108 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part i. 



have you a jury of flies likely to betray and condemn 

 all the Trouts in the river. 



I shall next give you some other directions for 

 fly-fishing, such as are given by Mr. Thomas Barker, 

 a gentleman that hath spent much time in fishing : 

 but I shall do it with a little variation. 



First, let your rod be light, and very gentle, I 

 take the best to be of two pieces : and let not your 

 line exceed, — especially for three or four links next 

 to the hook, — I say, not exceed three or four hairs 

 at the most, though you may fish a little stronger 

 above in the upper part of your line : but if you 

 can attain to angle with one hair, you shall have 

 more rises and catch more fish. Now you must be 

 sure not to cumber yourself with too long a line, 

 as most do. And before you begin to angle, cast 

 to have the wind on your back, and the sun, if 

 it shines, to be before you, and to fish down the 

 stream ; and carry the point or top of your rod 

 downward, by which means the shadow of yourself, 

 and rod too, will be the least offensive to the fish ; for 

 the sight of any shade amazes the fish, and spoils 

 your sport, of which you must take a great care. 



In the middle of March, till which time a man 

 should not in honesty catch a Trout ; or in April, if 

 the weather be dark, or a little windy or cloudy, 

 the best fishing is with the Palmer- worm, of which 

 I last spoke to you ; but of these there be divers 

 kinds, or at least of divers colours : these and the 



