The North Country dngler. 65 



If you come to a woody place, where you have 

 no such conveniences, and where, perhaps, there 

 is a long pool, and no angling with the fly, or 

 throwing the rod; there ycu may be sure of many 

 and large fish. For that very reason I have 

 chosen such places, though very troublesome; 

 where 1 have been forced to creep under trees and 

 bushes, dragging my rod after me, with the very 

 top of it in my hand, to get near the water; and 

 I have been well paid for all my trouble: Whilst 

 you are getting in your rod, throw a brandling or 

 grub, or what you fish with, into the place, 

 which will make the fish take your bait the more 

 boldly. 



There is one bait with which I have killed 

 greater fish than any other ; I dress my hook 

 with a brown or dark head, and with a pretty large 

 wing, of a mottled drake's feather, or a starling's 

 wing, and a bristle on the back of the hook ; I 

 usually put on a large grub or cod-bait, beetle or 

 grasshopper, &c. and have had a little bottle with 

 oil of ivy, dissolved assafoetida, or other strong 

 scented oil, and dipped the end of this bait into 

 it ; and I have never known a fish refuse it, that 

 has not seen me, or been chased away. 



There are some pools, that have no bushes at 

 all, but only hollow banks in some places, under 

 which the great fish will lie in the day time; I have 

 gone softly to such places, and have dropped in a 

 suitable bait close by the bank, and have presently 

 had a good fish. When I use cork, shammy or 

 buff, instead of natural baits, I always dip them 

 in some strong scented oil, in shade fishing; 

 because the fish come slowly to the bait, and if 

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