THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 307 



stand as near as he will, and neither his own shadow nor 

 the roundness of his tackle will hinder his sport. 



The third way of angling by hand with a ground-bait, and 

 by much the best of all other, is, with a line full as long, or 

 a yard and a half longer, than your rod j with no more than 

 one hair next the hook, and for two or three lengths above 

 it ; and no more than one small pellet or shot for your plumb ; 

 your hook, little ; your worms of the smaller brandlings, 

 very well secured, and only one upon your hook at a time ; 

 which is thus to be baited. The point of your hook is to be 

 put in at the very tag of his tail, and run up his body quite 

 over all the arming, and still stripped on an inch at least 

 upon the hair, the head and remaining part hanging down- 

 ward : and with this line and hook thus baited you are ever- 

 more to angle in the streams, always in a clear rather than 

 a troubled water, and always up the river, still casting out 

 your worm before you with a light one-handed rod, like an 

 artificial fly ; where it will be taken sometimes at the top, or 

 within a very little of the superficies of the water, and almost 

 always before that light plumb can sink it to the bottom, 

 both by reason of the stream, and also, that you must always 

 keep your worm in motion by drawing still back towards 

 you, as if you were angling with a fly : and believe me, 

 whoever will try it, shall find this the best way of all other 

 to angle with a worm, in a bright water especially j but then 

 his rod must be very light and pliant, and very true and 

 finely made, which, with a skilful hand, will do wonders, 

 and in a clear stream is undoubtedly the best way of angling 

 for a trout or grayling with a worm, by many degrees, that 

 any man can make choice of, and of most ease and delight 

 to the angler. To which, let me add, that if the angler be 

 of a constitution that will suffer him to wade, and will slip 

 into the tail of a shallow stream, to the calf of the leg, or die 

 knee, and so keep off the bank, he shall almost take what 

 fish he pleases. 



The second way of angling at the bottom, is with a cork 

 or float ; arid that is also of two sorts ; with a worm, or with 

 a grub or cadis. 



With a worm, you are to have your line within a foot, or 

 a foot and a half as long as your rod ; in a dark water, with, 

 two, or if you will with three, but in a clear water never 

 with above one hair next the hook, and two or three for four 

 or five lengths above it, and a worm of what size you please, 



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