234. 



THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



and providence of Almighty God, I will walk the meadows 

 by some gliding stream, and there contemplate the lilies that 

 take no care, and those very many other various little living 

 creatures, that are not only created but fed, man knows not 

 how, by the goodness of the God of nature, and therefore 

 trust in him. This is my purpose ; and so, let everything 

 that hath breath praise the Lord : and let the blessing of 

 St. Peter's master be with mine. 



Pise. And upon all that are lovers of virtue, and dare trust 

 i in his providence, and be quiet, and go a-angling. 



^-.,,_ "STUDY TO BE QUIET." 1 Thess. iv. 11. 



[The concluding chapter of Walton contains a few brief " directions 

 for making of a line, and for the colouring of both rod and line." These 

 directions are of no value now. Walton's lines would neither suit the 

 modern winch, nor make a proper foot line, except for fishing in flooded 

 and discoloured waters. Winch-lines are now made by professed makers, 

 who sell them to the proprietors of fishing-tackle shops, and by the latter 

 they are retailed to the public. These lines are either twisted or plaited 

 by means of hand-machines, and no part or parts of them are joined 

 together by tying or knotting. They are uniformly smooth throughout 

 their length, and of uniform thickness, except winch fly-lines, which taper 

 towards one end, and sometimes in the direction of both ends. I am not 

 favourable to tapering lines, except to taper foot ones, and winch-lines 

 for salmon and trout, as now made, run off to too fine an end. The 

 tapering points of them are lighter than the gut, foot, or casting-line, 

 and hence they are an obstacle to throwing to a long distance, and can- 

 not be propelled at all against the wind. Lines for bottom fishing may 

 be made solely of twisted silk, and to preserve them from the destructive 

 effects of water and rain, they should be steeped for a short time in a 

 mixture of the best oil and varnish. Lines for fly-fishing, whether for 

 trout or salmon, should be made of plaited silk and hair, and if they 

 taper at all it should be very slightly. They cannot be plaited too 

 closely, and they should consist of one-third sound picked horsehair, 

 iind two-thirds best silk. The best are manufactured by a man named 

 Dodge, in London, and all the great tackle-makers sell them. If you 

 wish to preserve your lines from rotting, never allow them when wet to 

 dry coiled up on your winch, but, the moment you return from fishing, 

 uncoil all the wetted parts of lines, and wind them thinly on the backs 

 of chairs, or let them fall in large coils on any clean spot on which the 

 action of air or heat will reach them. 



Winches, reels, or pirns seem to have been unknown in Walton's time. 

 How they managed, particularly in fishing with the artificial fly, or dib- 

 bing with the natural one, to lengthen and shorten line is a mystery ; 

 and how they could successfully play a large fish is incomprehensible. 

 They must have used thumb-winders, or very likely a piece of stick 



