Page:British Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fresh-water Fishes.djvu/106

BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES on the back and tail have blackish edges. A Roach of 1½ to 2 pounds is a good fish, but it sometimes exceeds that weight. It is a lover of lakes, ponds, canals, slow-moving streams, and rivers. It keeps close to the bottom in shallow water, but when it haunts, as it frequently does, a deep hole or favourite bend of the river, it comes nearer the surface. It is a social species, travelling about in shoals, and when once a Roach "swim" is discovered, and the fish are on the feed, large hauls may be expected. A long rod, or Roach-pole as it is often called, about i8 feet in length, is best, but it must be light in weight. The extra length enables the angler to get well out into mid-stream where the fish congregate, and the bottom joint of the rod can be withdrawn when pulling in the line. On adding the bottom joint and pushing out the rod to its fullest extent, the line can then be dropped into the water without any splash or noise. Roach bite in a niggling fashion, and the float scarcely responds to the touch, even if a light quill is being used. Large Roach, however, sometimes take the bait with the least fuss, whilst small fish drag the float under water almost out of sight. The angler should not strike at the first shudder of the float, as experience can alone teach the Waltonian the right second to hook his quarry. For successful Roach-fishing, it is best to find a good swim of fairly fast water where the line quickly travels down-stream, as in this way the area being fished can be worked to the best advantage. The swim should be somewhat deep, with a gravellv bottom 88