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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/anglerfishingOOIondrich 
 
THE ANGLER. 
 
^ Hi-Si 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Fishing Tackle ... ... ... ... Page 6 
 
 Rods ... ^ ... ... ' ... 7 
 
 Lines ... ... ... ... 8 
 
 Hooks ... ... ... ' ' ... ... ... — 
 
 Floats „. ... 9 
 
 Baits "\.. ... ... ... ... ... — 
 
 Paste Baits ... 12 
 
 Ground Bait ' ... ... ... ... ... — 
 
 Other Necessary Articles ... ... 14 
 
 Op the Various Kinds of Fish ... ... ... — 
 
 Trout ... ... ... ... — • 
 
 Carp la 
 
 Roach ... ... ... .,, 19 
 
 Dace ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 
 
 Perch 21 
 
 Tench * 22 
 
 Barbel — 
 
 Chub 24 
 
 Gudgeon ... ... ... ... 26* 
 
 Bleak and Minnow ... ... ... ... 27 
 
 Bream ... ... ... ... v — 
 
 Pope or Ruffe ... ... ... ... ... 28 
 
 Grayling ... ... ... ... 29 
 
 Eels ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 
 
 Pike or Jack ... ... ... ... 32 
 
IV 
 
 yarious Kinds of Fish (continued) 
 
 Smelt 
 
 Mullet 
 
 Bleak ... 
 
 Gudgeon 
 
 Loach 
 
 Bullhead 
 
 Stickleback 
 
 Salmon ... ... .'^ 
 
 Fly-Fishing, Natural 
 
 Artificial Fly-Fishing 
 
 Methods of making Artificial Flies 
 
 Proper Flies for each Month 
 
 Directions to make Pastes, &c. 
 
 How to keep Baits 
 
 A dvice Regarding Baits 
 
 The Haunts op Fish 
 
 Curiosities in Angling 
 
 To Catch Eels 
 
 How to bring Fish to the place you desire 
 
 Another Method for collecting Fish 
 
 A Humorous Plan of catching Pike 
 General Rules for Anglers 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 37 
 
 ■ 38 
 
 39 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 43 
 44 
 
 45 
 47 
 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 51 
 
THE ANGLER. 
 
 Angling has long held a high rank' among the 
 sports of England, and formed a favourite pursuit 
 with all classes of her people, from the peer to the 
 peasant. Poets have written in its praise, and 
 philosophers dehghted in its practice. Wherever 
 the brook wanders *Uhrough hazy shaw or broomy 
 glen" — wherever the willow-branch waves in the 
 streamlet — wherever the trout leaps at the may-fly, 
 the pike lurks in the bulrushes, or the salmon; 
 springs up at the waterfall,— there is to be found 
 the angler, pursuing with unwearied patience and 
 delight his healthful recreation. The boy just 
 breeched spends his holiday on the banks of a 
 brook, with perhaps a crooked pin for his hook, a 
 needleful of thread for his line, and an alder twig 
 for his rod ; and the grey-headed statesman occa- 
 sionally relaxes from his graver duties — from ad- 
 justing the balance of power and determining the 
 fate of nations — ^^ to wield the rod, and cast the 
 mimic fly.''* 
 
 * His late majesty, George the Fourth, was very partial, 
 during his leisure hours, to the amusement of fishing ; and Vir- 
 ginia Water, which covers nearly 1000 acres, afforded him ample 
 scope for this recreation. A most magnificent fishing apparatus 
 was made expressly for his majesty's use by Ustonson, of Temple 
 a3 
 
FISHING TACKLE. 
 
 The angler's first care must of course be to pro- 
 vide himself with the necessary apparatus for pur- 
 suing his sport; of which good rods, lines, hooks, 
 and floats, form an indispensable part. 
 
 Bar, which was acknowledged to be the most beautiful thing of 
 the kind ever manufactured. The case was three feet long, nine 
 inches broad, and three inches in depth ; covered with the richest 
 crimson morocco leather, with double borders of gold ornaments, 
 and the royal arms in the centre ; and the interior was lined with 
 Genoa sky-blue velvet, and the inner part of the lid tufted. On 
 either end of the case were partitions for the books or cases for 
 angling and fly-fishing. The angling book was covered with the 
 richest Genoese crimson velvet, the lock surmounted by a diadem 
 of solid gold, and the top ornamented with the royal arms, &c. 
 Within the book was a beautifully embellished ivory carved reel, 
 studded with silver, the lines, floats, &c., for bottom fishing, and 
 likewise partitions with an infinite variety of artificial baits of su- 
 perior imitation. The fly-book resembled the other on the outside, 
 and was full of choice flies, suitable to the different seasons, &c. 
 In the centre of the box, on a raised cushion of Genoese sky-bhie 
 velvet, were the landing ring and net; the former beautifully 
 worked, and the latter made of gold-coloured silk. On each side 
 were the winches, clearing-ring, &c. (in separate partitions), en- 
 graved with the maker's name and the crown of England. The 
 rods had extra joints, tops, &c., and might be altered so as to be 
 adapted to any sort of fishing. The rods, and also the landing 
 stick, were richly carved, and engraved with royal emblematical 
 devices. The entire apparatus was acknowledged to be the 
 most beautiful specimen of the art which had ever been manu- 
 factured. 
 
Rods* 
 
 A great variety of rods may be obtained at the 
 shops, ready made, of bamboo, hazel, vine, and 
 hickory. For general use, those made of bamboo, 
 and having several tops, of various degrees of 
 strength, are best. The rod, when put together, 
 should be perfectly straight, and gradually taper- 
 ing from the butt to the top. 
 
