130 The Complete Angler 



And some affirm, that any bait anointed with the 

 marrow of the thigh-bone of a heron is a great 

 temptation to any fish. 



These have not been tried by me, but told me by 

 a friend of note, that pretended to do me a courtesy. 

 But if this direction to catch a Pike thus do you no 

 good, yet I am certain this direction how to roast 

 him when he is caught is choicely good ; for I have 

 tried it, and it is somewhat the better for not being 

 common. But with my direction you must take 

 this caution, that your Pike must not be a small 

 one, that is, it must be more than half a yard, and 

 should be bigger. 



"First, open your Pike at the gills, and if need 

 be, cut also a little slit towards the belly. Out of 

 these, take his guts ; and keep his liver, which you 

 are to shred very small, with thyme, sweet mar- 

 joram, and a little winter-savoury ; to these put 

 some pickled oysters, and some anchovies, two or 

 three ; both these last whole, for the anchovies will 

 melt, and the oysters should not ; to these, you must 

 add also a pound of sweet butter, which you are to 

 mix with the herbs that are shred, and let them all 

 be well salted. If the Pike be more than a yard 

 long, then you may put into these herbs more than 

 a pound, or if he be less, then less butter will suffice : 

 These, being thus mixt, with a blade or two of 

 mace, must be put into the Pike's belly ; and then 

 his belly so sewed up as to keep all the butter in 

 his belly if it be possible ; if not, then as much of it 

 as you possibly can. But take not off the scales. 

 Then you are to thrust the spit through his mouth, 

 out at his tail. And then take four or five or six 

 split sticks, or very thin laths, and a convenient 

 quantity of tape or filleting ; these laths are to be 

 tied round about the Pike's body, from his head to 

 his tail, and the tape tied somewhat thick, to pre- 



