The Art of ANGLING.  
WHEREIN Are discovered many rare Secrets, very necessary to be known by all that delight in that Recreation.  
LONDON, Printed in the year 1653.   

The Art of Angling.  
REader: I will compliment, and put a case to you. I met with a man, and upon our Discourse he fell out with me: this man having a good weapon, having neither wit, stomach, nor skill; I say this man may come home by Totnam-high-Cross, and cause the Clerk to toll his knell: It is the very like case with the Gentleman Angler that goeth to the River for his pleasure: this Angler hath neither judgement, knowledge, nor experience; he may come home light laden at his pleasure.  
A man that goeth to the River for his pleasure, must understand, when he cometh there, to set forth his Tackles. The first thing he must do, is to observe the Sun, the Wind, the Moon, the stars, and the Wanes of the Air; to set forth his Tackles according to the times and seasons; to go for his pleasure, and some profit.  
As for example, the Sun proves cloudy; then must he set forth either his ground Bait or Tackles, and of the brightest of his Flies. If the Sun prove bright, then must he put on some of the darkest of his flies. Thus must you go to work with your Flies, light for darkness, and dark for lightness, with the wind in the South, then that blows the fly in the Trouts mouth. Though I set down the wind being in the South, if the weather be warm, I am indifferent where the wind standeth, either with ground Bait or Menow, so that I can cast my Bait into the River. The very same observations is for night, as for day: For if the Moon prove clear, or if the Stars glitter in the sky, there is as ill Angling that night, as if it were at high noon in the midst of Summer, when the Sun shineth at the brightest, wherein there is no hopes of pleasure.  
I will begin to Angle for the Trout, with the ground Baits with this quality.  
The first thing you must gain, must be a neat taper Rod, light before, with a tender hazel top, which is very gentle. If you desire to attain my way of Angling, (for I have Angled these forty years) with a single hair of five lengths, one tied to another for the bottom of my Line, and a Line of three haired links for the uppermost part; & so you may kill the greatest Trout that swims, with Sea-room.  
He that Angles with a Line, made of three haired links at the bottom, and more at the top, may kill Fish: but he that Angles with one hair shall kill five Trouts to the others one; for the Trout is very quick sighted; therefore the best way for night or day, is to keep out of the sight. You must Angle always with the point of your Rod down the stream; for a Fish hath not the quickness of sight so perfect up the stream, as opposite against him, observing seasonable times; as for example, we begin to Angle in March; If it prove cloudy, you may Angle with the ground Baits all day long: but if it prove bright and clear, you must take the morning and evening, or else you are not like to do any good; so the times must be observed, and truly understood; for when an Angler cometh to the River for his pleasure that doth not understand to set forth his Tackles fit for the time, it is as good keep them in the bag, as set them forth.  
I am determined to Angle with the ground Baits and set my Tackles to my Rod, and go to my pleasure: I begin at the uppermost part of the stream, carrying my Line with an upright hand, feeling the Plummet running on the ground some ten inches from the hook, plumbing my Line according to the swiftness of the stream you Angle in; for one plummet will not serve for all streams; for the true Angling is that the plummet runneth on the ground.  
For the Bait. The red knotted worm is very good where Brandlins' are not to be had, but Brandlins' are better: now that you may bring these Brandlings sit to Angle with, that they may live long on the hook, which causeth the best sport. When you have gathered your worms out of the dunghill, you must gain the greenest Moss you can find, then wash the earth very clean out of it, then provide an earthen pot, so put your Moss into the pot, then put the worms to the Moss into the pot; within two days you shall find your worms so poor, that if you bait some of them on your hook, you shall see that with throwing of them two or three times into the water, they will die and grow white: now the skill is, when these worms be grown poor, you must feed them up to make them fat and lusty, that they may live long on the hook; that is the chiefest point.  
To make them lusty and fat, you must take the yolk of an egg, some eight or ten spoonful of the top of new milk, beaten well together in a Porringer, warm it a little, until you see it curdle; then take it off the fire, and set it to cool; when it is cold, take a spoonful and drop it upon your Moss into the pot, every drop about the bigness of a green Pea, shifting your Moss twice in the week in the Summer, and once in the winter: thus doing, you shall feed your worms fat, and make them lusty, that they will live a long time on the hook; so you may keep them all the year long. This is my true experience for the ground Baits, for the running Line for the Trout.  
