NOBB8?S ART OF TKOf.LKNG. 



to his lowest retirements. There are some that will 

 make such brags of their art, that they have the confi. 

 (knee to, say, they can find a Pike as easily in his beat, 

 as an old hare- finder can take Puss in her furra ; and 

 that the same Pike will as infallibly take his bait, as an 

 hungry dog; will leap at a crust: they Mould make you 

 believe,* they are good acrom plants, and such water, 

 arithmeticians, thc-y can tell the number of fish in the 

 river, as well as graziers can count their sheep and 

 beasts in their pastures. 



These stories are too romantic to gain the credit of 

 sober fishermen ; though one that hath had much expe- 

 rience, and made it his business, may give a near guess 

 where the lish lie : some places are more probable than 

 others, though you will often meet with them in the 

 middle as well as by the sides, and sometimes unex- 

 pectedly, where there is no convenieocy of shelter or 

 repast. x 



A ford that is clear and gravelly at the bottom, 

 especially if it have a pit adjoining to it that is deep 

 and weedy, is looked upon as a probable place ; for 

 though they generall affect a deep water, yet they will 

 get as near as they can to a ford or shallow ; there 

 they delight themselves, and sport with the little fry : 

 so scours and pits that are near mills, either above or 

 below them, are commonly well stored with fish: a 

 mill-dam that is deep and weedy is an approved recep- 

 tacle for them. Those rivers that are straight and 

 level, are not so good to fish as those that are crooked 

 and hare many corners and turnings ; for the fish will 

 get into those creeks aud channels, and hide themselves 

 in private apartments. If the water is narrow, it is 

 more pleasing for the troller ; for where it is tery broad 

 and deep, there is more uncertainty : if it is narrow, 

 you may fish both sides, and sooner chop upon them ; 

 you will then go on the faster and with more courage, 

 and drive forward to your journey's end ; but this is 

 chiefly as every one fancies, for some desire the widest 

 places they can find, and fix themselves two or three 

 hours without any considerable motion : I never ap. 



