With Allowance,  
October 20th. 1674. Roger L'Estrange.   

The Anglers Delight: Containing The whole ART of Neat and Clean ANGLING; Wherein is Taught the readiest Way to Take all sorts of FISH, from the Pike to the Minnow, together with their proper Baits, Haunts, and Time of FISHING for them, whether in Mere, Pond, or River. As also, The Method of Fishing in Hackney River, & the Names of all the Best Stands there; with the manner of Making all sorts of Good Tackle Fit for any Water whatsoever. The like never before in Print.  
By WILLIAM GILBERT, Gent.   depiction of a fisherman fishing. 
London, Printed for W. Birch at the Peacock at the Lower end of Cheapside, 1676.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, and Worthily Admired Sr. RICHARD FISHER.  
SInce it is Generally known, that no Man lives without Fault; but that We all Transgress daily, even against Our Sovereign Good, from whom notwithstanding, we Receive Innumerable Benefits, with large Promises of Forgiveness: So in this Case, I have a Matter of Encouragement, that, although I may have offended, thus rashly appearing, to offer These following Lines to Your view, (no way to be compared to Your Great, and Masculine Spirit;) yet that I should not doubt of Your Obliviating this my present Offence; but also obtain (from Your Real Generosity) a Favourable Acceptation, and Reception of these first-Fruits of my public Endeavours: I have taken the Boldness to make this Dedication, hoping that my Presumption (taken as an Error) may be understood to proceed from the Assurance of Countenance, under so worthy a Personage; whereby it may more safely appear upon the Stage of the World, encounter the greatest Oppositions, and rest Secure from the Cruelty of Envy.  
The Great God, who hath hitherto Blessed You with Health and Means, continue the same, and multiply it to Your last Period: and when You shall Cease to be among the Living, give You the full Fruition of Eternal Glory; So wisheth,  
SIR, A Real Honourer of You, and all Your Worthy Family. W. Gilbert.   

To all the Ingenious LOVERS & PRACTISERS Of the most Noble Science of ANGLING.  
Kind Reader,  
I Know (and you know) that the Wits of this Age are Ripe, Acute, and Various, and how to please all Men, is a Task too great for my Undertaking; I have here laid open the whole Art and Mystery of Clean, Neat, and Gentile Angling, in a far more Plain, and Easy way, than ever was yet in Print; All from Experience, and not Borrowed from other Books, and many Things never before heard of, by most People: So that, if there be any Thing that may yield you Profit, Solace of Mind, Recreation of Spirit, or Content, I have my end, and shall rejoice, and think my Time well spent; Otherwise I shall be troubled that there is Nothing worthy your Acceptance, and only entreat you to lay down the Book again, and there is no Harm done between you, and an Artist's Friend,  
W. G.   

THE Anglers Delight.  