 For the information of those who may be desirous 
 of manufacturing their own rods, we subjoin the 
 following instructions. For the stocks crab-tree 
 will be found preferable (which should be cut 
 in winter), and hazel and yew switches for the 
 tops. Do not use them till they have become 
 fully seasoned, which will require about sixteen 
 months keeping after they are cut; but even 
 beyond this time, the longer they are kept the 
 better they will be. The rod should consist of five 
 or six pieces, so accurately fitted, that when joined 
 together it shall appear as though it consisted but 
 of one piece. The best way of securing the joints is 
 by means of brass ferrules; but if, as is sometimes 
 the case, they are bound together, it must be by 
 thread strongly waxed; the pieces being cut with 
 a slope, or slant, that they may join with the 
 greater exactness. A smooth round taper piece 
 of whalebone may be affixed to the top, about sis 
 or eight inches long; on which a strong loop of 
 horse-hair has been previously whipt. 
 
 Fly-rods should be more taper than any other 
 description. Rods for trolling must be furnished 
 with brass rings, whipt all the way up, at about ten 
 or twelve inches distance, for the trolling lines to 
 pass through; the tops for trolling must be strong, 
 and have rings whipt on, with pieces of quill, to 
 
8 
 
 prevent the lines being cut. The' tops of rods for 
 carp, tench, dace, and roach fishing, should be finer 
 and more elastic. 
 
 Your rod must be kept neither too dry nor too 
 moist; for while the one will render it brittle, the 
 other will make it rotten. In very warm weather, 
 always wet the joints of your rod, which wnll make 
 them adhere better. If, from being too wet, they 
 should stick, so that you cannot get them readily 
 asunder, never use force, but rather wait till they be 
 dry ; or sometimes by turning the ferule of the joint 
 which is fast over the flame of a candle, you will 
 be enabled to separate them. 
 
 Lines. 
 
 Lines made of horse-hair are much to be pre- 
 ferred; and these should be round, twisted even, 
 and of equal thickness. White and grey are the 
 best colours for clear w^aters, and sorrel for muddy 
 rivers. The most ready way of making your lines 
 is by the aid of a little machine, which you may 
 procure at most of the shops, where also the lines 
 may be procured ready-made. 
 
 Hoohs. 
 
 These are made of various sizes, suitable for the 
 fish they are intended to take, and distinguished by 
 means of numbers. The sizes preferred by anglers 
 at the present day are much smaller than those for- 
 merly used. For barbel-fishing, Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, 
 and 9, are used; for gudgeon, Nos. 10 or 11; for 
 roach, dace, and bleak, Nos. 10, 11, or 12; for tench, 
 carp, and perch, Nos. 7, 8, or 9; for trout. No. 6; 
 for chub, Nos. 8 or 9 ; for eels. No. 8 ; for gray- 
 ling, No. 10; for ruff, No. 9; for minnows, kc. 
 No. J3, &c. " 
 
9 
 
 For the purpose of arming your hooks, use line, 
 small, strong silk, well waxed, laying the hair on 
 the inside of the hook, otherwise the silk will fret 
 and cut it. 
 
 It may be w^ell to observe, that hooks of every 
 description are injured by being shaken together 
 in papers, boxes, &c. ; the beards get intermixed, 
 and are either broken or blunted. Those espe- 
 cially which are required for your pocket-stock 
 should be stuck into flannel, the same as needles 
 are kept by ladies, and if a little oiled, they will 
 be better preserved from rust. 
 
 Floats, 
 
 The best kind of floats for slow waters are those 
 made of Muscovy duck quills; but for strong 
 streams, good sound cork without flaws or holes, 
 into which a quill of fit proportion is inserted 
 through a hole bored by a hot iron, will be pre- 
 ferable. The cork should be pared to the form of 
 a pyramid, ground small with a pumice-stone, 
 and coloured according to fancy. You must poise 
 your floats with shot, so that when on the line they 
 will stand perpendicularly in the water, and thereby 
 give you notice of the slightest nibble. 
 
 A good paint for cork floats may be made by mix- 
 ing a little copal varnish with white lead for white, 
 and copal varnish with green powder for green. 
 
 JBaits. 
 The lob-worm, garden-worm, and dew-worm, 
 or trechet, are found in gardens and church-yards 
 at night; those with red heads, broad tails, and 
 streaked down the back, are the best. These 
 worms are excellent bait for barbel or eels, and 
 are found towards the. latter end of the summer. 
 
10 
 
 Gilt-tails, brandlings, and red worms are found 
 in old dunghills, hog's dung, cow's dung, and 
 tanner's bark. The brandling and gilt-tail are 
 excellent bait for perch, tench, bream, and gud- 
 geon. The red worms, well scoured, are taken by 
 tench, perch, and bream, in muddy waters. 
 
 The meadow or marsh worm, is of a lightish 
 blue colour, and a good bait for perch; it is found 
 in marshy ground, or in the banks of rivers, in the 
 months of August and September. 
 
 The tag-tail is found in meadows, or chalky 
 ground after rain, in March and April ; and is es- 
 teemed a good bait for trout, in cloudy weather. 
 
 The palmer-worm, woolbed, or canker, is found 
 on herbs, plants, and trees; it takes the name of 
 woolbed, from its rough and woolly coat. This is 
 an excellent bait for trout, chub, grayling, roach, or 
 dace. 
 
 The oak worm, caterpillar, cabbage-worm, crab- 
 tree worm, colewort-worm or grub, may be gathered 
 on the leaves of colewort and cabbage, or on the 
 hawthorn, oak, or crab-tree; and may be long pre- 
 served with the leaves of those trees or plants, in 
 boxes bored with holes to admit the air. They are 
 good bait for chub, dace, roach, or trout. 
 
 The bark-worm, or ash-grub, is found under the 
 bark of a felled oak, ash, elder, or beach, or in the 
 hollow of those trees where rotten. This bait may 
 be used all the year for grayling, dace, roach, or 
 chub. They are kept well in wheat-bran. 
 
 The cod-bait, caddis worm, or case-worm, of 
 which there are three sorts, is found in pits, ponds, 
 or ditches; they are excellent bait for bream, 
 tench, bleak, chub, trout, grayling, and dace. 
 
 Gentles, or maggots, are easily bred by putre- 
 faction; they may be kept with flesh, and scoured 
 
11 
 
 with wheat-bran. Tliey are good bait for tench^ 
 bream, barbel, dace, gudgeon, chub, bleak, and 
 carp. 
 
