282 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART I. 



book, which will prove a part, and but a part, of what you 

 are to provide. 



My rod and my line, my float and niy lead, 



My hook and my plummet, my whetstone and knife, 



salmon or large trout. Barker, who seems to have been the first that 

 discovered it, recommends it to his patron in the following terms : 



"Noble Lord, I have found an experience of late, which you may angle 

 with, and take 1 great store of this kind offish. First, It is the best bait for 

 a trout that I have seen in all my time ; and will take great store, and not 

 fail, if they be there. Secondly, It is a special bait for dace or dare, good 

 for chub or bottlin, or grayling. The bait is the roe of a salmon or trout ; if 

 it be a large trout that the spawns be any thing great, you may angle for 

 the trout with this bait as you angle with the brandling, taking a pair of 

 scissors, and cut so much as a large hazel-nut, and bait your hook ; so fall 

 to your sport, there is no doubt of pleasure. If I had known it but twenty 

 years ago I would have gained a hundred pounds, only with that bait. I 

 am bound in duty to divulge it to your honour, and not to carry it to my 

 grave with me. I do desire that men of quality should have it that 

 delight in that pleasure. The greedy angler will murmur at me : but for 

 that I care not. 



"For the angling for the scale-fish : They must angle either with cork 

 or quill, plumming their ground, and with feeding with the same bait, 

 taking them [the spawns] asunder, that they may spread abroad, that the 

 fish may feed, and come to yoxir place : there is no doubt of pleasure 

 angling with fine tackle, as single hair lines, at least five or six lengths 

 long ; a small hook, with two or three spawns. The bait will hold one 

 week : if you keep it on any longer you must hang it up to dry a little ; 

 when you go on your pleasure again, put the bait in a little water, it will 

 come in kind again." 



Others, to preserve salmon spawn, sprinkle it with a little salt, and lay 

 it upon wool in a pot, one layer of wool, and another of spawn. It is said 

 to be a lovely bait for the winter or spring, especially where salmon are 

 used to spawn, for thither the fish gather, and there expect it. "Ang. 

 Vade Mecum," 53. [Preserved salmon roe is now regularly sold in all the 

 principal fishing-tackle shops. ED.] 



To know at any time what bait fish are apt to take, open the belly of 

 the first you catch, and take out his stomach very tenderly, open it with 

 .a sharp penknife, and you will discover what he then feeds on. 

 VENABLES, 91. 



To these long notes we will add something of present practice from 

 Elaine and others, although at the expense of repeating much of what has 

 already been said : 



The best season for roach fishing is from autumn until the following 

 spring. (In the Thames, the fence months against angling are March, 

 April, and May. In May they usually spawn; occasionally earlier or 

 later : after they have spawned, they continue out of season for several 

 weeks, hardly recovering until the latter end of July, which is not to be 

 wondered at when we consider the debilitating effect of such a quantity of 