Of the Pike, And how to Take Him several ways.  
THis Pike is the King and Commander of all Freshwater Fish; therefore I begin with him first: And he is Ravenous, that I myself, at Boately, near Oxford, with my Trole, took a great Overgrown Pike, that was within an Inch of a Yard-long; and when he came to be opened, he had an other large one, of above a Quarter of a Yard-long, in his Belly: And I will, upon occasion, bring evidence, that the Pike, which was taken out of the others Belly, had a small Bird that is used to lodge in the Reeds, in the Pouch of it: But no more of this. Now for my promise, which was, How to catch this   depiction of a pike 
His feeding is generally of Roach, Dace, Gudgeons, or Frogs; but above all, he delighteth most in Fair Gudgeons: and where there is not store of small Fish, he feeds of a Weed called, Pike-rell-Weed.  
Now your first way of Taking a Pike, that I shall teach, is, By a frixed Bait, which is done (if in a standing Water) by having a Line of about twenty Yards long, made fast to a stick, stuck in the ground; and having baited your Hook with a Live Gudgeon, Roach, or Dace, throw it as far as conveniently you can, or in the like-liest place you see for a Pike, leaving two Yards, or thereabouts, loose upon the ground by your Peg, that you may see when your Line is run out straight; at which time be assured, that you have got a Pike. You may make use of as many Lines as you please, the more you Lay out, the like-lier you are to have the more Sport.  
But if you would take a Pike in a River, or any other Moving Water, I will show you the best way ever invented, which you may perceive by the Figure.   diagram of a method for fishing for pike 
Take a piece of Cork, about little more than a quarter of an Inch thick, cut it round, as you see in the Figure, and then hollow it round the sides, to lap or wind your Line in, which must be about twelve Yards; tie it fast round the Cork, and tie a Hook to it, baited with a live Bait, as you see in the Figure: And when you have left so much of the Line, at the end the Fish hung to, as you think will reach half depth of the Water you intent to fish in, catch your Line in the Cleft of the Stick, which must be put through the Cork, as you see the Figure; and this will boy up your Bait, at any distance you place it.  
This being done, throw your Cork, Line, and Fish, all into the middle of the Water you intent to fish; if in a River, the Stream will carry it down; in a Mere or Pond, the Wind will give it Motion: So that, if you have but two or three of these, you need not fear Sport enough.  
Now, when the Pike bites, his snatching so eagerly, as they generally do, pulls your Line out of the Cleft in the Stick, and gives him the whole length of the Line, to pouch your Bait with: This being done, he will run up and down a little, but will presently be tired; but let him go whither he will, you need not fear; For, your Boy will continually be above Water.  
Now to take him, you must have a strong piece of three twist Packthread, of thirty Yards long, with a Plummet at the end, of a quarter of a Pound weight; which cast beyond the Line, between your Boy and the Pike, and let it sink; and it will bring you both Boy and Pike: So that, try all the ways that are, you will find none so pleasant or profitable as this, to take a Pike.  
Many use to Troll for a Pike; but that is so easy, that I shall not spend time in giving Directions: For, it will be far easier learned, by once going with any Person that understands it, in ones day time, than is possible to be Taught by a Printed Direction. So much for the Taking of him. Now for the Dressing of him.  
All Pikes, that are not half a Yard long, are fitter to be Fried or Boiled, than any other way; but for a Pike to exceed that Length, either little or more, Roast him in this manner:  
First, Open your Pike at the Gills, and if need be, give a little cut towards his Belly; out of these take his Guts, but keep his Liver, which you are to shred very small with Time, Sweet-Marjerome, and a little Winter-Savory; to these put some Pickled Oysters, and some Anchovies, two or three of both, the last whole (for the Anchovies will melt, and the Oysters should not); to these add a Pound of Sweet-Butter, which you are to mix with the Herbs that are shred; and let them all be well Salted: those being mixed with a Blade or two of Mace, must be put into the Pike's Belly, and then his Belly sowed up so close, that, if possible, it may keep all the Butter in his Belly. Take not off his Scales: Then you are to thrust the Spit through his Mouth, out at the Tail: And then with five or six split Stixs, or very thin Laths, with a good quantity of filleting. These Laths are to be tied round about the Pikes Belly, from his Head to his Tail, and the Tape tied something thick to prevent his breaking or falling from off the Spit. Let him be Roasted very leisurely, and often Basted with Claret Wine, and Anchovies, and Butter, mixed together; and also, with what Moisture falls from him into the Pan.  
When you have Roasted him sufficiently, you are to hold under him, (when you unwind, or cut the Tape that ties him) such a Dish as you intent to eat him out of, and let him fall into it, with the Sauce which is Roasted in his Belly; and by this means the Pike will be kept unbroken, and complete. Then, to the Sauce which was within, and also in the Pan, you are to add a fit Quantity of good Butter, and to squeeze the Juice of three or four Oranges: Lastly, You may either put into the Pike, with the Oysters, two Cloves of Garlic, and take it whole out, when the Pike is cut off the Spit; or, to give the Sauce a Hogo, let the Dish (into which you let the Pike fall) be rubbed with it. The using, or not using of this Garlic, is left to your Discretion.  
E. H.  
So much of the Taking of a Pike, and the Best way of Dressing of him.  
I shall now come to the way of Fishing for, and Dressing of a TROUT.   