 Cow-dung-bob is found under cow-dung, and 
 somewhat resembles a gentle. It is best kept in 
 earth; and is a good bait for trout, chub, carp, 
 tench, bream, dace, and roach. 
 
 The white-grub, or white-bait, is much larger 
 than a maggot; it is found in sandy and mellow 
 ground, and is an excellent bait, from the middle 
 of April to November, for tench, roach, bream, 
 trout, chub, dace, and carp. These baits should 
 be kept in an earthen vessel, with the earth about 
 them, and covered very close. 
 
 Flag or dock worms are found among the small 
 fibres of flag roots, and in old pits or ponds. They 
 may be kept in bran ; and are good bait for bream, 
 tench, roach, carp, bleak, dace, and perch. 
 
 Boiled salmon-spawn is a very good bait for 
 chub, and in some rivers for trout. 
 
 Dace, minnows, roach, smelt, gudgeon, bleak, 
 and miller's-thumb, are proper bait for pike. 
 
 Grasshoppers, in June, July, and August, their 
 legs and wings taken off, are good for roach, chub, 
 trout, and grayling. 
 
 Cheese, or oat-cake, is reckoned killing for chub, 
 barbel, roach, and dace ; the cheese you may moisten 
 with honey and water. 
 
 The water-cricket, water-louse or creeper, which 
 is found in stony rivers, will often take trout, in 
 March, April, and May. 
 
 White snails are good bait for chub early in the 
 morning, and for trout and eels on night hooks. 
 
 House-crickets are also good, to dib with, for 
 chub. 
 
12 
 
 Paste- Baits, 
 
 Paste-baits are not to be angled with in rapid 
 streams; but in pits, ponds, and slow running 
 rivers, on small hooks. In this sort of angling, 
 your eye must be quick, and your hand nimble to 
 strike, or the bait and fish will give you the slip. 
 A quill float is better than cork, as it sooner shows 
 the nibble or bite. 
 
 For a chub, take some old cheese, the suet of 
 mutton kidney, and a little strong rennet; mix 
 them finely together, with as much turmeric as 
 will give them a fine yellow colour. 
 
 For roach and dace, grate fine bread into a little 
 clear water, wherein some gum-ivy has been soaked, 
 add a little butter, and colour it with saffron. 
 
 For barbel, in August, make a paste of new cheese 
 and mutton suet. 
 
 For carp or tench, mix crumbs of bread with 
 honey ; or, for carp, take equal portions of bean or 
 wheat flower, the inside of the leg of a young rabbit, 
 white bees' wax, and sheep's suet ; beat them in a 
 mortar; then moisten the mass with clarified honey, 
 and work it into balls before a gentle fire. 
 
 Sheep's blood and safli'on make a good paste for 
 roach, dace, bleak, chub, trout, and perch ; for the 
 chub only, put a little rusty bacon in it. 
 
 Ground' IB aits. 
 
 The most simple ground-bait for roach, dace, and 
 bleak, is made by moulding or working some clay 
 and bran together, into balls or pieces about the 
 size of a pigeon's egg, with a little bread crumbled 
 among it. 
 
 Another ground-bait for chub; carp, roach, and 
 
IS 
 
 dace, is made as follows : — Take the crumb of half 
 a quartern loaf, cut it in slices about two inches 
 thick, and put it into a pan covered with water ; 
 when soaked, squeeze it nearly dry; add equal 
 quantities of bran and pollard by handfuls, and 
 knead them together, until the whole is nearly as 
 stiff as clay. For barbel, first break about a quarter 
 of a pound of greaves to dust, soak it well in water, 
 and then work it up with the bread, bran, and pol- 
 lard. Barley-meal may be substituted for the bran 
 and pollard, in still waters only ; as, from its light- 
 ness, it would be carried away in a rapid stream. 
 
 A ground-bait may be made with clay, bran, and 
 gentles, for chub, roach, and carp, thus : — Mix the 
 bran and clay together, in lumps about the size of 
 an apple : put a dozen or more gentles in the middle, 
 and close the clay over them. This is well calcu- 
 lated for a pond, a still hole, or gentle eddy. 
 
 To make ground-bait with clay and greaves, for 
 barbel : — Chop or break a pound of greaves into 
 small pieces, and cover them with hot water ; let 
 them remain until softened, then pour the water off; 
 pick out a sufiicient quantity of the white pieces, 
 to bait your hook, and work up the remainder with 
 clay and bran into lumps or balls. This is the 
 best ground-bait for barbel that is used. It is also 
 an excellent ground-bait for chub, large dace, and 
 heavy roach. 
 
 Gentles and worms may be used as ground-bait 
 for carp, tench, roach, dace, &c. In ponds and 
 deep still holes, gentles may be thrown in by hand- 
 fuls ; but this does not answer in a current or stream, 
 as they then float, and are carried from the spot you 
 intend to angle in ; a few, mixed with bran and 
 clay, will answer better. 
 
 B 
 
14 
 
 Grains arc good ground -bait for carp, tench, and 
 eels, in ponds or still waters ; but they must be 
 quite fresh, for if they be in the least sour, the fish 
 will not come near them. They should be thrown 
 in the night before you intend to fish ; the same 
 method ought to be observed when you ground- 
 bait with worms. Some anglers prefer coarse 
 ground-bait made with clay, soaked greaves, and 
 oat-chafi^, for barbel and chub. 
 
 Necessary Articles, 
 
 The following articles also will be found use- 
 ful, and most of them indispensable. A little 
 whetstone to sharpen your hooks; hooks for troll- 
 ing—the gorge, snap, &;c. tied on gimp ; winches 
 for running tackle; disgorger; split shot; hooks 
 tied on gut of various sizes, to No. 12 ; hooks tied 
 on hair, from No. 11 to 13; bags for worms; gen- 
 tle boxes; floats of various sizes; plummets for 
 taking the depth; baiting needles; caps for floats; 
 kettle for carrying live bait; rods for trolling and 
 bottom fishing; drag to clear the line, when en- 
 tangled in heavy weeds; landing net; clearing- 
 ring; lines of gut, hair, &c. — those of four yards 
 lonfT will be found most useful. 
 
