ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 19 



The Dace is a gentle fish to take. The baits 

 mentioned are much the same as those for the roach. 

 For commonly their biting and their baits be like. 



The Bleak be but a feeble fish yet he be whole- 

 some. The baits are the same as for the Roach and 

 dace. 



The Ruffe is a right and wholesome fish. The 

 baits are the same as those given for the perch. 



The Gudgeon is a good fish of the mochenes \i.e. t of 

 its size]. Baits : Codworm, Red Worm, Maggots. 



The Minnow when he shineth in the water then 

 he is a biter. The baits are the same as for the 

 gudgeon only they must be smaller. 



The Eel is a quasy fish and a ravenor and a 

 devourer of the brood of fish. And for the pike also 

 is a devourer of fish I put them both behind all 

 others to angle. The baits are a great angyll twitch 

 [earth worm] or a minnow. 



The Pike is a good fish : but for that he devoureth 

 so many as well of his own kinde as of other, I love 

 him the less. And for to take him you shall do this. 

 Take a codling hook and take a roach or a fresh 

 herring, and a wire with a hole in the end and put 

 it in at the mouth and out at the tail down by the 

 ridge of the fresh herring and then put the line of 

 your hook in after and draw the hook into the cheek 

 of the fresh herring. 



A float and lead are to be attached to the line, 

 and the tackle is cast to a spot where the pike 

 " useth." An alternative method is described, in 

 which a frog is used, in place of the fresh herring; 

 the frog is sometimes dipped into asafcetida in order 

 that it may prove more attractive to the pike. 



From the frequency with which the following way 

 of capturing pike appears in old angling works, it 