Of the Trout. The Nature of His Breeding, and the Place of His Haunts; and How to take Him either with Worm, Minnow, or Fly.  
HE is an Excellent Fish, and highly admired by all People, in all Nations. He hath something of the Nature of Venison, being so like to a Buck, that he comes-in, and goes out of Season, even as the Stag and Buck do.  
He may claim Place of all Freshwater Fish, for Precedency, and Daintiness of Taste; for, the most Curious Palates, when he hath been in Season, have admired him.  
He is at his Perfection in May, and doth Decline, as before, with the Buck.  
He Spawn's generally about October, or November.  
His Haunts are in gravelly clear Rivers, in the most Shady Places. He delights much near Wires, and Floodgates, and any Falls of Waters.  
His Baits are, usually, that he is Caught with, a Worm, or a Minnow, or else with a Fly, viz. either Natural, or Artificial Fly.  
First of Worms; there are many, as Earthworms; others that are bred of Plants, as the Dug'd-Worme; others of Excrements, or in the Bodies of Creatures, as the Maggot, or Gentle, etc. But of all these, the Dew, or Lob-Worm, and the Brandling, are the best for a Trout.   depiction of a trout 
Now to Bait your Hook neatly, that it may Trole or Run upon the Ground, without Tangling, or Catching against any Sticks, Gravel, or Weeds, observe:  
If you have a big Lob-Worme, put your Hook into it, somewhat above the middle, and out again, a little below the middle; having so done, draw your Worm above the Arming of your Hook. But note, That at the entering of your Hook, it must not be at the Head-end of the Worm; because the Point of your Hook may come out towards the Head-end: and having drawn him above the Arming of your Hook, than put the Point of your Hook again into the very Head of the Worm, till it come near the place where the Point of the Hook first came out, and then draw back that part of the Worm that was above the Shank, or Arming of the Hook, and so Fish with it.  
But if you mean to Fish with two Worms, which you may do: If one be not big enough, than put the second Worm, before you turn back the Hook's head of the first Worm. So a little trying will make you Expert; and you may Fish without danger of Stopping or Catching upon any gravel, or the like.  

For the Minnows.  
They may be had easily in March or April; for than they appear in the River, where you may take them at your Pleasure: Of which, for to take a Trout, the middle size are best, and must be so put upon your Hook, that it must turn round, when it is drawn against the Stream; and for the nimbler turning thereof, put it upon a big sized Hook, which put in, at his Mouth, and out at his Gill; then your Hook being drawn two or three Inches beyond 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 very neatly, with a white Thread or Silk, which will make it the apt to turn quick in the Water: That being done, pull back that part of your Line, which was slack, when you put your hook into the Minnow, the second time: So that, it shall fasten the Head; and the Body of the Minnow shall be almost strait on your Hook. Then try how it will turn, by drawing it cross the Water, or against the Stream; and so turn the Tail to your right or left hand, till it turns to please you; if not, you're not likely to catch any thing; if you cannot get a Minnow, a Loach or a Stickle-bag, will serve near as well: If you can get an Artificial Minnow at the Shops, you had best take one with you, lest you fail elsewhere.   

As for Flies.  
I think either for Trout, or any other Fish, that will rise at Flies, those that they rise-at most, that Season when you Fish for them, are the best to take them with; and there are so many, that I cannot (for fear of making my little Piece swell beyond its Price) stand to name them.  
Now, as to the Artificial Flies, take only this Rule with you; that is, To provide all Colours of Silk, and Feathers, and such things as are convenient for the making of them: and never go about to make one, Artificially, without a Natural one before you, whatever it is you would imitate: But you had better go, or send, to the Three Fishes, over-against the little North-Door of St. Paul's, in London, where you may have them Better and Cheaper, than you can make them: And so much of the Trout.    

Of the Barbel. His Haunts, Baits, and the Manner of Taking him.  
THey are a Fish, that love to keep one another Company dearly, and flock together much: They are at worst in April, at which time they Spawn; But are not long before they come in Season again.  
He loves (all the Summer) the Shallow, and Sharp Streams, and lies lurking under Weeds, and feeds most on Gravel, against a rising Ground; For, he Roots with his Nose like a Hog, and Nests himself in the Gravel.  
He loves also such places as London-Bridge, or any deep Place, where the Fierceness of the Water, stirs the Gravel; where he will take hold of Moss, or Weeds, that the Water, though never so fierce, is not able to stir him.  
He is mighty Curious in his Baits, and if they be not Sweet and Clean, he will not touch them; therefore you must have your Worms well scoured with Moss, and he will bite at a well-scoured Lob-worme, as boldly, as at any Bait whatsoever: But your best way will be, to Bait the Place where you intent to Fish for them, with some Lob-Wormes, cut to pieces, a night or two before you go to Fish.  
You cannot Bait too much; nor well Fish too early, or late, for him.  
Gentiles are also a good Bait for him; but then they must not be scoured. Many use Cheese, which is also a good Bait.  
He is a very fine Fish, to look on; but not so good as he seems to be.   depiction of a barbel 
So much of the Barbel.   

