260 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



THE GROUND-BAIT. 



You shall take a peck, or a peck and a half, according to 

 the greatness of the stream and deepness of the water 

 where you mean to angle, of sweet gross-ground barley 

 malt, and boil it in a kettle ; one or two warms is enough, 

 then strain it through a bag into a tub, the liquor whereof 

 hath often done my horse much good ; and when the bag 

 and malt is near cold, take it down to the water-side about 

 eight or nine of the clock in the evening, and not before ; 

 cast in two parts of your ground-bait, squeezed hard between 

 both your hands : it will sink presently to the bottom, and 

 be sure it may rest in the very place where you mean to 

 angle : if the stream run hard or move a little, cast your 

 malt in handfuls a little the higher upwards the stream. 

 You may, between your hands, close the malt so fast in 

 handfuls, that the water will hardly part it with the fall. 



Your ground thus baited and tackling fitted, leave your 

 bag 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 themselves 

 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-sid 