The Angling with a Menow, called in some places Pencks for a Trout, is a pleasant sport, and killeth the greatest Fish; he cometh boldly to the Bait, as if it were a mastiff Dog at a bear: you may Angle with greater Tackles, and stronger, & be no prejudice to you in your Angling: a Line made of three silks and three hairs twisted for the uppermost part of the Line, and two silks and two hairs twisted for the bottom next your hook, with a Swivel nigh the middle of your Line, with an indifferent large hook.  
To bait your hook with a Menow, you must put your hook through the lowermost part of his mouth, so draw your hook thorough, then put the hook in at the mouth again, let the point of the hook come out at the hindmost Fin, then draw your Line, and the Menowes mouth will close, that no water will get into its belly; you must always be Angling with the point of your Rod down the stream, with drawing the Menow up the stream by little and little, nigh the top of the water; the Trout seeing the bait, cometh at it most fiercely, so give a little time before you strike: This is the true way, without Lead; for many times I have had them come at the Lead and forsake the Menow, so he that trieth shall prove it in time: let us go to Angling with a fly, which is a delightful sport.  
The Rod must be light and tender, if you can fit yourself with an hazel, either of one piece or two set together in the most convenient manner, light and gentle: set your Line to the Rod; for the uppermost part, you may use your own discretion; for the lower part, next your fly, must be of three or four haired links. If you can attain to Angle with one hair, you shall have the more rises, and kill more fish; be sure you do not over-load yourself with the length of your Line: before you begin to Angle, make a trial, having the wind in your back, to see at what length you can cast your fly, that the fly light first into the water, and no longer; for if any of the Line falleth into the water before the fly, it is better unthrowne then thrown: be sure you be casting always down the stream, with the Wind behind you, and the Sun before; it is a special point to have the sun and Moon before you; for the very motion of the Rod drives all the pleasure from you, either by day or night in all your anglings, both for worms and Flies; so there must be a great care of that.  
Let us begin to Angle in March with the fly: If the weather prove windy, or cloudy, there are several kinds of Palmers that are good for that time.  
First, a black Palmer ribbed with silver: the second, a black Palmer with an orange-tawny body: thirdly, a black Palmer, with the body made all of black: fourthly, a red Palmer ribbed with gold, and a red hackle mixed with Orange cruel; these Flies serve all the year long morning and evening, windy and cloudy. Then if the air prove bright and clear, you must imitate the Hauthorn fly, which is all black and very small, and the smaller the better. In May take the may-fly: imitate that, which is made several ways; some make them with a shammy body, ribbed with a black hair: another way made with Sandy-Hogges wool, ribbed with black silk, and winged with a Mallard's feather, according to the fancy of the Angler. There is another called the oak-fly, which is made of Orange colour cruel and black, with a brown wing; imitate that: Another fly, the body made with the strain of a peacocks feather, which is very good in a bright day: The grasshopper which is green, imitate that; the smaller the Flies be made, and of indifferent small hooks, they are the better; these sorts I have set down, will serve all the year long, observing the times and seasons: Note, the lightest of your Flies for cloudy and darkness, and the darkest of your Flies for lightness, and the rest for indifferent times; that a man's own Judgement, with some experience and discretion must guide him: If he mean to kill Fish, he must alter his Flies according to these directions. Now, of late, I have found, that hogs-wool, of several colours, makes good grounds; and the wool of a red heifer makes a good body: And Bears wool makes a good ground; so I now work much of them, and it procureth very much sport.  
The natural fly is sure Angling, and will kill great store of Trouts with much pleasure: As for the may-fly, you shall have them always playing at the River side, especially against rain. The oak-fly is to be had on the butt of an oak, or an Ash, from the beginning of May to the end of August: it is a brownish fly, and stands always with his head towards the root of the tree, very easy to be found: The small black fly is to be had on every Hawthorn Bush, after the buds be come forth: Your grasshopper, which is green, is to be had in any meadow of grass in June or July: with these Flies, you must Angle with such a Rod as you Angle with the ground Bait; the Line must not be so long as the Rod: with drawing your fly, as you find convenient in your Angling. When you come to deep waters that stand somewhat still, make your Line some two yards long, or thereabout, and dop your fly behind a a Bush, which Angling I have had good sport at; we call it doping.  