 OF THE VARIOUS KINDS OF FISH. ; 
 
 Trout, 
 
 The trout varies considerably in colour, and also 
 in size; the usual size is about half a pound. The 
 common trout is a very handsome fish, having a 
 well -formed body, not unlike a salmon, though 
 rather stouter in proportion to its length : its head, 
 
15 
 
 however, is short, and not so pointed; its eye more 
 bright and expressive; its tail not so much forked; 
 and its fins more lightly tinged, being of a yellow- 
 ish red cast, especially toward their edges. Its 
 body and gills abound with beautiful red and black 
 spots while it is in season and fit for the table. 
 These spots appear more faint and indistinct as it 
 approaches its spawning time (about October and 
 November), during which it is scarcely eatable. 
 
 Fishing for trout requires great skill. No fish 
 are so nice in biting, so choice in taking the bait, 
 or so shy of the hook. If they see the line, they 
 will seldom bite at all; if they see the angler, 
 never; and therefore, if you fish for ihem with a 
 single hair at the hook, or for two or three links 
 above the hook, you will catch five for one that 
 you would by fishing with a link of twisted hair. 
 It is true, a very large trout will break all away, 
 and is not always to be taken by a single hair; but 
 trout from twelve to fifteen inches long may be taken 
 by this tackle. 
 
 A trout is very strong and swift, and will strug- 
 gle long before he will yield, running among weeds, 
 roots of trees, old piles, and into holes, and by this 
 means often entangling and breaking the tackle. 
 As soon as struck, they run away with the line like 
 a pike, but may be drawn gently out by the hand 
 of the skilful angler; the second time they will not 
 run so far as at the first. When spent and fatigued 
 with struggling, they may be landed by a hand or 
 landing-net, and secured. 
 
 Though he loves swift waters, he lies in the 
 quietest place he can find in such streams; as, for 
 instance, under a headland or point, where the 
 current occasions an eddy ; and there, sheltered by 
 the land, he lies in wait for what the stream may 
 
IG 
 
 bring along with it. The angler therefore, after 
 having ascertained the place, should keep himself 
 as far back as the length of his line will allow, and 
 throwing in above the place, let the bait drive by 
 with the stream, keepin-g himself unperceived. If 
 the trout does not strike at the bait as it passes in 
 the stream, do not draw it out, but gently bring it 
 out of the stream into the eddy, which will carry it 
 back to the place where the fish lies, or so near 
 that he will see it, and it is most likely he will 
 strike at it as it comes on: if he does not yet take 
 notice of it, let it drive out again into the stream, 
 and so let it go down and come back again two or 
 three times. If he does not take it in that time, 
 you may conclude the gentleman is not at home; 
 so you may remove, and call as you come that way 
 again ; but if the trout be really there, and does not 
 take it, most probably he has seen either the line, 
 the rod, or the angler. 
 
 . The best time to fish for trout is early in the 
 morning and late in the evening: from about nine 
 in the morning till three in the afternoon you will 
 not find them likely to bite. 
 
 Trout prefer such bait as play freely in the water, 
 at about half depth ; or such as lie near the ground. 
 But there are waters in which the float is indispen- 
 sable, and when you use a float, you will not 
 require a swivel. 
 
 Trout are eager after flies of all kinds, but are 
 particularly partial to the red and black palmer, 
 also to the yellow May-fly while in season; the 
 woodcock's-wing, the grouse hackle, and the small 
 brown grasshopper, are considered veiy good for 
 the purpose. During the close summer evenings, 
 they will take the double- winged fly, the deep 
 
^1 
 
 gether; in fact, we may say their haunts are the 
 same. In warm summer weather, shoals of them 
 may often be seen basking in the shallows. 
 
 Perch. 
 
 The perch is a bold fish, and generally takes a 
 bait immediately it is offered. Strong tackle is 
 used in angling for them, a cork float, gut line, or 
 a twisted hair, and No. 7 hook. The usual bait is 
 a worm well scoured, or two red worms on a hook 
 instead of one of the other kind, which are larger. 
 ^ They are also angled for with a live minnow, 
 hooked on by the lips or back fin, shrimps, or 
 large grey maggots taken from potatoe or turnip 
 plants. When fishing in this manner for perch, 
 you should always have running tackle on ; for 
 sometimes a pike, trout, or chub will take it, and 
 larger perch are oftener caught this way than with 
 a worm. It is likewise necessary to give them 
 a few minutes time to pouch, and as they often 
 run a considerable distance before they do this, 
 without running tackle you would certainly break 
 your line, or lose the fish. When you have a 
 bite with a worm bait, let him run about the length 
 of a yard, and then strike smartly : the bait should 
 be about a foot from the bottom. Some angle for 
 perch with two hooks on a line, one at mid-water, 
 the other lower. 
 
 Perch feed very little during the hot months ; 
 but dark windy wxather, if not too hot, is best. 
 They will be found about bridges, mill ponds, 
 locks, dark still holes and eddies, ponds about 
 flood-gates, on the gravel or sandy parts, and near 
 rushes. 
 
22 
 
 Tench, 
 
 The tench bites freely in dark, warm, heavy 
 weather, during the summer. They are found in 
 small numbers in the rivers Thames and Lea, the 
 Camberwell and Croydon canals, the Roding near 
 Red Bridge at Wanstead, and in the ponds of 
 Wanstead Park. For bait, use red worms, gentles, 
 or sweet paste. Fish with a fine gut line, quill 
 float, and hook No. 9. The tench delights in foul 
 rather than clear water, principally among weeds, 
 and under shrubs and bushes. Tench are more 
 numerous in pits and ponds than in rivers. They 
 bite more freely late and early than in the middle 
 of the day, from the latter end of April until their 
 spawning time in June, and again during the 
 month of August and the early part of September. 
 If taken in muddy places, they should be put into 
 a tub of clear water alive, and they will soon cleanse 
 tliemselves, so as to improve their flavour. 
 
