THE COMPLETE ANGLER 69 



in most hot days you will find a dozen or twenty chevens 

 floating near the top of the water : get two or three 

 grasshoppers as you go over the meadow, and get secretly 

 behind the tree, and stand as free from motion as is 

 possible ; then put a grasshopper on your hook, and let 

 your hook hang a quarter of a yard short of the water, 

 to which end you must rest your rod on some bough of 

 the tree. But it is likely the chubs will sink down 

 towards the bottom of the water, at the first shadow of 

 your rod (for chub is the fearfulest of fishes), and will 

 do so if but a bird flies over him and makes the least 

 shadow on the water. But they will presently rise up 

 to the top again, and there lie soaring till some shadow 

 affrights them again. I say, when they lie upon the top of 

 the water, look out the best chub (which you, setting 

 yourself in a fit place, may very easily see), and move 

 your rod as softly as a snail moves, to that chub you 

 intend to catch ; let your bait fall gently upon the 

 water about three or four inches before him, and he will 

 infallibly take the bait. And you will be as sure to 

 catch him ; for he is one of the leather-mputhed fishes,* 

 of which a hook does scarce ever lose its hold ; and 

 therefore give him play enough before you offer to take 

 him out of the water. Go your way presently ; take 

 my rod and do as I bid you ; and I will sit down and 

 mend my tackling till you return back. 



VEN. Truly, my loving master, you have offered me as 

 fair as I could wish. I'll go, and observe your directions. 



Look you, master, what I have done, that which 

 joys my heart, caught just such another chub as yours 

 was. 



* Leather-mouthed fish are those possessing tough palates ; 

 they are generally of the carp tribe. The barbel is a good example. 

 Tender-mouthed fish are mostly of the salmon tribe, with crisp and 

 tender palates. The latter fish, when hooked, must be played with 

 a delicate hand, lest the hook-hold tear away ; the former can be 

 played roughly without any such danger. E. 



