THE COMPLETE ANGLEK. 265 



up and clown to look for prey, though, in a stream, you may 

 always almost, especially if there be a good stone near, find 

 him in the same place. Your line ought in this case to 

 be three good hairs next the hook, both by reason you are in 

 this kind of angling to expect the biggest fish, and also that 

 wanting length to give him line after he is struck, you must 

 be forced to tug for it ; to which I will also add that not an 

 inch of your line being to be suffered to touch the water in 

 dibbing, it may be allowed to be the stronger. I should now 

 give you a description of those flies, their shape and colour, 

 and then give you an account of their breeding, and withal 

 show you how to keep and use them ; but shall defer them 

 to their proper place and season. 



VIAT. In earnest, sir, you discourse very rationally of this 

 affair,'"' and I ain glad to find myself mistaken in you ; for in 

 truth I did not expect so much from you. 



Pise. Nay, sir, I can tell you a great deal more than this, 

 and will conceal nothing from you. But I must now come 

 to the second way of angling at the top, which is with an arti- 

 ficial fly, which also I will show you how to make before I 

 have done, but first shall acquaint you, that with this you are 

 to angle with a line longer by a yard and a half, or sometimes 

 two yards, than your rod ; and with both this and the other, 

 in a still day in the streams, in a breeze that curls the water 

 in the still deeps, where (excepting in May and June, that the 

 best trouts will lie in shallow streams to watch for prey, and 

 even then too) you are like to hit the best fish. 



For the length of your rod, you are always to be governed 

 by the breadth of the river you shall chuse to angle at ; and 

 for a trout-river, one of five or six yards longt is commonly 

 enough ; and longer, though never so neatly and artificially 

 made, it ought not to be, if you intend to fish at ease ; and if 

 otherwise, where lies the sport '? 



Of these, the best that ever I saw are made in Yorkshire, 

 which are all of one piece ; that is to say, of several, six, eight;, 

 ten, or twelve pieces, so neatly pieced and tied together with 

 fine thread below, and silk above, as to make it taper 

 like a switch, and to ply with a true bent to your hand ; and 



* This compliment is well-deserved : Cotton understood " daping, dabbing, 

 or dibbing" well, and teaches it soundly. ED. 



t Too long by one or two yards. See remarks on fishing-rods at the end of 

 chap, xxi., part i. ED. 