 13arhel, 
 
 So called from the barbs which hang from the 
 nose or snout, is handsome in shape, and with 
 scales placed in a most exact and curious manner. 
 lie is long like the pike, though not quite so long ; 
 when large, his proportioned parts best show them- 
 S63lves. They generally choose a gravelly shoal, and 
 lie at one end of it; and if it is near the shore, they 
 get under the bank, where, routing w^ith their noses 
 like a hog, they make a hollow, in which they lie, 
 sucking the earth of the bank, and the finest of the 
 gravel, upon which they are said in part to subsist. 
 In summer he comes from under the bank, and 
 lies at the head of the shoal or sand. If he has not 
 
such a retreat as this, he seeks one under bridge^^ 
 and about mill-tails or the apron of sluices, flood- 
 gates, and weirs. In such places as these he finds 
 a pretty sure harbour, nor can the fiercest shooting 
 of the current drive him out ; at the beginning of 
 winter, he shifts his haunts, and lies in deep water, 
 or under the banks. 
 
 The nicest bait for a barbel is a well-scoured 
 clean red worm, or dew worm, or the gentle, also 
 very clean ; he is also taken with a bait of new 
 cheese, and with pastes, and with the bait called 
 bob 5 but the w^orm will be found best, as these 
 light baits are easily drawn oflf by such a cunning 
 fellow. 
 
 Use No. 7 or 8 hook ; and in the river Lea, 
 either a bamboo or cane rod with a stiff top, running 
 tackle, fine gut line. No. 9 hook, and red worms, 
 gentles, or greaves. 
 
 The barbel is a fine fish to look at, and good 
 sport for the angler ; but of little value for the 
 table. As he bites very cautiously, it requires 
 some skill to hook him. When you have him 
 tight, your work is but beginning, for he struggles 
 hard and long, and as he is a very strong fish, so 
 he never gives up while he has any life in him. 
 
 The biting of the barbel is to be nicely watched ; 
 for if you are not very careful, he will get your 
 bait off the hook, and never come in danger of the 
 hook; therefore be careful in putting the bait on, 
 so that he cannot, by taking the top of it in his 
 mouth, draw it off the hook ; for he will suck it so 
 strongly, and pull so cautiously, and yet so hard 
 withal, that he will have] it off the hook if it be 
 possible. Let him nibble and suck; and while he 
 does, you may gently draw with your hand, as if 
 
24 
 
 the worm was pulling itself to get from him, and 
 then he will be a little more eager and greedy 5 
 and when you find lie has it, strike him — the sooner 
 the better, for as soon as he takes the bait he clasps 
 his jaws tightly together, and then a smart pull 
 will hook him. 
 
 Before you commence angling, throw in plenty 
 of ground bait, and continue to do so frequently 
 while fishing ; use soaked greaves and clay, malt 
 grains, broken lob-worms, or bran and clay mixed 
 together in balls the size of an egg. Boiled salmon's 
 roe is said to make an excellent bait for them. 
 
 The best time for this fish is May to October, all 
 day, but best in the morning and evening. Fine 
 barbel will be found in the White Horse Water, in 
 the Horse and Groom Subscription Water, Lea 
 Bridge, and as far up the river as Waltham Abbey; 
 in the Subscription Water, Bleak Hall, Edmonton; 
 in the Thames, at Chertsey Bridge, Shepperton, 
 Walton, and Hampstead Deeps, Thames Ditton, 
 Kingston, Twickenham, and Richmond. 
 
 Chub. 
 
 The chub is rather longer than a carp, and has a 
 larger and flatter head than a dace. The back is 
 of an obscure green, like an unripe olive. 
 
 When angling for chub, if you have reason to 
 expect a heavy fish, use running tackle, gut line, 
 quill float, and hook No. 8 or 9. Strike the mo- 
 ment you perceive a bite, and let run ; for the chub, 
 when struck, generally runs furiously to the middle 
 or opposite side before stopping. The baits for 
 chub are greaves, red worms, gentles, paste, and 
 bullock's brains, or pith from the back bone. 
 Trolling or angling with a live minnow is often 
 
S5 
 
 successfully practised, particularly in spring, by 
 which method many large chub are taken. At this 
 season, red worms are also good bait ; put two on 
 your hook, for the chub loves a large bait: in the 
 summer months, gentles and greaves ; during win- 
 ter, bullock's brains or pith ; when that bait is not 
 to be procured, use paste made of bread and honey. 
 Before you begin to angle for chub, throw in plenty 
 of ground bait. Fish as near the middle of the 
 stream as you can in the spring months, and let 
 the bait drag two or three inches on the ground. 
 
 You may amuse yourself sometimes by the fol- 
 lowing method, which is considered highly scien- 
 tific. Go to one of their holes, where, in most hot 
 days, you may find a number of them floating near 
 the top of the water. Put a grasshopper upon 
 your hook, and placing yourself behind a tree, re- 
 main as fi*ee fi'om motion as possible, let it hang a 
 •quarter of a yard short of the water: to keep it 
 steady, support your rod on the bough of the tree, 
 or on a bush. It is likely the chubs will sink at 
 the first shadow of your rod, as they are the most 
 fearful of fishes, and shy if but a bird flies over 
 them and makes the least shadow on the w^ater, 
 though they will presently rise to the top again. 
 While they thus lie at the top of the water, inx 
 your eyes on the best chub, and move your rod 
 gently towards him. Let the bait fall easily upon 
 the water, three or four inches before him, and he 
 will infallibly take it, and you will be as certain to 
 catch him ; for he is one of those leather-mouthed 
 fishes, of which a hook scarcely ever loses its hold. 
 Be sure to give him play enough to hook him, be- 
 fore you take him out of the water. 
 
Gudgeon. 
 
 The gudgeon is straight, slender, neatly shaped, 
 finely spotted on the back and tail, and of a bright 
 clear colour, almost transparent ; it is a pleasant, 
 well-tasted, wholesome fish to eat, and easy of 
 digestion. 
 
 The gudgeon loves a clear water, a sandy or 
 gravelly bottom, a gentle stream, not rapidly swift, 
 nor heavily slow and dull ; and they chiefly delight 
 in small rivers : hence it is observed of the Thames, 
 that all the smaller rivers that run into it are full 
 of excellent gudgeons, but not the Thames itself. 
 