Of the Cheven, or Chub. His Haunts, Baits, and Manner of Taking him; as also, The best way of Dressing him.  
THE Chubb's or Chevens, (in hot Wether) lie playing together, under the Shade of Willows, or Weeds; and when the Sun shines not, then generally they lie where the Water runs neither fast nor slow, under a Bank, where they have Covert enough, or else in the Deep, in the midst of Rivers.  
They delight in Grass-Hoppers, Snails, Paste, or Cheese, of which I shall give you an account, when you come to my Method of Hackney Fish. I shall only here give you Directions, how you may, the best way, Dress this Chubb, or Cheven, viz.  
First, scale him, and then wash him clean, and take out his Guts; and to that end, make the Hole as little, and as near to his Gills as you can possibly: and especially make clean his Throat from the Grass, and Weeds, that are usually in it (for else if that be not clean, it will make him taste mighty Sour); having so done, put some Sweet Herbs into his Belly, and then tie him with two or three Splinters to a Spit, and Roast him, basted often with Vinegar; or rather Verjuice and Butter, with good store of Salt mixed with it; And so much of the Chubb, or Cheven.   

Of the Carp. His Haunts, Baits, and Way to Fish for him, and to Dress him.  
NOw if you have a mind to Catch this Carp, that is so Cunning, and Difficult to be Caught;   depiction of a carp 
First, You must expect to have your Patience sufficiently tired, if you Fish for a River-Carp; and likewise in some Ponds too: If you intent to do any good with him, you must be at him either early or late; For, they will not bite in the middle of the day. You must (if you fish in a Pond for a Carp) first, throw in Blood and Grains, or the like, to bring them to the place where you would Fish; and then some of the same Bait which you intent to Angle with.  
The Carp bites either at Worms or Paste.  
The blew-Marsh or Medow-Worm, is best for him. When he is in the Humour, he will sometimes bite at a large Gentle: And for Pastes, there are more sorts, than there are sorts of Fishes; but sweet-Pastes are best, that are made either with Sugar or Honey: Which (that you may the better beguile him, he being so cunning) should be thrown where you intent to Fish, an hour or two before you undertake your skill with your Angle-Rod: And your best Bait is made of the Flesh of a Rabbit, Kitling, cut small; and Bean-Flower: and if that may not be gotten, other Flower; mix them together, and put thereto either Honey, or Sugar; and beat them together in a Mortar, sometime working them in your Hands, being very clean, and make it into a Ball or two, as you think fittest for your use.   diagram showing size of bait 

To Dress a Carp.  
If you can take him alive, scove him, and rub him clean with Water and Salt: But scale him not then. Open him, and put him, with his Blood, and Liver (which you must save when you open him) into a small Pot or Kettle. Then take Sweet-Marjerome, Time, and Parsley, of each half a handful; A Sprig of Rosemary, and another of Savory; bind them in two or three small bundles, and put them to your Carp, with four or five whole Onions, twenty Pickled Oysters, and three Anchovies; Then put upon the Carp as much Claret as will cover him; and season your Claret well with Salt, Cloves, and Mace, and the Rinds of Oranges and Lemons. Cover your Pot, and set it on a quick Fire, till it be sufficiently boiled: then take out the Carp, and lay it with the Broth into the Dish, and pour upon it a quarter of a Pound of Fresh Butter, melted, and beaten with half a dozen Spoonfuls of Broth, the Yolkes of two or three Eggs, and some of the Herbs shred. Garnish your Dish with Lemmons, and so Serve it up.  
J. H.  
So much of the Carp.    

Of the Bream, And how to Take him.   depiction of a bream  depiction of a lead weight 
Now, the Worm being well baited, it will crawl up and down, as far as the Lead will give it leave; which much enticeth the Fish to bite without Suspicion.  
Your Float must be (part of it) an Inch above the Water: Then where you think there is Fish, Angle: But first note, That you must bait your Ground at Night, and Fish about four in the Morning; and without doubt, you will not fail of Sport enough.  
So much for Bream-Fishing.   

Of the Tench, And how to Fish for Him.   depiction of a tench 
He delights much in any Paste, wherewith Tar is mixed.  
He will bite also at a smaller Worm, with his Head nipped off; and at a Codworm, put on the Hook before.  
He only bites in the three hottest Months in the year; For, in the other nine, he stirs not at all.  
Whatsoever Bait you fish for him with, be sure you dip it in Tar; and be chewing still some of the Crum of a White-Loafe; and be often a casting of it into the Water where you Fish, round about your Float; and if they once begin to bite, you will catch them as fast as you can Lay-in:  
And so much of the Tench.   

