CHAP. V. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 81 



shall now direct you, which is thus : Put your hook in at 

 his mouth, and out at his gill ; then, having drawn your 

 hook two or three inches beyond or through his gill, put 

 it again into his mouth, and the point and beard out at 

 his tail ; and then tie the hook and his tail about, very 

 neatly, with a white thread, which will make it the apter 

 to turn quick in the water : that done, pull back that part 

 of your line which was slack when you did put your hook 

 into the minnow the second time ; I say, pull that part of 

 your line back, so that it shall fasten the head, so that 

 the body of the minnow shall be almost straight on your 

 hook: this done, try how it will turn, by drawing it cross 

 the water or against a stream; and if it do not turn 

 nimbly, then turn the tail a little to the right or left hand, 

 and try again, till it turn quick, for if not, you are in dan- 

 ger to catch nothing : for know, that it is impossible that 

 it should turn too quick. And you are yet to know, that 

 in case you want a minnow, then a small loach, or a 

 stickle-bag, or any other small fish that will turn quick, 

 will serve as well. And you are yet to know that you 

 may salt them, and by that means keep them ready and 

 fit for use three or four days, or longer ; and that, of salt, 

 'ay-salt is the best. 



And here let me tell you, what many old anglers know 

 right well, that at some times, and in some waters, a 

 minnow is not to be got ; and therefore (let me tell you) 

 I have, which I will shew to you, an artificial minnow, 

 that will catch a Trout as well as an artificial fly : and it 

 was made by a handsome woman that had a fine hand, 

 and a live minnow lying by her : the mould or body of 

 the minnow was cloth, and wrought upon, or over it, thus, 

 with a needle ; the back of it with very sad French green 

 silk, and paler green silk towards the belly, shadowed as 

 perfectly as you can imagine, just as you see a minnow : 

 the belly was wrought also with a needle, and it was a 

 part of it, white silk; and another .part of it with silver 



