unmixed with fear for the safety of his tackle, forr when of large size it is an extremely strong and crafty fish, and will use every expedient to get off the hook, or else snap the line, which, unless the angler exerts his skill, it will certainly achieve. Before you begin fishing for barbel, throw plenty of ground bait into the water, and continue to do so at intervals. The best bait for this purpose is one made of soaked greaves, bran, and clay, mixed together in balls about the size of an egg. The barbel being a very sharp and quick biter, you must strike smartly the moment you see a nibble, then let him run some distance before you turn him round; keep him away from weeds, strive to get him into deep water, play him until he has lost all his strength, and then haul him to land. In the Thames, barbel are usually fished for from punts or boats. A strong rod is necessary, with running tackle, gut line, quill ficat, and a No. 7 or 8 hook. The bait should always touch the bottom of the stream. 10001 THE POPE, OR RUFFE. This fish resembles the perch in shape, and is sometimes called the ruffe perch. It is found principally in slow deep rivers which have a gra welly soil, and its spawning time is in April. In angling for it, use a quill float and No. 7 hook. The moment you observe a bite, strike, without allowing much line. The proper baits are small red worms and brandHings, and they should be suffered to drag lightly on the ground. |