122 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART I. 



And you are yet to observe further, that the He-salmon 

 is usually bigger than the Spawner ; and that he is more 

 kipper, and less able to endure a winter in the fresh water 

 than the She is : yet she is, at that time of looking less 

 kipper and better, as watry, and as bad meat. 



And yet you are to observe, that as there is no general 

 rule without an exception, so there are some few rivers in 

 this nation that have Trouts and Salmons in season in 

 winter, as 'tis certain there be in the river Wye in Mon- 

 mouthshire, where they be in season, as Camden observes, 

 from September till April. But, my scholar, the observa- 

 tion of this and many other things 1 must in manners omit, 

 because they will prove too large for our narrow compass 

 of time, and, therefore, I shall next fall upon my directions 

 how to fish for this Salmon. 



And, for that : First you shall observe, that usually he 

 stays not long in a place, as Trouts will, but, as I said, 

 covets still to go nearer the spring-head ; ' and that he 

 does not, as the Trout and many other fish, lie near the 

 water-side or bank, or roots of trees, but swims in the 

 deep and broad parts of the water, and usually in the 

 middle, and near the ground, and that there you are to 

 fish for him, and that it is to be caught, as the Trout is, 

 with a worm, a minnow, (which some call a penk,) or with 

 a fly. 



And you are to observe, that he is very seldom ob- 

 served to bite at a minnow, yet sometimes he will, and 

 not usually at a fly, but more usually at a worm, and then 

 most usually at a lob or garden-worm, which should be 

 well scoured, that is to say, kept seven or eight days in 

 moss before you fish with them : and if you double your 

 time of eight into sixteen, twenty, or more days, it is still 

 the better ; for the worms will still be clearer, tougher, 



(1) The Salmon delights io large- rapid rivers, especially such as have pebbly, 

 gravelly, and sometimes weedy bottoms. 



