106 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



hath spent much time in fishing : but I shall do it with a little 

 variation. 



First, let your rod be light, and very gentle : I take the best 

 to be of two pieces. * And let. not your line exceed (especially 



come home lightly laden at his leisure." " A man that goeth to the 



river for his pleasure, must understand, when he cometh there, to set forth 

 his tackle. The first thing he must do, is to observe the wind and sun for 

 day, the moon, the stars, and the wanes of the air for night, to set forth 

 his tackles for day or night; and accordingly to go for his pleasure, and 



some profit." " Now 1 am determined to angle with ground-baits, and 



set my tackles to my rod, and go to my pleasure. I begin at the upper 



part of the stream, carrying my line with an upright hand, feeling my 

 plummet running- truly on the ground some ten inches from the hook, 

 plumming my line according to the swiftness of the stream I angle in ; for 

 one plummet will not serve for all streams : for the true angling is, that 

 the plummet run truly on the ground." 



" My lord sent to me at sun-going-down, to provide him a good 



dish of Trouts against the next morning, by six o'clock. 1 went to the 

 door to see how the wanes of the air were like to prove. I returned 

 answer, that I doubted not, God willing, but to be provided at the time 

 appointed. I went presently to the river, and it proved very dark: I 

 threw out a line of three silks and three hairs twisted, for the uppermost 

 part ; and a line of two hairs and two silks twisted, for the lower part 

 with a good large hook. I baited my hook with two Lob-worms, the four 

 ends hanging as meet as I could guess them in the dark. I fell to angle. 

 It proved very dark, so that I had good sport ; angling with the Lob- worms 

 as I do with the flies, on the top of the water : You will hear the fish 

 rise at the top of the water ; then, you must loose a slack line down to the 

 bottom as nigh as you can guess ; then hold your line straight, feeling the 

 fish bite ; give time, there is no doubt of losing the fish, for there is not 

 one amongst twenty but doth gorge the bait : the least stroke you can 

 strike fastens the hook, and makes the fish sure ; letting the fish take a 

 turn or two, you may take him up with your hands. The night began to 

 alter and grow somewhat lighte: ; I took off the Lob-worms, and set to 

 my rod a white Palmer-fly made of a large hook ; I had good sport for the 

 time, until it grew lighter ; so I took off the white Palmer, and set to a 

 red Palmer, made of a large hook : I had good sport until it grew very 

 light: then I took off the red Palmer, and set to a black Palmer; I had 

 good sport, and made up the dish of fish. So I put up my tackles, and waa 

 with my lord at his time appointed for the service. 



" These three flies, with the help of the Lob-worms, serve to angle all 

 the year for the night ; observing the times (as I have shewed you,) in 

 this nightwork ; the white fly for darkness, the red fly in tnedio, and the 

 black fly for lightness. This is the true experience for angling in the 

 night, which is the surest angling of all, and killeth the greatest Trouts. 

 Your lines may be strong, but must not be longer than your rod. 



" Now, having taken a good dish of Trouts, I presented them to my 

 lord. He having provided good company, commanded me to turn cook, 

 and dress them for dinner 



" There comes an honest gentleman, a familiar friend, tome he 



was an angler begins to compliment with me, and asked me how I did ? 

 when I had been angling? and demanded, in discourse, what was the 

 reason I did not relate in my book the dressing of his dish of fish, which he 

 loved ? I pray you, sir, what dish of Trouts was that ? He said it was a 

 dish of close-boiled Trouts, buttered with eggs. My answer was to him, 

 that every scullion dresseth that dish against his will, because he cannot 

 calvor them. I will tell you, in short : Put your Trou's into the kettle 

 when the kettle is set to the fire, and let them boil gently, as many cooks 

 do ; and they shall boil close enough ; which is a good dish, buttered with 

 eggs, good for ploughmen, but not for the palate. Sir, I hope I have given 

 you satisfaction." 



* For your rod, and also for a fly-line, take the directions contained ia 

 the notes on chap. xxi. 



