THE COMPLETE ANGLER 97 



hide himself, in the winter, in ditches that be near to 

 the river ; and there both to hide, and keep himself 

 warm, in the mud, or in the weeds, which rot not so soon 

 as in a running river, in which place if he were in winter, 

 the distempered floods that are usually in that season 

 would suffer him to take no rest, but carry him headlong 

 to mills and weirs, to his confusion. And of these min- 

 nows ; first you are to know that the biggest size is not 

 the best ; and next, that the middle size and the whitest 

 are the best ; and then you are to know, that your minnow 

 must be so put on your hook, that it must turn round 

 when it is drawn against the stream ; and, that it may 

 turn nimbly, you must put it on a big-sized hook, as I 

 shall now direct you, which is thus : put your hook in at 

 his mouth and out at his gill ; then, having drawn your 

 hook two or three inches beyond or through his gill, 

 put it again into his mouth, and the point and beard out at 

 his tail ; and then tie the hook and his tail about, very 

 neatly, with a white thread, which will make it the apter 

 to turn quick in the water : that done, pull back that part 

 of your line which was slack when you did put your hook 

 into the minnow the second time ; I say, pull that part 

 of your line back, so that it shall fasten the head, so that 

 the body of the minnow shall be almost straight on your 

 hook : this done, try how if will turn, by drawing it across 

 the water or against a stream ; and if it do not turn 

 nimbly, then turn the tail a little to the right or left hand, 

 and try again, till it turn quick ; for if not, you are in 

 danger to catch nothing : for know, that it is impossible 

 that it should turn too quick ; and you are yet to know, 

 that in case you want a minnow, then a small loach or a 

 stickle-bag, or any other small fish that will turn quick, will 

 serve as well : and you are yet to know, that you may 

 salt them, and by that means keep them ready and fit for 

 use three or four days or longer ; and that of salt, bay- 

 salt is the best. 



100 D 



