258 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



a grasshopper with his legs nipped off, in June or July, or 

 at several flies under water, which may be found on flags 

 that grow near to the water-side. I doubt not but that 

 there be many other baits that are good ; but I will turn 

 them all into this most excellent one, either for a carp or 

 bream, in any river or mere : it was given to me by a most 

 honest and excellent angler; and hoping you will prove 

 both, I will impart it to you. 



1. Let your bait be as big a red worm as you can find, 

 without a knot : get a pint or quart of them in an evening 

 in garden walks or chalky common, after a shower of rain, 

 and put them with clean moss well washed and picked, and 

 the water squeezed out of the moss as dry as you can, into 

 an earthern pot or pipkin set dry, and change the moss 

 fresh every three or four days, for three weeks or a month 

 together ; then your bait will be at the best, for it will be 

 clear and lively. 



2. Having thus prepared your baits, get your tackling 

 ready and fitted for this sport. Take three long angling 

 rods, and as many and more silk or silk and hair lines, and 

 as many large swan or goose-quill floats. Then take a 



piece of lead made after this manner, and fasten 

 them to the low ends of your lines ; then fasten 

 your link-hook also to the lead, and let there 

 be about a foot or ten inches between the lead 

 and the hook ; but be sure the lead be heavy enough to 

 sink the float or quill a little under the water, and not the 

 quill to bear up the lead, for the lead must lie on the 

 ground. Note, that your link next the hook may be 

 smaller than the rest of your line, if you dare adventure, 

 for fear of taking the pike or perch, who will assuredly 