 They bite fair and bold, and will take bait and 
 hook all do\vn together, without fear; therefore 
 use a small, fine hook, and a neat round bait, just 
 enough to cover it. 
 
 When you fish for them in shallows, take a long 
 pole with an iron rake at the end of it, and disturb 
 the sand or gravel; then throw in, and they will 
 float round. 
 
 Angle for gudgeons with a cork float, so that 
 you may distinguish their bite; let your bait lie on 
 the ground, but so as to drive with the stream, 
 which the cork flat will help it to do, and keep it 
 stirring. 
 
 The bait for a gudgeon is the red worm, clean 
 and wholesome, not stale, or the cadis, or gentle, 
 or paste, all in their turn; and if you wish to bait 
 the ground for them, the best method is, only to 
 throw in a basket of dry earth and sand, and when 
 you are sure they are come to it, throw in some 
 paste in small quantities at a time, and in small 
 round pellets, of such a size as they may easily 
 swallow at once. 
 
27 
 
 You must not be too hasty witli a gudgeon when 
 he bites; for sometimes lie will nibble at your bait 
 a little, as if he had a mind to taste it first, and see 
 if he likes it; but he will come again, and then you 
 will have him, unless he has discovered the 
 hook, when you must use another kind of bait. 
 
 In the Thames, fish for them with a red worm, 
 gentle, or blood worms, gut or hair line, and No. 9 
 or 10 hook. In the Lea or New Rivej, use a finer 
 tackle, and bait with blood worms. 
 
 JBleah and Minnow, 
 
 Bleak are found in all rivers in immense num- 
 bers; they are handsome fish, but do not grow to 
 a large size. Angle for them with a light rod, 
 single hair line, small quill float, and No. 12 or 13 
 hook. They will bite all day from April till 
 October, affording the young angler sport and 
 practice. Bait with a few gentles; or use three or 
 four different baits, as for instance a blood-worm, 
 gentle, cadis, a common house fly, or a bit of red 
 paste. 
 
 For minnows, bait with a blood-worm, a bit of 
 red worm, gentles, or paste. Throw in occasionally 
 a few grains or chewed bread to keep ihem near 
 the bait. They may be taken from April to 
 October any time throughout the day. 
 
 Bream, 
 The bream grows to a very large size, sometimes 
 fi\e or six pounds. They frequent the broadest 
 parts of the river, where it is deep and the stream 
 gentle. They are also to be found in mill-ponds, 
 in the vicinity of weeds, and in clayey or muddy 
 bottoms. The larger ones are called carp bream, 
 
28 
 
 being yellow, resembling the carp in colour, and are 
 supposed to be a distinct species from the white 
 bream. 
 
 The best months for angling are August and 
 September, very early in the morning or after sun- 
 set. The lob-worm is the best bait for the larger 
 bream, and the place ought to be baited with them 
 for some time previously. White bream are caught 
 by using boiled malt alone as a ground-bait, baiting 
 the hook with gentles or well-scoured worms; a 
 running-line must be used, and a plumb, as directed 
 for barbel. The hook, however, must be smaller; 
 No. 2 or 3 will be the proper size. 
 
 The bream bites best when there is a slight 
 breeze ; but when the water is rough, the bait must 
 be placed near the bottom. They bite very slowly, 
 and the larger they are the slower they bite. The 
 bait should be laid in softly in the middle of the 
 ground-bait, but let not the lead be above two feet 
 under water. When the fish bites, he will throw 
 up the float; and when it is perceived to lie flat 
 upon the surface of the water, it may then be con- 
 cluded that the fish has gorged the bait; strike it 
 gently, and hold the rod at a bend for a short time, 
 for if you both pull, the fish may be lost, if not the 
 hook and line also. 
 
 It is not advisable to angle more than three or 
 four days for bream in the same place, as the fish 
 become shy and wary. 
 
 Pope or Ruffe, 
 
 This fish is found in several of our rivers; but the 
 river Yore in Norfolk affords the greatest number. 
 It somewhat resembles a perch, although the former 
 is more slender, and the length rarely exceeds six 
 
^1) 
 
 inches. The principal spawning time is the 
 beginning of April, but some are said to spawn 
 again in October. Its haunts are in recluse places, 
 where the water is deep and runs quietly, with a 
 loamy or muddy bottom. The tackle should be 
 fine; the hook No. 8 or 9; a quill float; the bait a 
 small well-scoured red worm, which must just run 
 on the ground. Throw in some clay balls with 
 worms, as directed for perch; or if the water be 
 clear, use common mud balls to colour it. 
 
 Three rods may be easily managed, the baits 
 touching the bottom. When there is a bite, strike 
 directly, for they gorge so hastily that' the knife 
 must frequently be used to get out the hook. Botli 
 in spring and summer they will bite all day with a 
 brisk warm wind, an^l sometimes in cold weather 
 will take the bait very freely. 
 
 Grayling. 
 
 The grayling is generally found in clear quick 
 streams with clayey bottoms. It spawns in April, 
 and sometimes as late as the middle of May. This 
 is a rare fish in England, and has never been found 
 in Scotland or Ireland. It may be fished for at 
 all seasons of the year, particularly in cool cloudy 
 weather. The tackle should be of the finest de- 
 scription; the bottom to be at least two yards of 
 gut, leaded with two shots about a foot from the 
 hook; very slender transparent gut, of the colour 
 of the water, is best. Use a small goose-quill float; 
 if worms be the bait, the hook should be No. 5 or 6; 
 if maggots, No. 8 or 9. Great caution must be 
 used in landing grayling, as they are very tender- 
 mouthed. 
 
 Grayling may be frequently caught with cabbage- 
 
30 
 
 grubs, cod-baits, and grasshoppers, either natural 
 or artificial. Allow the bait to sink by degrees to 
 the bottom, and then draw it up about two feet, 
 rather suddenly. 
 
 The best bait for them is a worm or a gentle. 
 