Of the Perch. And how to Take Him.   depiction of a perch 
His Baits are, a Worm, a Minnow, or a little Frog; of which you may find many in Hay-time; and the best Worm is a Brandling, which you will find in most Dunghills; but they must be well scoured in Moss, or Fennel; or a Worm that lies under a Cow-Turd, with a blewish-head.  
If you Fish for him with a Minnow-bait, as I directed you to bait for a Trout: Observe to keep your Minnow, fishing for a Perch, at mid-water, by the help of a Cork; But be sure, whatever you Fish with, give a Perch time enough in biting; for he will not leave you.  
And this is sufficient for Mr. Perch; For, every Boy can Catch him, he is so Bold.   

Of Eels, And how to Take them; their Haunts, etc. and how to Dress them.  
AN Eel is Caught by more Baits than any other Fish; For, they are so greedy, that they will bite at powder'd-Beef; and be taken with a Lob-Worm, or a Garden-Worm; with a Minnow, or Gut of a Hen, Chicken, or the Guts of any Fish: But the Eel may be (especially) taken with a very little Lamprey; but some call it a Pride: and may (in the hot Months) be found in the River Thames.  
Now an Eel never (except it be by chance) stirs in the daytime; and therefore, are usually Caught in the night, by laying a Line, with a many Hooks to it, cross a River or Pond; baited with some of the aforesaid Baits: But these are Things so common, that it is not worth while to write of. But there is a very pretty way to take them, which is called Snigling, which is thus; Observe your time (which must be in a hot Summers-day) when the Water is lowest, you may take a strong small hook, tied to a small strong Line, about a yard long: And then (because that the Eels hide themselves under Board-Planks, about Floodgates, or Wires, or Mills, or in Holes in the River-Banks,) you may put into one of these Holes, or between any Board's about a Mill, or under any great Stone, or Plank, or any Place where you think an Eel may hide, or shelter herself) there (by the help of a short Stick) put-in your Bait; but leisurely, and as far as you can conveniently; And if there be an Eel there, he will certainly gorge up your Bait; and you need not doubt to have him, if you pull him not out too soon, but by degrees: And see, here he comes.   depiction of an eel 

How to Dress this Eel.  
First, Wash him in Water and Salt, and then pull off his skin, below his Rent, or Navel, and not much farther: Having done that, take out his Guts as clean as you can; but wash him not. Then give him three or four Scotches with a Knife; and put into his Belly, & into these Scotches, Sweet-Herbs, and Anchovies, and a little grated Nut meg; and your Herbs, and Anchovies must also be cut very small, and mixed with good Butter and Salt. Having done this, then pull his skin over all but his Head, which you must cut off. By the reason you may tie the skin over the end where his Head grew, it must needs keep all his Moisture within his Skin.  
Then tie him to a Spit, with Tape or Packthread, and Roast him leisurely; and baste him with Water and Salt, till his skin breaks: And then with Butter, having Roasted him enough, let what was put into his Belly, and what he dropped, be his Sauce: And so far of Eels.    
FINIS.   

THE METHOD OF FISHING IN HACKNEY-RIVER; WITH THE Names of all the best STANDS There; and the manner of Making the best TACKLING to Fish There, or in any Pond, or River, whatsoever.  
By WILLIAM GILBERT, Gent.  
LONDON: Printed by T. M. for W. Birch, at the Sign of the Peacock, at the Lower-end of Cheapside, 1676.   

THE Anglers Delight: OR, THE Method of Fishing in Hackney-River.  