A Lord lately sent to me at Sun going down, to provide him a good dish of Trouts against the next morning by six of the Clock: I went to the door to see how the wains of the air were like to prove, and returned answer, that I doubted not but to be provided (God willing) at my time appointed. I went presently to the River, and it proved very dark; I drew out a Line of three silks and three hairs twisted for the uppermost part, and a Line of two silks and two hairs twisted for the lowermost 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, that I had good sport, Angling with the Lob-worms, as I do with the fly, at the top of the water; you shall hear the Fish rise at the top of the water, than you must lose a slack Line down to the bottom, as nigh as you can guess, then hold a straight Line; feeling the Fish bite, give time, there is no doubt of losing the Fish; for there is not one among twenty, but doth gorge the Bait: the least stroke you can strike to fasten the hook, makes the fish sure, and then you may take the fish up with your hands: The night began to alter and grew somewhat lighter; I took off the Lob-worms, and set to my Rod a white Palmer fly, made of a large hook, I had sport for the time, till it grew lighter: then I put on my red Palmer, I had sport for the time, until it grew very light; then I set on my black Palmer, had good sport, made up my dish of fish, put up my Tackles, and was at my time appointed for the service. For these three Flies, with the help of the Lob-worms, serve to Angle all the year long, observing the times, as I have showed in this night's work: a light fly for darkness, the red fly in medio, and a dark fly for lightness: This is my experiment for this kind of Angling, which is the surest Angling of all, and killeth the greatest Fish: your Lines may be strong, but must be no longer than the Rod.  
To take a Carp either in Pond or River, if you mean to have sport with some profit, you must take a peck of Ale-graines, and a good quantity of any blood, and mix the blood and grains together, and cast it in the places where you mean to Angle; this seed will gather the seal Fish together, as Carp, Tench, Roach, Dace, and Bream; the next morning be at your sport very early, plum your ground: you may Angle for the Carp with a strong Line; the Bait must be either a red knotted worm, or Paste: there is no doubt of sport.  
To take perch. The perch feeds well, if you light where they be, and bites very free: My opinion is, (with some experience) to bait with Lob-worms, chopped in pieces over night; so come in the morning, betimes, plum your ground, gauge your line, bait your hook with a red knotted worm; but I hold a Menow better: put the hook in at the back of the Menow, betwixt the fish and the skin, that the Menow may swim up and down alive, being buoyed up with a Cork or Quill, that the Menow may have liberty to swim a foot off the the ground: there is no doubt of sport with profit.  
I will show, a little, my opinion of floating for scale Fish in the River or Pond: The feed brings the Fish together, as the sheep to the Pen: There is nothing better in all your Anglings, for feed, than blood and Grains; I hold it better than Paste: then plumbing your ground, Angling with fine Tackles, as single hair for half the Line next the hook, round and small plumed, according to your float: For the Bait, there is a small red worm, with a yellow tip on his tail, is very good; Brandlins', Gentles, Paste, or Cadice, which we call Cod-bait, they lie in a gravelly husk under stones in the River: these be the special Baits for these kind of Fish.  
One of my name was the best Trouler, for a Pike, in this realm: he laid a wager, that he would take a Pike of four foot long, of Fish, within the space of one month, with his Trouling-Rod; so he Trouled three weeks and odd days, and took many great Pikes, nigh the length, but did not reach the full length, till within the space of three days of the time; then he took one, and won the wager. The manner of his trolling was, with a hazel Rod of twelve foot long, with a Ring of Wyre in the the top of his Rod, for his Line to run thorough: within two foot of the bottom of the Rod there was a hole made, for to put in a wind, to turn with a barrel, to gather up his Line, and lose at his pleasure; this was his manner of trolling: But I will pawn my credit, that I will show a way, either in Maior, Pond, or River, that shall take more Pikes than any Trouler with his Rod: And thus it is. First, take forked stick, a Line of twelve yards long wound upon it, at the upper end, leave about a yard, either to tie a bunch of Sags, or a Bladder, to Boy up the Fish, and to carry it from the ground: the Bait must be a live Fish, either Dace, or gudgeon, or Roach, or a small Trout: the forked stick must have a slit in the one side of the fork to put in the Line, that you may set your live Fish to swim at a gage, that when the Pike taketh the Bait, he may have the full liberty of the Line for his seed.  
