ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 185 



Strain that the Fish may not have too great Liberty 

 to intangle himself in the Weeds : but you are not to 

 keep your Line too much strained when you strike a 

 large Fish, for fear of its breaking. The Fish being 

 carried down to a convenient Place for Landing on 

 either Side of the River, the Angler that receives the 

 Fish, is to retire regularly with his Rod extended 

 from the River, and his Companion on the other Side, 

 is to go to the Water gradually to help over the Fish. 

 And when the Fish is brought near the Shore, the 

 Angler on that Side sticks his Rod carefully in the 

 Ground, and runs to the Water-side and lands his 

 Fish ; then baits his Hook with a fresh Fly, and they 

 proceed. 



We have already seen that Venables describes a 

 form of tackle very similar to that to which the name 

 of " Paternoster " is now given ; in The Compleat 

 Sportsman this name is assigned to another kind of 

 tackle : 



The Bleak or fresh Water Sprat, may be taken 

 either at Mid- Water or the Top, with a Line called a 

 Paternoster Line (viz.), a Line having six or eight 

 small Hooks tied to single Han>Links, and fixed 

 within half a Foot of each other, and baited with 

 Gentils, your Line having a Float of Quill. 



