150 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART i. 



1. Let your bait be as big a red worm as you can find, without 

 a knot : get a pint or quart of them in an evening, in garden - 

 walks, or chalky commons, after a shower of rain ; and put them 

 with clean moss well washed and picked, and the water squeezed 

 out of the moss as dry as you can, into an earthen pot or pipkin 

 set dry ; and change the moss fresh every three or four days, for 

 three weeks or a month together ; then your bait will be at the 

 best, for it will be clear and lively. 



2. Having thus prepared your baits, get your tackling ready 

 and fitted for this sport. Take three long angling-rods ; and as 

 many and more silk, or silk and hair, lines ; and as many large 



swan or goose-quill floats. Then take a piece of lead 

 made after this manner, and fasten them to the low ends 

 of your lines : then fasten your link-hook also to the lead; 

 and let there be about a foot or ten inches between the 

 lead and the hook : but be sure the lead be heavy enough to sink 

 the float or quill, a little under the water ; and not the quill to 

 bear up the lead, for the lead must lie on the ground. Note that 

 your link next the hook may be smaller than the rest of your line, 

 if you dare adventure, for fear of taking the Pike or Perch, who 

 will assuredly visit your hooks, till they be taken out, as I will 

 show 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 

 enticeth 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 swim in skulls or 

 shoals, in the summer-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 discern, 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 tumbling 

 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, whether that water will 

 rise or fall by the next morning, by reason of any water-mills 

 near ; and, according to your discretion, take the depth of the 



