THE COMPLETE ANGLER 121 



two, which you are to fish with in a place where the waters 

 run somewhat quietly, for in a stream the bait will not 

 be so well discerned. I say, in a quiet or dead place, near 

 to some swift : there draw your bait over the top of the 

 water, to and fro ; and if there be a good trout in the hole, 

 he will take it, especially if the night be dark ; for then 

 he is bold, and lies near the top of the water, watching the 

 motion of any frog, or water-rat, or mouse, that swims 

 between him and the sky : these he hunts after if he sees 

 the water but wrinkle or move in one of these dead holes, 

 where these great old trouts usually lie near to their holds ; 

 for you are to note, that the great old trout is both subtle 

 and fearful, and lies close all day, and does not usually 

 stir out of his hold, but lies in it as close in the day as the 

 timorous hare does in her form, for the chief feeding of 

 either is seldom in the day, but usually in the night, and 

 then the great trout feeds very boldly. 



And you must fish for him with a strong line, and not a 

 little hook ; and let him have time to gorge your hook, for 

 he does not usually forsake it, as he oft will in the day-fish- 

 ing. And if the night be not dark, then fish so with an 

 artificial fly of a light colour, and at the snap : nay, he 

 will sometimes rise at a dead mouse, or a piece of cloth, 

 or anything that seems to swim across the water, or to be 

 in motion. This is a choice way, but I have not often 

 used it, because it is void of the pleasures that such days 

 as these, that we two now enjoy, afford an angler. 



And you are to know, that in Hampshire, which I think 

 exceeds all England for swift, shallow, clear, pleasant 

 brooks, and store of trouts, they used to catch trouts in 

 the night, by the light of a torch or straw, which, when 

 they have discovered, they strike with a trout-spear, or 

 other ways. This kind of way they catch very many ; 

 but I would not believe it till I was an eye-witness of it, 

 nor do I like it now I have seen it. 



VEN. But, master, do not trouts see us in the night ? 



