94 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART I. 



would suffer him to take no rest, but carry him headlong to mills 

 and weirs, to his confusion. And of these Minnows : first, you 

 are to know that the biggest size is not the best ; and next, that 

 the middle size and the whitest are the best ; and then you are to 

 know that your minnow must be so put on your hook that it 

 must turn round when 'tis drawn against the stream ; and, that 

 it may turn nimbly, you must put it on a big-sized hook, as I shall 

 now direct you, which is thus : Put your hook in at his mouth, 

 and out at his gill ; then, having drawn your hook two or three 

 inches beyond or through his gill, put it again into his mouth, and 

 the point and beard out at his tail ; and then tie the hook and his 

 tail about, very neatly, with a white thread, which will make it 

 the apter to turn quick in the water ; that done, pull back that 

 part of your line which was slack when you did put your hook into 

 the minnow the second time ; I say, pull that part of your line 

 back, so that it shall fasten the head, so that the body of the 

 minnow shall be almost straight on your hook : this done, try how 

 it will turn, by drawing it across the water or against a stream ; 

 and if it do not turn nimbly, then turn the tail a little to the right 

 or left hand, and try again, till it turn quick ; for if not, you are 

 in danger to catch nothing : for know, that it is impossible that it 

 should turn too quick. And you are yet to know, that in case 

 you want a minnow, then a small loach, or a stickle-bag, or any 

 other small fish that will turn quick, will serve as well. And you 

 are yet to know that you may salt them, and by that means keep 

 them ready and fit for use three or four days, or longer and 

 that, of salt, bay-salt is the best. 



And here let me tell you, what many old anglers know right 

 well, that at some times, and in some waters, a minnow is not to 

 be got ; and therefore, let me tell you, I have, which I will show 

 to you, an artificial minnow, that will catch a Trout as well as an 

 artificial fly: and it was made by a handsome woman that had a 

 fine hand, and a live minnow lying by her : the mould or body 

 of the minnow was cloth, and wrought upon, or over it, thus, with 

 a needle ; the back of it with very sad French green silk, and 

 paler green silk towards the belly, shadowed as perfectly as you 

 can imagine, just as you see a minnow : the belly was wrought also 

 with a needle, and it was, a part of it, white silk ; and another 

 part of it with silver thread : the tail and fins were of a quill, 

 which was shaven thin : the eyes were of two little black beads : 

 and the head was so shadowed, and all of it so curiously wrought, 

 and so exactly dissembled, that it would beguile any sharp-sighted 



