Pennell Flight for Small Baits.
It is said that certain kinds of trout croak, but that roach do, I myself can testify, and so distressing is the noise they emit that when I have caught them by accident, I always returned them to the water with great despatch.
Carp and tench are exceedingly shy fish and both prefer muddy and weedy ponds to a clear running stream. In the former they may be caught with paste and other forms of bait, but, to my mind, are hardly worth the trouble and, if wanted for the table may just as well be circumvented with a net, for all the sport they afford.
Pennell Flight for Large Baits.
Barbel and bream are very dull fish to catch with a rod and line; the former especially dive at once and burrow sulking in the mud, opposing merely dead weight to the angler's efforts. Dace and chub only remain to be noticed. The former will take a fly very readily, and give very good sport for their size, while chub are as shy as trout and as difficult to catch, if once they obtain a sight of their antagonist on the bank.
It has only been possible to give a very short account of the various kinds of fresh-water fish, and numerous questions will occur to the novice in angling, which must be elucidated partly by study of the many excellent volumes already published on the subject, but chiefly by experience and consultation with men who possess special knowledge of their own locality.
Still, I hope I have said enough to encourage women to look into the science of angling for themselves, and not to be entirely dependent on the services and advice of anyone who may chance to accompany them.