198 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



appears to have been more generally used at this time 

 than the sunk fly : 



It is the usual Practice to Angle for a Trout with a 

 Fly on the top of the Water, and yet the largest are 

 taken by letting it sink five or six Inches under it. 



The trout in those days does not appear to have 

 been so highly educated as at the present time : 



You need not be very cautious in the choice of 

 your Flies, for a trout is not difficult, nor very curious 

 about the Season, for I have Angled successfully with 

 an artificial May-Fly in August. 



In dealing with the perch, Brookes is the first 

 writer to describe the use of the disgorger : 



As the Pearch generally swallows the Bait, and 

 as it is difficult to get the Hook out of his Entrails 

 without breaking the Line, it will be necessary to 

 carry an Instrument in your Pocket which I call a 

 Gorge. It may be made of Iron or Wood, about six 

 Inches long and half an Inch thick, with a Hollow at 

 the Extremity. This hollow End you are to thrust 

 down the Throat of the Fish 'till you feel the Hook, 

 at the same time keeping your Line straight lest the 

 Hook should catch again ; when you have disengaged 

 it with this Instrument, you may draw them both out 

 carefully together. 



On the strength of a statement in his Booke of 

 Fishing, Leonard Mascall is here credited with 

 having been the first to introduce the carp into 

 England : 



Some Authors of note have affirm'd that Carp 

 have been often found in Ponds wherein they were 



