CHAP. XTI. THE COMPLETE ANGtER. 459 



miniiow, and so deep bearded, 03 those Looks com* 

 monly are wkea I have sceu, by the fore-named acci- 

 dents, or the slipping of a knot in the upper part of the 

 line, by sudden and hard striking, that though the line 

 has immediately been recovered, almost before it could 

 be all drawn into the water,) the fish cleared and gone 

 io a moment. And yet to justify what he says I have 

 sometimes known a Trout, having carried away a whole 

 line, found dead, three or four days after, with the 

 hook fast sticking in him : l>ut then it is to be supposed 

 he had gorged it ; which a Trout will do, if you be not 

 too quick with him when lie comes at a minnow, as sure 

 and much sooner than a Pike. And 1 myself have also, 

 once or twice in my life, taken the same fish with my 

 own fly, sticking in his chaps, that he had taken from 

 me, the day before, by the slipping of a hook in the 

 arming. But I am very confident, a Trout will not be 

 troubled two hours with any hook, that has so much as 

 one handful of line left behind with it, or that is not 

 struck through a bone, if it be in any part of his mouth 

 only : nay, 1 do certainly know, that a Trout, so soon 

 as ever he feels himself prickt, if he carries away the 

 hook, goes immediately to the bottom ; and will there 

 root, like a hog upon the gravel, till he either rub out, 

 or break the hook in the middle. And so much for 

 this first sort of angling-in-the-middle for a Trout. 



The second way of Angling-in-the-middle, is with 

 a worm, grub, cadis, or any other ground-bait for a 

 Grayling. And that is : witli a cork ; and a foot from 

 the bottom, a Grayling taking it much better there than 

 at the bottom, as has been said before. And this, al- 

 ways in a clear water ; and with the finest tackle. 



To which we may also, and with very good reason, 

 add the third way of angiing-by-hand with a ground- 

 bait; as a third way of fishing-in-the-middle, which is 

 common to both Trout and Grayling, and as I said be- 

 fore, the best way of angling with a worm, of all other 

 I ever tried whatever. 



And now, Sir, I have said all I can at present think 

 of concerning Angling for a Trout and Grayling, and 

 I doubt not have tired you sufficiently : but I will give 

 D D 3 



