172 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part i. 



for fear of taking the Pike or Pearch, who will as- 

 suredly visit your hooks, till they be taken out, as 

 I will shew you afterwards, before either Carp or 

 Bream will come near to bite. Note also, that when 

 the worm is well baited, it will crawl up and down, 

 as far as the lead will give leave, which much en- 

 ticeth the fish to bite without suspicion. 



3. Having thus prepared your baits, and fitted 

 your tackling, repair to the river, where you have 

 seen them to swim in skids or shoals in the sum- 

 mer-time in a hot afternoon, about three or four 

 of the clock ; and watch their going forth of their 

 deep holes and returning, which you may well dis- 

 cern, for they return about four of the clock, most 

 of them seeking food at the bottom, yet one or two 

 will lie on the top of the water, rolling and tum- 

 bling themselves whilst the rest are under him at 

 the bottom ; and so you shall perceive him to keep 

 sentinel : then mark where he plays most, and 

 stays longest, which commonly is in the broadest 

 and deepest place of the river, and there, or near 

 thereabouts, at a clear bottom and a convenient 

 landing-place, take one of your angles ready fitted 

 as aforesaid, and sound the bottom, which should 

 be about eight or ten feet deep ; two yards from the 

 bank is best. Then consider with yourself whe- 

 ther that water will rise or fall by the next morn- 

 ing, by reason of any water-mills near, and accord- 

 ing to your discretion take the depth of the place, 

 where you mean after to cast your ground -bait, and 



