46 The Secrets of Angling. 



FOR THE PIKE OR PEARCH. 



Now for to take these kinde of Fish with all, 

 It shal be needfull to haue still in store, 

 Some liuing baites as Bleiks, and Roches small, 

 Goodgion, or Loach, not taken long before, 

 Or yealow Frogges that in the waters craule, 

 But all aliue they must be euermore : 



For as for baites that dead and dull doe lye, 

 They least esteeme and set but little by. 



But take good heed your line be sure and strong, 

 The knots well knit, and of the soundest hayre, 

 Twisted with some well coloured silke among, 

 And that you haue no neede your Rod to feare : 

 For these great Fish will striue and struggle long, 

 Rod, line, and all into the streame to beare. 



And that your hooke be not too small and weake, 

 Least that it chance to stretch, or hap to breake. 



And as in Arden or the mountaines hoare, 

 Of Appemmie [Apennine] or craggy Alps among, 

 The mastifes fierce that hunt the bristled Boare, 

 Are harnesed vri.th~*Curats light and stronge, 

 So for these Fish, your line a foote or more, 

 Must armed be with thinnest plate along, 



Or slender wyre well fastned thereunto, 

 That will not slip nor easily vndoe. 



The other kinde that are vnlike to these 



Doe Hue by corne or any other secde : 



Sometimes by crummes of bread, of paste or cheese, 



Or grassehoppers that in greene meadows breed, 



With brood of waspes, of hornets, doares or bees, 



Lip berries from the bryar bush or weede, 



Bloud wormes, and snayles, or crauling lentiles small 

 And buzzintr flies that on the waters fall. 



