CHAP. VIII. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 229 



must take this caution, that your Pike must not be a 

 small one, that is, it must be more than half a yard, 

 and should be bigger. 



First, open your Pike at the gills, and if need be, cut 

 also a little slit towards the belly. Out of these, take 

 his guts. And keep his liver; which you are to shred, 

 very small, with thyme, sweet marjoram, and a little 

 winter-savoury, to these put some pickled oysters, and 

 tome anchovies, two or three, both these last whole, for 

 the anchovi 's will melt, and the oysters should not ; to 

 these you must add p.lso a pound of sweet butter, which 

 you are to mix with the herbs that are shred, and let 

 them all be well salted : If the Pike be more than a 

 yard long, then you may put into these herbs more 

 than a pound, or if he be less, then less butter will 

 suffice : These being thus mixt, with a blade or two 

 of mace, must be put into the Pike's belly ; and then, 

 his belly so sewed up, as to keep all the butter in his 

 belly if it be possible,- if not, then as much of it as 

 you possibly can. But take not off the scales. Then 

 you are to thrust the spit through his mouth, out 

 at his tail. And then take four or five or six split 

 sticks, or very thin laths, and a convenient quantity 

 of tape or filleting; these laths are to be tied round 

 about the Pike's body from his head to his tail, and 



means whereof the twisting of the line is prevented, the bait plays more 

 freely, and, though dead, is made to appear as if alive ; which, in rivers, i 

 doubtless an excellent way : but those who can like to fish in ponds or still 

 waters, will find very little occasion for more than one. 



The Pike h also to itc caught with a minnow ; for which method take the 

 following directions : 



Get a single hook, slender, and long in the shank ; let it resemble the 

 shape of a shepherd's crook; put lead upon it, as thick near the bent at 

 will go into the minnow's mouth ; place the point of the hook directly up 

 the face of the fish. Let the rod be as long as you can handsomely 

 manage, with a line of the same length. Cast up and down, and manage 

 it as when you troll with any other bait. If, when the Pike hath taken 

 your bait, he run to the end of the line before he hath gorged it, do not 

 strike, but hold still only, and he will return back and swallow it. But if 

 you use that bait with a troll, I rather prefer it before any bait that I 

 know, y enables. 



In landing a Pike, great caution is necessary ; for his bite is esteemed 

 venomous. The best and safest hold you can take of him, it by the head, 

 in doing which, place your thumb and finger in his eyes. 



o4 



