THE COMPLETE ANGLER 169 



them again for four hours, which is the best sport of all ; 

 and after that, let them rest till you and your friends have 

 a mind to more sport. 



From St. James's-tide until Bartholomew-tide is the 

 best ; when they have had all the summer's food, they 

 are the fattest. 



Observe lastly, that after three or four days' fishing 

 together your game will be very shy and wary, and you 

 shall hardly get above a bite or two at a baiting ; then 

 your only way is to desist from your sport about two or 

 three days ; and in the meantime, on the place you late 

 baited, and again intend to bait, you shall take a tuft of 

 green but short grass, as big or bigger than a round 

 trencher ; to the top of this turf, on the green side, you 

 shall, with a needle and green thread, fasten one by one 

 as many little red-worms as will near cover all the turf : 

 then take a round board or trencher, make a hole in the 

 middle thereof, and through the turf, placed on the board 

 or trencher, with a string or cord as long as is fitting, tied 

 to a pole, let it down to the bottom of the water, for the 

 fish to feed upon without disturbance about two or three 

 days ; and after that you have drawn it away, you may 

 fall to and enjoy your former recreation.* B. A. 



* The haunts of the bream, a fish which the angler seldom meets 

 with, are the deepest and broadest parts of gentle, soft streams, 

 with sandy, clayey bottoms ; and the broadest and most quiet 

 places of ponds, and where there are weeds. They spawn about the 

 beginning of July ; a little before which time they are best in season, 

 though some think them best in September. The baits for the bream 

 are red worms, small lob or marsh worms, gentles, and grasshoppers. 

 In general they are to be fished for as carp. H. 



100 F 



