OBSERVATIONS OF THE BREAM 



you mean to angle, of sweet gross-ground barley-malt, and boil 

 it in a kettle ; one or two warms is enough ; then strain it 

 through a bag into a tub, the liquor whereof hath often done 

 my horse much good, and when the bag and malt is near cold, 

 take it down to the water-side about eight or nine of the clock 

 in the evening, and not before : cast in two parts of your ground- 

 bait, squeezed hard between both your hands, it will sink 

 presently to the bottom, and be sure it may rest in the very 

 place where you mean to angle : if the stream run hard, or 

 move a little, cast your malt in handfuls a little the higher, 

 upwards the stream. You may between your hands close the 

 malt so fast in handfuls, that the water will hardly part it with 

 the fall. 



Your ground thus baited, and tackling fitted, leave your 

 bag with the rest of your tackling and ground-bait near the 

 sporting-place all night, and in the morning about three or four 

 of the clock visit the water-side, but not too near, for they have 

 a cunning watchman, and are watchful themselves too. 



Then gently take one of your three rods, and bait your 

 hook, casting it over your ground-bait, and gently and secretly 

 draw it to you, till the lead rests about the middle of the 

 ground-bait. 



Then take a second rod and cast in about a yard above, 

 and your third a yard below the first rod, and stay the rods in 

 the ground, but go yourself so far from the water-side, that you 

 perceive nothing but the top of the floats, which you must 

 watch most diligently; then, when you have a bite, you shall 

 perceive the top of your float to sink suddenly into the water ; 

 yet nevertheless be not too hasty to run to your rods, until you 

 see that the line goes clear away, then creep to the water-side, 

 and give as much line as possibly you can : if it be a good Carp 

 or Bream, they will go to the farther side of the river, then 

 strike gently, and hold your rod at a bent a little while ; but 

 if you both pull together, you are sure to lose your game, for 

 either your line, or hook, or hold will break ; and after you have 

 overcome them, they will make noble sport, and are very shy 

 to be landed. The Carp is far stronger and more mettlesome 

 than the Bream. 



Much more is to be observed in this kind of fish and fishing, 



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