 Eels. 
 
 The eel has a long smooth body, moistened all 
 over with a viscous liquor, which renders it very 
 slippery. He feeds upon earth-worms, small fish, 
 and snails. 
 
 There are four sorts of eels; the silver eel, the 
 greenish or gr^g eel, the red-finned eel, and the 
 blackish eel : this last has a broader, flatter, and 
 larger head than the rest, and is counted the worst. 
 In the Thames, the fishermen give them particular 
 names; but the most usual are, the silver eel, and 
 the grog: this last is thicker and shorter than the 
 other sort, and of a darker colour. 
 
 The favourite haunts of eels are still waters, 
 amongst weeds, under the roots of trees and large 
 stones, and in the clefts of the banks of rivers. 
 The habits of the eel are nocturnal, and the finest 
 and largest are usually caught with night-lines. 
 The best bait for angling is the lob-worm; the hook 
 small, about No. 3 or 4; and it is proper to use a 
 small plumb or pistol-bullet. They bite best in 
 dark cloudy weather, after showers attended with 
 thunder and lightning. 
 
 Sniggling or boggling for eels is only to be 
 practised on a warm day, when the waters are low. 
 This requires a strong line, and a small hook baited 
 Avitli a lob- worm. Put the line into the top of a 
 thin stick (which you must split a little way, to 
 hold it), about a foot and a half from the bait, and 
 
31 
 
 then thrust it into such holes and places as under 
 stones, timber, roots, or about flood-gates. When 
 the eel takes the bait, gently disengage the line 
 from the stick, but do not try to pull him out at 
 once; let him tire himself a little, and then you 
 can easily take him. 
 
 Anotlier method is called bobbing, and is as 
 follows ; — Procure the largest size garden worms, 
 and, after well scouring them, run a very strong 
 thread or silk through them from end to end by 
 means of a needle, till you have as many as will 
 wrap lightly round your hand about a dozen times; 
 then tie them fast with the two ends of the thread 
 so that they may hang in hanks; fasten all to 
 a strong cord, and, about three inches above the 
 worms, place about three-quarters of a pound of 
 lead, making the cord fast to a long and strong 
 pole. You will find, with the bait thus arranged, 
 that the eels will try strongly at the w^orms; and 
 when you suppose that they have swallowed the 
 bait as far as they can, draw the worms and the 
 eels gently up out of the water, and when at the 
 surface pull them up with all your strength and 
 land them as quick as possible. 
 
 Another way to take eels is by laying baited 
 night-hooks, which are to be fastened to a tree, or 
 the bank, in such a manner that they may not be 
 drawn away by the eels; or a string may be thrown 
 across the stream, with several hooks fastened to 
 it. The line must be tied to a large plummet of 
 lead, or stone, which must be thrown into the water 
 with the line in some remarkable place, so that it 
 may be found readily in the morning, and taken up 
 with a drno;-liook, or otherwise. 
 
32 
 
 Pike, or Jack. 
 
 This is called the fresh-water wolf, and is the 
 boldest, merciless, and most voracious fish in our 
 rivers, not confining its depredations to other species, 
 but attacking such of its own species as it can 
 readily swallow. 
 
 The pike has a fiat head, the upper jaw broad, 
 and shorter than the low^er : the under jaw turns up 
 a little at the end, and is marked with minute punc- 
 tures. The teeth are very sharp, disposed not only 
 in the front of the upper jaw, but in both sides of 
 the lower, in the roof of the mouth, and often in the 
 tongue. The mouth is very wide, the eyes small. 
 
 The pike spawns generally in March, but some- 
 times in the last week of February, or in the early 
 days of April. A-e soon as the spawning is over, 
 they return for a few days to the deep w^ater, and 
 during mid-day lie basking on the surface in a tor- 
 pid state. It is wdiile in this situation, that they 
 are taken by the snare ; but the fish at this period 
 are poor in taste, and considered unwholesome. 
 
 The largest fish are most apt to indulge in bask- 
 ing; they are particularly shy at these seasons, 
 and at such times will seize a bait wnth great seem- 
 ing eagerness, but generally relinquish it as instan- 
 taneously. 
 
 There are several methods of catching pike; two 
 of which only belong to the angler, namely, snapping 
 and trolling: the other methods are practised only 
 by poachers. 
 
 The Snap tackle consists of a single hook, larger 
 and stouter than any within the register, which being 
 fastened to strong gimp is inserted at the mouth of 
 a gudgeon or other small fish (the smaller, indeed, 
 
S3 
 
 the more certain), and brought out cither at the 
 middle of its side or just before the vent. 
 
 By some anglers the treble snap is preferred : 
 this is made by bracing three such hooks together, 
 so that their points stand out from each other, and 
 then securing them to a piece of gimp, which is 
 inserted by means of a baiting-needle at the vent, 
 and carried out at the mouth, which is afterwards 
 sewed up and perforated by a lip- hook. 
 
 The best baits are gudgeons and dace of a mid- 
 dling size; but in default of these, roach, bleak, 
 small trout, or salmon fry. 
 
 A cork float is necessary, about the size of a com- 
 mon Burgundy pear, with a small pistol bullet or 
 two, not only to poise it, but to keep the bait at a 
 proper depth. 
 
 Whatever may be the length or thickness of your 
 line, you will find it useful to have a small swivel 
 on it somewhere ; if within a yard of your hook, 
 the better. 
 
 When the pike takes your bait, if the water is 
 clear, you may see him at a great depth ; at least 
 there will be a perceptible agitation of the water, 
 proportioned to its depth, and the size of the fish : 
 for a pike generally seizes with violence, even 
 though the bait be close to him. 
 
 At all events, if you do not see any of these symp- 
 toms, you will soon feel him. If you are prepared 
 with the snap, strike firmly, but not with a jerk, lest 
 you tear away through his jaw, or break your hook. 
 
 You should be extremely careful in your manage- 
 ment of a pike when hooked ; for he will, if possible, 
 run into the most desperate situations, and try the 
 strength of your tackle by various stratagems. 
 
