222 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



worst of anglers. Matthiolus * commends him much 

 more for his taste and nourishment, than for his shape 

 or beauty. 



There is also a fish called a Sticklebag, a fish without 

 scales, but hath his body fenced with several prickles. I 

 know not where he dwells in winter, nor what he is good 

 for in summer, but only to make sport for boys and 

 women-anglers, and to feed other fish that be fish of prey, 

 as trout in particular, who will bite at him as at a penk, 

 and better, if your hook be rightly baited with him ; 

 for he may be so baited as, his tail turning like the sail 

 of a windmill, will make him turn more quick than any 

 penk or minnow can. For note, that the nimble turning of 

 that, or the minnow, is the perfection of minnow fishing. 

 To which end, if you put your hook into his mouth, and 

 out at his tail, and then, having first tied him with white 

 thread a little above his tail, and placed him after such 

 a manner on your hook as he is like to turn, then sew up 

 his mouth to your line, and he is like to turn quick, and 

 tempt any trout ; but if he do not turn quick, then turn 

 his tail a little more or less towards the inner part, or 

 towards the side of the hook, or put the minnow, or stickle- 

 bag, a little more crooked or more strait on your hook, 

 until it will turn both true and fast, and then doubt not 

 but to tempt any great trout that lies in a swift stream. 

 And the loach that I told you of will do the like : no bait 

 is more tempting, provided the loach be not too big. 



And now, scholar, with the help of this fine morning, 

 and your patient attention, I have said all that my present 

 memory will afford me, concerning most of the several 

 fish that are usually fished for in fresh waters. 



VEN. But, master, you have, by your former civility, 

 made me hope that you will make good your promise, and 



* Petrus Andreas Matthiolus, of Sienna, an eminent physician 

 of the sixteenth century, famous for his commentaries on some of the 

 writings of Dioscorides. 



