CHAP. VIII. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 137 



with turning three or four live baits thus fastened to 

 bladders, or boughs, or bottles of hay or flags, to swim 

 down a river, whilst you walk quietly alone on the shore, 

 and are still in expectation of sport. The rest must be 

 taught you by practice ; for time will not allow me to say 

 more of this kind of fishing with live baits. 



And for your DEAD BAIT for a Pike: for that you 

 may be taught by one day's going a fishing with me, or 

 any other body that fishes for him ; for the baiting your 

 hook with a dead gudgeon or a roach, and moving it up 

 and down the water, is too easy a thing to take up any 

 time to direct you to do it. And yet, because I cut you 

 short in that, I will commute for it by telling you that 

 that was told me for a secret : it is this : 



Dissolve gum of ivy in oil of spike, and therewith 

 anoint your dead bait for a Pike ; and then cast it into a 

 likely place ; and when it has lain a short time at the 

 bottom, draw it towards the top of the water, and so up 

 the stream ; and it is more than likely that you have a 

 Pike follow with more than common eagerness. 



And some affirm, that any bait anointed with the 

 marrow of the thigh-bone of an hern is a great tempta- 

 tion to any fish. 



These have not been tried by me, but told me by a 

 friend of note, that pretended to do me a courtesy. 1 But 



The gentry of Shropshire do merrily smile, 



To see a goose and a belt the fish to beguile. 



When a Pike SUDS himself, and a frogging doth go, 



The two-inched hook is better, I know, 



Than the ord'nary snaring. But still I must cry, 



" When the Pike is at home, mind the rookery." 



Barker's Art qf Angling, 



(1) The Pike loves a still, shady , unfrequented water, and usually lies amongst 

 or near weeds ; such as flags, bulrushes, candocks, reeds, or in the green fog 

 that sometimes covers standing waters, though he will sometimes shoot out into 

 the clear stream. He is sometimes caught at the top, and in the middle; and 

 often, especially in cold weather, at the bottom. 



Their time of spawning is about the end of February or the beginning of 

 March ; and chief season, from the end of May to the beginning of February. 



