I OS THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



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

 ficial fly ; where it will be taken, sometimes at the top, or within 

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

 before that light plumb can sink it to the bottom, both by rea- 

 son 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 foot 

 and a 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 cork, your cork to the condition of the river — 

 that is, to the swiftness or slowness of it, and both when the 

 water is very clear, as fine as you can : and then you are never 

 to bait with above one of the lesser sort of brandlings; or if 

 they are very little ones indeed, you may then bait with two, 

 after the manner before directed. 



When you angle for a trout, you are to do it as deep, that is, 

 as near the bottom as you can, provided your bait do not drag ; 

 or if it do, a trout will sometimes take it in that posture : if for 

 a grayling, you are then to fish further from the bottom, he being 

 a fish that usually swims nearer to the middle of the water, and 

 lies always loose ; or however is more apt to rise than a trout, 