You may turn these loose, either in Pond or River: in the Pond with the wind all day long, the more the better: at night set some small weight, as may stay the Boy, as a Ship lieth at Anchor, till the Fish taketh. For the River, you must turn all loose with the stream; two or three be sufficient to show pleasure, gauged at such a depth as they will go currant down the River; there is no doubt of sport, if there be Pikes: for the hooks, they must be doubled hooks, the shanks should be somewhat shorter than ordinary: my reason is, the shorter the hook is of the shank, it will hurt the live Fish the less, and must be armed with small wire well softened; but I hold a hook armed with twisted silk to be better, for it will hurt the live Fish least.  
If you arm your hook with wire, the neeld must be made with a small hook at the one end thereof. If you arm with silk, the neeld must be made with an eye: then must you take one of those Baits alive (which you can get) and with one of your neelds enter within a straw's breadth of the Gill of the Fish, so put the neeld betwixt the skin and the Fish; then pull the neeld out at the hindmost sin, and draw the arming thorough the Fish, until the hook come to lie close to the fish's body: But I hold for those that be armed with wire to take off the hook, and put the neeld in the hindmost sin and so to come forth at the Gill; then put on the hook drawn close to the body, 'twill hurt the live Fsh the less, so knit the arming with the live Fish to the Line; then put off either in Maior or Pond, with the wind, in the River with the stream: The more you put off in Maior or Pond, you are like to have the more pleasure: For the River I have showed you before.  
There is a time when Pikes go a Frogging Ditches, and in the River to Sun them, as in May, June and July, there is a speedy way to take them, and not to miss scarce one in twenty.  
You must take a Line of six or eight foot long, arm a large hook, of the largest size that is made; arm it to your Line, lead the shank of your hook very handsome, that it may be of such a weight as you may guide the hook at your pleasure: you may strike the Pike, you see, with the bare hook where you please: this Line and hook doth far exceed snaring.  
The principal sport to take a Pike, is to take a Goose or Gander, or Duck: take one of the Pike Lines I have showed you before: tie the Line under the left wing, and over the right wing, about the body, as a man weareth his Belt: turn the Goose off into a Pond, where Pikes are, there is no doubt of sport, with great pleasure, betwixt the Goose and the Pike: It is the greatest sport and pleasure that a noble Gentleman in Shropshire doth give his friend's entertainment with.  
The way to make the best paste is, Take a reasonable quantity of fresh Butter, as much fresh sheep's Suet, a reasonable quantity of the strongest Cheese you can get, with the soft of an old stale white loaf; beat all this in a mortar till it come to perfect paste; put as much on your hook as a green pease.  
There are many ways to take eels: I will show you a good way to take a dish of eels. When you stay a night or two Angling, take four or five Lines, such as be laid for Pikes, of fourteen or fifteen yards long, and at every two yards make a noose, to hang a hook armed either to double thread, or silk twist; for it is better than wire: Bait your Hooks with Millors-thumbs, Loaches, Menowes, or gudgeons: tie to every noose a Line baited: these Lines must be laid cross the River in the deepest places, either with stones, or pegged, so the Line lie in the bottom of the river, there is no doubt of taking a dish of eels; you must have a small neeld with an eye, to bait your hooks.  
Now to show how to make Flies: learn to make two Flies, and make all: that is, the Palmer ribbed with silver or gold, and the may-fly: these are the ground of all Flies.  
We will begin to make the Palmer fly: You must arm your Line on the inside of the hook; take your Scisers, and cut so much of the brown of the Mallard's feather, as in your own reason shall make the wings, than lay the outmost part of the feather next the hook, and the point of the feather towards the shank of the hook, then whip it three or four times about the hook with the same silk you armed the hook: then make your silk fast: than you must take the hackle of the neck of a Cock or Capon, or a Plovers top, which is the best, take off the one side of the feather, than you must take the hackle silk, or cruel, gold or silver thread; make all these fast at the bent of the hook, than you must begin with cruel, and Silver, or Gold, and work it up to the wings, every bout shifting your fingers, and making a stop, than the gold will fall right, then make fast: then work up the hackle to the same place, then make the hackle fast: than you must take the hook betwixt your finger and thumb, in the left hand, with a neeld or pin, part the wings in two: then with the arming silk, as you have fastened all hitherto, whip about as it falleth cross betwixt the wings, than with your thumb you must turn the point of the feather towards the bent of the hook, then work three or four times about the shank, so fasten, then view the proportion.  
