THE COMPLETE ANGLER 327 



The third way of angling by hand with a ground-bait, 

 and by much the best of all other, is, with a line full as 

 long, or a yard and a half longer than your rod ; with 

 no more than one hair next the hook, and for two or three 

 lengths above it; and no more than one small pellet 

 or shot for your plumb ; your hook, little ; your worms, 

 of the smaller brandlings, very well scoured, and only one 

 upon your hook at a time ; which is thus to be baited. 

 The point of your hook is to be put in at the very tag 

 of his tail, and run up his body quite over all the arming, 

 and still stripped on an inch at least upon the hair, the 

 head and remaining part hanging downward : and with 

 this line and hook thus baited you are evermore to angle 

 in the streams, always in a clear rather than a troubled 

 water, and always up the river, still casting out your 

 worm before you with a light one-handed rod, like an 

 artificial fly ; where it will be taken sometimes at the 

 top, or within a very little of the superficies of the water, 

 and almost always before that light plumb can sink it 

 to the bottom, both by reason of the stream, and also, 

 that you must always keep your worm in motion by draw- 

 ing still back towards you, as if you were angling with a 

 fly ; and believe me, whoever will try it, shall find this 

 the best way of all other to angle with a worm, in a 

 bright water especially ; but then his rod must be very 

 light and pliant, and very true and finely made, which, 

 with a skilful hand, will do wonders, and in a clear stream 

 is undoubtedly the best way of angling for a trout or 

 grayling with a worm, by many degrees, that any man 

 can make choice of, and of most ease and delight to the 

 angler. To which, let me add, that if the angler be of 

 a constitution that will suffer him to wade, and will slip 

 into the tail of a shallow stream, to the calf of the leg 

 or the knee, and so keep off the bank, he shall almost 

 take what fish he pleases. 



The second way of angling at the bottom, is with a 



