MAKING AND CHUSING RODS, &C. 23 



be in the water than will permit the lead to touch 

 the bottom ; for you are to keep the line as straight 

 as possible, yet so as not to raise the lead from the 

 bottom. When you have a bite, you may per- 

 ceive it by your hand and the point of your rod 

 and line : then strike gently and upwards, if you 

 cannot tell which way the fish's head lies ; but if 

 you can, the contrary way from where it does ; 

 first allowing the fish, by a little slackening the 

 line, a small time to pouch the bait. This is 

 called angling by hand, and is very killing for 

 trout, grayling, &tc. 



I shall treat of Float-fishing under the descrip- 

 tion of each fish. 



As for your Fishing-hooks, they ought to be 

 made of the best-tempered steel wire, longish in 

 the shank, and somewhat thick in the circumfe- 

 rence, the point even and straight; let the bend- 

 ing be in the shank. For setting on the hook, or 

 more scientifically speaking, arming it, use strong 

 but small silk, slightly waxed with shoemaker's 

 wax ; and lay the hair on the inside of the hook, 

 for if it be on the outside the silk will fret and 

 cut it asunder. There are several sizes of hooks, 

 large ones and small ones, made according to the 

 fishes they are designed to take, which, when I 

 come to treat of the different fish, the number of 

 the hook proper for each will be fully expressed. 



Ford and Kirby's hooks are excellent ones, but 

 the best I ever had were from Red-bridge in 

 Hampshire. 



Floats, for angling, are of divers kinds : some 

 made of Muscovy-duck-quills, which are the best 

 for slow waters ; but for strong streams, sound 

 cork, without flaws or holes, bored through with 

 a hot iron, into which is put a quill of fit pro- 