For the other Flies: If you make the grounds of hogs-wool, sandy, black, or white; or the wool of a Bear, or of a two year old red Bullock: you must work all these grounds upon a waxed silk, than you must arm and set on the wings, as I have showed before: For the may-fly, you work the body with some of these grounds, which is very good, ribbed with a black hair; you may work the body with Cruels, imitating the Colour, or with Silver, with suiting the wings. For the oak-fly, you must make him with orange-tawny and black, for the body, and the brown of the Mallard's feather for the wings. If you do after my directions, they will kill fish, observing the times fitting, and follow my former Directions.  
If any worthy or honest Angler cannot hit of these my Directions, let him come to me, he shall read and I will work, he shall see all things done according to my foresaid Directions: So I conclude for the Flies having showed you my true Experiments, with the Rod, I will set all labouring sports aside:  
And now I am waiting on my Lord with a great Dish of Trouts, who meeting with company, commanded me to turn Scullion, and dress a Dinner of the Trouts we had taken: whereupon I gave my Lord this Bill of fare, which I did furnish his Table with, according as it was furnished with flesh. Trouts in broth, which is restorative: Trouts broiled, cut and filled with sweet herbs chopped: Trouts calvored hot with anchovies sauce: Trouts boiled; out of which Kettle I make three Dishes; the one for a Soused Dish, another for a stewed Dish, the third for a hot Dish: the Sauce is Butter, Vinegar, beaten cinnamon, with the juice of a lemon, beaten very well together, that the Sauce is white and thick, or else it is no Sauce for a great man's Table: Trouts fried, which must be done, and not put into the Pan, until the Suet boil very high, and kept with stirring all the time they are frying, being flowered first. Trouts stewed: Trouts close, boiled with the calvored Trouts, all in one Kettle and the same liquour: Trouts buttered with eggs: Trouts roasted: Trouts baked: these are for the first course, before the Salt.  
And these are for the latter course. Trouts calvored cold: Trouts flat cold: Baked Trouts: Trouts marilled, that will eat perfect and sweet three months in the heat of Summer: if I did say, for the whole year about, I would make it good.  
For the dressing of four or five of the Dishes, I will show you how I did perform them.  
First, I will show you for the boiling and calvoring, that serves for hot and cold, for first and latter course.  
First, you must draw out the entrails of the fish, cutting the fish two or three times in the back; lay them in a trey or Platter, put some Vinegar upon them; you shall see the fish turn sanguine, if they be new, presently: you must put so much water in the Kettle as you think will cover them, with a pint of Vinegar, a handful of Salt, some Rosemary and Thyme and sweet Marjoram tied in a bunch: then you must make this liquour boil with a fierce fire made of wood: when the liquour hath boiled very well, put in your fish by one and one, keeping your liquour always boiling, until you have put all in: having provided a cover for your Kettle, so put on the cover: you must have a pair of bellows to blow up the fire with speed, that the liquour may boil up to the top of the Kettle; so the fierce boiling will make the Fish to calvor: provided, the fish be new killed: you may let them boil nigh a quarter of an hour; when they are cold, you may put them in a trey or earthen Pan, until you have occasion to use them: be sure they lie covered.  
For your stewed Trouts, you must cut them on the side, as for broiling: there are divers ways of stewing; the English hath one way, the French hath another way, the Italian hath another way: I may speak this; for I have been admitted into the kitchens, to furnish men of most Nations, when they have been in England.  
We will begin with the English: He broileth first upon a charcoal fire: the first thing that you must have a care of is, when your Grid-iron is hot you must cool it with ruff Suet, than the skin of your Fish will not break, with care of turning them: when they are nigh broiled, take them off the Grid-iron; set on a Chafing-dish of coals in a Stew-pan, or Dish; put in a good quantity of fresh Butter, so much Vinegar as will give the relish, a pennyworth of beaten cinnamon; then put in your broiled fish, and let them stew, about half an hour will be sufficient, being turned: adorn your Dish with Sippets, take the fish out of the stew-pan, lay them for the service, be sure to squeeze a lemon on them: I will warrant them good victual.  
