62 PRACTICAL LESSONS IN RIVER ANGLING. 



and on this circumstance the practice of tickling trout 

 is founded. A favourite place for a large trout in 

 rivers, is an eddy, behind a rock or stone, where flies 

 and small fishes are carried by the force of the current, 

 and such haunts are rarely unoccupied, for if a fish 

 is taken out of them, his place is soon supplied by 

 another, who quits for it a less convenient situation/' 



Trouting Rods. 



As without good instruments the best skill will often 

 prove unavailing in the art of angling, I shall here 

 give some directions respecting these, to aid the begin- 

 ner, till he acquire experience ; or if he have the curi- 

 osity to make his own rather than buy them at the 

 tackle makers, which is undoubtedly the best way. 



All the directions for making rods in the angling 

 books, are founded on the one originally published by 

 Dame Juliana Barnes, in the Book of St. Albans, who 

 says, " how ye shall make your rodde craftily, here I 

 shall teche you. Ye shall kytte [cut] betweene Mychel- 

 mas and Candlemas [Feb. 2nd.], a fayr staffe, of a 

 fadom and an halfe longe and arme-grete, of hazyll, 

 wyllowe, or ashe ; and bethe [bake] hym in an hote 

 ovyn and sette hym evyn ; thenne, lete hym coole and 

 drye a moneth." Dame Juliana then proceeds with 

 much minuteness to direct how the several pieces are 

 to be rendered taper, and fitted to join into one rod 

 when wanted for use; <f and thus" she concludes, 

 <( shall ye make your rodde so prevy_, that ye may walke 

 therwyth and there shall no man wyte [know] where 



