134 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



a long time, and be much longer growing to his full 

 bigness from 30 Inches, than he was encreasing to 

 that proportion. 



The fourth chapter treats "Of the Seat and 

 Harbour of a Pike," and states that the harbour is 

 amongst or near a bank of weeds, especially " Flags 

 and Bullrushes." 



The best and securest way of Fishing these wide 

 Reaches, is by drawing the bait along the sides next 

 to you, except you can search the breadth of it, and 

 throw over to the farther side ; but that is but dull 

 and slow Sport, and it will spend a great deal of time 

 to Troll the length of a Furlong. 



The haunts of the pike vary according to the 

 season of the year, and the " Pike, like a Person of 

 Quality, hath both a Winter and a Summer House. 

 ... A Ford that is cleer and gravelly at the bottom, 

 especially if it have a Spit adjoyning to it that is 

 indifferent deep and weedy, is looked upon as a 

 probable place : for though they generally affect a 

 deep Water, yet they will get as near as they can to 

 a Ford or a Shallow ; there they delight themselves, 

 and sport with the little fry." 



The fifth chapter treats " Of the best Seasons for 

 Trolling," Nobbes considering that December and 

 January are generally too cold for this sport. 

 " February is the first and none of the worst 

 Months he [i.e., the troller] can pitch upon for his 

 sport ; . . . March is very seasonable and auspicious 