The Italian he stews upon a Chasing-dish of coals, with white-Wine, Cloves, and Mace, Nutmegs sliced, a little Ginger: you must understand when this fish is stewed, the same liquour that the fish is stewed in, must be beaten with some Butter and the juice of a lemon, before it is dished for the service. The French do add to this a slice or two of Bacon.  
I will show you the way to marrionate a Trout or other fish, that will keep a quarter of a year in Summer, which is the Italians rarest Dish for fresh fish, and will eat perfect and sweet.  
You must take out the entrails as you do of other fish, and cut them across the sides, as you do to broil, washed clean, dried with a cloth, lay them upon a trey or board, sprinkle a little salt on them, and flower them as to fry them, so take your Frying-pan with so much Suet, when it is melted, as the Fish may lie to the mid-side in the liquour, and so fry them; and every time you turn them, flower them again, until you find the fish fried sufficient: when you think the fish is fried, take it out of the Pan, and lay it upon some thing, that the liquour may drain out of it; when the fish is cold, you may rear it an end.  
You must have a close vessel to keep this fish and liquour in, that no wind comes in, according to the quantity you make trial of.  
For the liquour. First, you must take half Claret-Wine, the other half Vinegar, two or three bayleafs, so much Saffron as a Nut tied in a cloth, with some Cloves and large Mace, some Nutmeg sliced; boil all these together very well; when the liquour is cold, and the fish cold, put the fish and liquour into the close vessel, with three or four lemons sliced among the fish; make all close that no wind can get into the vessel; after eight or ten days you may begin to eat of this fish; the Sauce must be some of the same liquour, with some of a sliced Lemmon.  
To dress a Pike. When the Pike cometh into the kitchen, kill it; then take a handful of Salt, with water, and rub the fish very well to take the slime off, draw out the entrails; wash the Pike clean, put a handful of Salt in the Pikes Belly; then take so much water, with a pint of Vinegar: if the Pike be any thing large, you must put in at least three handful of Salt, with a bunch of Rosemary, Thyme, and sweet Marjoram, and two or three green onions; boil your liquour very well with a high fire made of wood; then put in your Pike, cover your Kettle, with your Bellows keep your Kettle boiling very high for the space of half an hour or thereabouts: a Pike asketh great boiling: for the Sauce, it is sweet Butter well beaten with some of the top of the same liquour, with two or three anchovies, the skin taken off, and the bones taken out, a little Vinegar, so garnish your Dish: when your Pike is Dished, take the juice of a lemon and put on the top of the fish: there is no doubt but it is good victual.  
I could set down as many ways to dress eels, as would furnish a Lord's Table: but I will relate but one.  
Take off the skin whole, till you come within two inches of the tail, beginning at the head: take out the entrails, wash the eel clean, dry it with a cloth, scotch it all along both the sides; take some Pepper and Salt, mix them together, rub the eel well with the Pepper, and Salt; draw the skin on again whole; tie the skin about the head with a little thread lapped round, broiled on a charcoal fire, let your Grid-iron be hot, rub your Grid-iron with some ruff Suet; the skin will not burn; this is good; but take the skin off, and stew the eel betwixt two Dishes, on a Chafing-dish of Coals, with sweet Butter, Vinegar, and beaten Cinnamon, they will be better.  
The boiling of a Carp is the very same way as I have showed for the Trout, the scales on: no better Sauce can be made then the anchovies Sauce. The high boiling is the way for all freshwater Fish: I have served seven times seven years, to see the experiment.  
If there be any Gentleman that liveth adjoining to a River side, where Trouts are; I will show the way to bring them to feed, that he may see them at his pleasure; and to bring store to the place. Gather great Garden-Wormes, the quantity of a pint, or a quart, chop them in pieces, and throw them where you intend to have your pleasure; with feeding often, there is no doubt of their coming; they will come as Sheep to the Pen: you must begin to feed with pieces of worms, by hand, by one and one, until you see them eat; then you may feed with Liver or Lights, so your desire will be effected. And thus I conclude this short Treatise.  
FINIS.