Of making the Tackle.   depictions of fish-hooks 
The Bleak, or Gudgeon.  
The Roach, or Dace.  
The Roach.  
The Perch, or Barbel.  
The Chub.  
Next, You must be provided with excellent strong, round, long, and white or grey Stone-Horse-Hair; Silk to whip your Hooks with, and Wax to wax the Silk.  
Then must you have Swans, and Goose-quill-Floats, of all sizes; And for Chub-Lines, or Barbel-Lines, you may buy them Cheaper of Silk and Hair, than you can make them: But for Hair-Lines, you will not meet with any to be sold, that you can do any good with, in Hackney-River: Therefore, being thus provided, begin to make (first) a Line for the Chubb, or Cheven; putting eight Hairs in the first Link next your Rod; and so make it Taper (by leaving out a Hair every other Link) till you have made it; when it comes to the last, to be but four or five Hairs at the bottom; to which, tie such a Hook as is before described for the Chub.   depiction of a fishing line with float, lead and hook 
Now, for your Roach, and Dace-lines, they must be far more fine; for, you must not (by any means) exceed above one Hair, at, or next the Hook, or two at the most; for, if you do, where you take one Fish, they that Fish with a single Hair, will catch half a dozen: And observe, that, be it for what Fish you will, the finer you Fish, the more, and larger Fish you will Catch. But you must never be without your Landing-Hook, or Landing-Net.   depiction of a fishing line 
When you have two or three of a sort of these Lines, and Shots, and Floats, Links, Hooks, and Supplies for every thing that you can possibly use; then go to Mother Gibert's, at the Flower-de-Luce at Clapton, near Hackney and whilst you are drinking of a Pot Ale, bid the Maid make you two or three Pennyworth of Ground-Bait, and some Paste (which they do very neatly, and well); and observing of them, you will know how to make it yourself for any other Place: which is too tedious here to Insert.  
Then go down to Cunnis-Hole, or else Maries-Hole; where pull out your Tackle, and Fish thereabouts; First, Plumming your Ground exactly, that your Paste may swim within half an Inch of the bottom.   depiction of lead plummets  diagram showing size of float  diagram showing size of bait 
Now, you must observe, That your Float swim just over the Place, where your Ground-Bait lies; and then observing (with a diligent and quick Eye) the first Motion of your Float, that then you strike gently; and, according as as you find the weight of the Fish you have hold of, to play him: You need not doubt of Sport enough, following but these Directions.  
There is an excellent Stand, in the second Meadow, on the lefthand, beyond the Ferry, under a Willow-Tree; in the midst of the Meadow, by the Waterside.  
But in my former Piece (where I did speak of the Chubb), I did promise that I would give farther Directions for the Taking of him; So that, now, I intent to perform it. And now, when you have filled your Basket of Roach, and Dace; or else the Wind is so high, that you cannot well Angle for them, or that you find they will not bite; then I would have you try this way (which I am going about to teach you) to Take a Chubb: And first, observe, That here are large ones in Hackney; and therefore, provide you strong Silk, and Hair Lines, with your Swan's-Quill-Floats, as was before directed: And walk either up or down the River, till you see a Place clear from Weeds, that you can swim your Float half a score yards without danger of Entangling: But if you knew the place before, it would be better; for fear your coming too near the Water should fright away the Chubb's, that may, peradventure, be there: But this must be in such a Place as I told you before (in my Discourse of the Chubb or Cheven); where the Chubb, or Cheven's Haunts are.   diagram showing size of pellet  diagram showing line and lead  

How to Make the Ground-Bait.  
NOw, by reason that some People in the Country may be ignorant of the way of Making this Ground-Bait, I thought meet to let such know, that it is made by cutting a twopenny, or three penny Loaf (according to the quantity you would make) into Slices, and lay them in soak into a Platter of fair Water; which, being soaked half a quarter of an Hour, power the Water from it; and with Bran, make the Bread up into a Stiff Paste; and then make that Paste up into two or three large Balls for your use; which you must make use of according to my former Directions. But note, If you Fish in a Pond you need not put Stones into your Bait, but rather Crumble it.   

To make Paste.  
THis is made by the cutting off, of the Crust of a White-Loafe, that is two or three days old; and holding it in your hands, being clean washed, about two Minutes in fair Water till it be soaked; then squeeze out the Water: and (with a little Pains in working of it in your hands) it will come to be a very stiff Paste, and hang mightily upon the Hook without washing off. You may colour it with a little red Lead, either more or less, according as you find it most agreeable to the colour of the Water where you Fish.  
There are many sorts of Pastes; but I esteem this the best for any Fish, excepting a Carp; for, they love sweet Pastes best, as those made of Bean-Flower, Honey, etc.  
I might say more, but I think this sufficient; only letting you know, that if you would be set-out like a Fisherman, as you ought to be: Then, whenever you go out to Fish, fail not to have with you, viz.  
A good Coat for all Wethers.  
An Apron to put your Ground-Bait, Stones, and Paste in.  
A Basket to put your Fish in.  
A neat- Rod of about four Foot long, in several pieces, one within another.  
Two or three Lines fitted up, of all Sorts.  
Spare Hooks, Links, Floats, Silk, Wax, Plummets, Caps, Floats, and a Landing-Nett, etc.  
And if you have a Boy to go along with you, a good Neats-Tongue, and a Bottle of Canary should not be wanting: To the Enjoyment of which I leave You.   
FINIS.