THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 161 



with the rest of your tackling and ground-bait near the 

 sporting-place all night, and in the morning about three 

 or four of the clock, visit the water-side, but not too near, 

 for they have a cunning watchman, and are watchful them- 

 selves too. 



Then gently take one of your three rods, and bait your 

 hook ; casting it over your ground-bait, and gently and 

 secretly draw it to you, till the lead rests about the middle of 

 the ground-bait. 



Then take a second rod, and cast in about a yard above, 

 and your third a yard below the first rod ; and stay the rods 

 in the ground : but go yourself so far from the water-side, 

 that you perceive nothing but the top of the floats, which 

 you must watch most diligently. Then when you have a 

 bite, you shall perceive the top of your float to sink suddenly 

 into the water: yet, nevertheless, be not too hasty to run to 

 your rods, until you see that the line goes clear away, then 

 creep to the water-side, and give as much line as you possibly 

 can : if it be a good carp or bream, they will go to the farther 

 side of the river : then strike gently, and hold your rod at a 

 bent, a little while ; but if you both pull together, you are 

 sure to lose your game, for either your line, or hook, or hold 

 will break : and after you have overcome them, they will 

 make noble sport, and are very shy to be landed. The 

 carp is far stronger and more mettlesome than the bream. 



Much more is to be observed in this kind of fish and 

 fishing, but it is far better for experience and discourse than 

 paper. Only, thus much is necessary for you to know, and to 

 be mindful and careful of, that if the pike or pearch do breed 

 in that river, they will be sure to bite first, and must first be 

 taken. And for the most part they are very large ; and will 

 repair to your ground-bait, not that they will eat of it, but 

 will feed and sport themselves among the young fry that 

 gather about and hover over the bait. 



The way to discern the pike and to take him, if you mis- 

 trust your bream-hook, for I have taken a pike a yard long 

 several times at my bream-hooks, and sometimes he hath had 

 the luck to share my line, may be thus : 



Take a small bleak, or roach, or gudgeon, and bait it, and 

 set it alive among your rods, two feet deep from the cork, 

 with a little red worm on the point of the hook ; then take 

 a few crumbs of white bread, or some of the ground-bait, and 

 sprinkle it gently amongst your rods. If Mr. Pike be there, 



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