114 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



a pike ; and I 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 w ill 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 tiirough a bone, if it be 

 in any part of his mouth only ; nay, I do certainly know, that a 

 trout, so soon as ever he feels himself pricked, 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 

 with a cork, and a foot from the bottom, a grayling taking it 

 much better there than at the bottom, as has been said before j 

 and this always in a clear water, and with the finest tackle. 



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

 third way of angling 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 before, 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 con- 

 cerning angling for a trout and grayling ; and I doubt not, have 

 tired you sufficiently : but I will give you no more trouble of 

 this kind, whilst you stay ; wliich, I hope, will be a good while 

 longer. 



ViAT. That will not be above a day longer ; but, if I live till 

 May come twelvemonth, you are sure of me again, either with 

 my master Walton, or witiiout him ; and in the meantime shall 

 acquaint him how much you have made of me for his sake ; and 

 I hope he loves me well enough to thank you for it. 



Pisc. I shall be glad, Sir, of your good company at the time 

 you speak of ; and shall be loath to part with you now : but 

 when you tell me you must go, I will then wait upon you more 

 miles on your way than I have tempted you out of it, and heartily 

 wish you a good journey. 



