76 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART i. 



Now for the Minnow or Penk : he is not easily found and 

 caught till March, or in April, for then he appears first in the 

 river; nature having taught him to shelter and hide himself, in 

 the winter, in ditches that be near to the river ; and there both 

 to hide, and keep himself warm, in the mud, or in the weeds, 

 which rot not so soon as in a running river, in which place if he 

 were in winter, the distempered floods that are usually in that 

 season would suffer him to take no rest, but carry him headlong 

 to mills and weirs, to his confusion. And of these minnows ; 

 first you are to know that the biggest size is not the best ; and 

 c next, that the middle size and the whitest are the best; and then 

 you are to know, that your minnow must be so put on your 

 hook, that it must turn round when it is drawn against the 

 stream ; and, that it may turn nimbly, you must put it on a big- 

 sized hook, as I shall now direct you, which is thus: put your 

 hook in at his mouth, and out at his gill ; then, having drawn 

 your hook two or three inches beyond or through his gill, put it 

 again into his mouth, and the point and beard out at his tail ; 

 and then tie the hook and his tail about, very neatly, with a 

 white thread, which will make it the apter to turn quick in the 

 water: that done, pull back that part of your line which was 

 slack when you did put your hook into the minnow the second 

 time; I say, pull that part of your line back, so that it shall 

 fasten the head, so that the body of the minnow shall be almost 

 straight on your hook : this done, try how it will turn, by drawing 

 it across the water or against the stream; and if it do not turn 

 nimbly, then turn the tail a little to the right or left hand, and 

 try again, till it turn quick; for if not, you are in danger to catch 

 nothing : for know that it is impossible that it should turn too 

 quick; and you are yet to know, that in case you want a 

 minnow, then a small loach or a stickle-bag, or any other small 

 fish that will turn quick, will serve as well : and you are yet to 

 know, that you may salt them, and by that means keep them 

 ready and fit for use three or four days or longer ; and that of 

 salt, bay-salt is the best. 



And here let me tell you, what many old anglers know right 

 well, that at some times, and in some waters, a minnow is not to 



