CHAP. XI. THE COMPLETE ANGLER* 453 



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 j you are ever-* 

 more to angle in the streams ; always in a clear, rather 

 than 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 within a very little of the su- 

 perficies) 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 [it] 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, espe- 

 cially. 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 un- 

 doubtedly the best way of angling for a Trout or Gray- 

 ling 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 Jloat. 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 foot and half, as long as your rod ; in a dark 

 water, with two, or if you will with three but, in a 

 clear water, never with- above one hair next the hook, 

 and two or three, for four or five lengths above it : and 

 a worm, of what size you please ; your plumbs fitted to 

 your eork ; your cork to the condition of the river, that 



