268 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART n. 



but that your bait must always drag whilst you are sounding 

 (which in this way of angling must be continually) ; by which 

 means you are like to have more trouble, and peradventure worse 

 success. And both these ways of angling at the bottom are most 

 proper for a dark and muddy water, by reason, that in such a 

 condition of the stream a man may stand as near as he will, and 

 neither his own shadow nor the roundness of his tackle will 

 hinder his sport. 



The third way of angling by hand with a ground-bait, and by 

 much the best of all other, is with a line full as long, or a yard 

 and a half longer than your rod ; with no more than one hair 

 next the hook, and for two or three lengths above it ; and no 

 more than one small pellet of shot for your plumb ; your hook, 

 little ; your worms, of the smaller brandlings, very well scoured ; 

 and only one upon your hook at a time, which is thus to be baited : 

 the point of your hook is to be put in at the very tag of his tail, 

 and run up his body quite over all the arming, and still stript on 

 an inch at least upon the hair ; the head and remaining part 

 hanging downward. And with this line and hook, thus baited, 

 you are evermore to angle in the streams, always in a clear, rather 

 than in a troubled water, and always up the river, still casting 

 out your worm before you with a light one-handed rod, like an 

 artificial fly, where it will be taken, sometimes at the top, or with- 

 in a very little of the superficies of the water, and almost always 

 before that light plumb can sink it to the bottom ; both by reason 

 of the stream, and also that you must always keep your worm in 

 motion by drawing still back towards you, as if you were angling 

 with a fly. And believe me, whoever will try it, shall find this 

 the best way of all other to angle with a worm, in a bright water 

 especially. But then his rod must be very light and pliant, and 

 very true and finely made, which, with a skilful hand, will do 

 wonders, and in a clear stream is undoubtedly the best way of 

 angling for a Trout or Grayling with a worm, by many degrees, 

 that any man can make choice of, and of most ease and delight 

 to the angler. To which let me add, that if the angler be of a 

 constitution that will suffer him to wade, and will slip into the tail 

 of a shallow stream, to the calf of the leg or the knee, and so keep 

 off the bank, he shall almost take what fish he pleases. 



The second way of Angling at the bottom is with a Cork or 

 Float. And that is also of two sorts ; with a worm, or with a 

 grub or cadis. 



With a Worm, you are to have your line within a foot, or a 