 Treat him tenderly, for his mouth is \ery hard, and 
 
^4 
 
 you will frequently find ibat tlie hook, instead of 
 having gone through the jaw, rests by a very slight 
 hold of the point of some tough part, from which it 
 is easily displaced ; when such is the case, your hook 
 is in danger of snapping at the bend, against which 
 the point acts as a lever when so situated. 
 
 Trolling for pike is a pleasant method of taking 
 them. The trolling-rod has several small rings 
 fixed on the different joints 5 upon the butt-joint is 
 fitted a reel with its winch. On the reel is wound 
 twenty, thirty, or forty yards of silk line, which 
 passes through the rings on the rod, and is then 
 fastened to the gimp with which the hook is armed. 
 The hook is made by bracing two small perch- 
 hooks back to back. From between the hooks 
 hangs a little chain, at the end of which is a small 
 plummet. The plummet is to be sewn into the 
 mouth of a dead fish, such as a roach or gudgeon, 
 the hooks being left just outside, exposed to sight. 
 The bait, thus fastened, is to be kept in constant 
 motion in the water, sometimes suflx^red to sink, 
 then gradually raised, now drawn with the stream, 
 and then against it, the better to counterfeit life. If 
 the pike be at hand, he will take it for a living fish, 
 seize it and run off to his lurking-place, and in 
 about ten minutes gorge it. Give a sudden jerk, 
 play with him till he is tired, draw him towards the 
 bank, and with a landing-net carefully take him 
 out of the water. He must not by any means be 
 lifted out of the water with the rod and line only ; 
 for although to all appearance the fish may be tired, 
 yet the moment he quits the water, he will open his 
 mouth, and, by tearing his stomach with his own 
 weight, get quit of the hook; and the fish will not 
 only be lost, but ha will die in the water. 
 
 Uu 
 
 i pJLhX^ I~^vwv.j 
 
35 
 
 Smelt "* 
 
 Is a fish not unlike ibe trout, only longer in pro- 
 portion to its size. It is eonimonly found about 
 six inches long; but near Warrington they are 
 often caught measuring twelve or thirteen inches. 
 
 This is a fish of passage, and visits the Thames 
 and other large rivers twice a year, in March and 
 August. The first time they will advance as far 
 as Chiswick ; but at the last, they make a stand 
 about Blackwall. 
 
 In March, if the spring be mild, prodigious 
 quantities of this fish make their appearance iu 
 the river Mersey, wdiich often seems of a greenish 
 colour, from the vast quantities of smelts which 
 then swim about. At this time every boat, every 
 fisherman, and every net are employed ; and even 
 the boys with cabbage-nets catch these fish, which 
 are double the size of those usually caught in the 
 Thames; oftentimes the baskets, pails, boats, and 
 the very banks, are filled with sparklings, as they 
 are called in Cheshire, which are frequently sold 
 at fourpence per score. 
 
 The best way of angling for them is with a pater- 
 noster line, with small shot to sink it under water. 
 Your bait should be earth-bobs, gentles well scoured, 
 paste, or the fish itself cut into small pieces, suffi- 
 cient to cover your hook. They are seldom caught 
 by angling, as they stay but a little time after they 
 have spaw^ned, though in the salt part of the Mersey 
 they may be caught with nets all the year round. , 
 
 Mullet. 
 
 The mullet is much like a dace in shape, and 
 has a flat head with a sharp snout; and when 
 largest, his size is above a foot and a half long, ^ 
 
n6 
 
 He is said to live upon weeds and nind ; however, 
 it is certain that he abstains from fish. 
 
 These fish are bold feeders, and are to be caught 
 with most flies that entice the trout. Within two 
 feet of the bottom, they will take the lob-w^orm, or 
 the marsh-worm ; but your tackle must be strong, 
 for they struggle hard for their lives. 
 
 Sleak, 
 
 The bleak is a small, fat, pleasant fish, called 
 by some the fresh-water sprat, and by others the 
 river swallow, on account of its continual motion. 
 It will rise, like the dace, at a common house-fly 
 upon the surface of the water, or it will take a gen- 
 tle, or white paste, about a foot and a half under 
 water. The smallest hooks are the most proper for 
 them, and a paternoster line, that is, a single hair 
 line with six or seven hooks, each three or four 
 inches above the other, baited with gentles, or cadis, 
 well scoured. The paste recommended for bream 
 forms a good bait for the bleak. It frequents deep 
 rivers, sandy bottoms, in eddies, and at the stern 
 of ships. 
 
 The bleak may be caught with a very fine arti- 
 ficial fly, of a sad brown colour, and very small, 
 and the hook of a proportionate size. In angling for 
 bleak in the Thames, the bait must be laid deeper than 
 in other rivers ; and it is to be observed, that gene- 
 rally in rivers the bleak continues sound and health- 
 ful during the whole of the summer. There is not 
 any better sport than whipping for bleaks in a boat 
 or on a bank in swift waters on a summer's even- 
 ing, w^ith a hazle top about fiYO or six inches long, 
 an"d a line twice the length of the rod. The bleak 
 is an excellent fish to initiate a young angler in 
 fly-fishing. It forms a capital bait for pike. 
 
37 
 
 Oudgeon, 
 The gudgeon spawns twice or three times in the 
 course of the year, and is in season from March to 
 October. In the summer it delights in shallow 
 streams, the bottoms of which are sandy and gra- 
 velly. They will frequently bite during the whole 
 of the day from an hour after sun-rise till within an 
 hour of sun-set, without any particular considera- 
 tion as to the state of the weather. In autumn, 
 when the weeds begin to rot, they retire to the 
 deep waters. 
 
 The customary method of angling for gudgeon 
 is to rake up the sand or gravel, and by that means 
 render the water thick and foul, which will make 
 them bite the faster. Or another plan may be 
 adopted, of throwing dried earth or dust into the 
 river; but if the water be made thick with rain, they 
 will not bite. They will take gentles, or the cow^- 
 dung worm ; but the small red-worm is the most 
 killing bait for them. The gudgeon is not a shy 
 fish; on the contrary, if they be driven from their 
 customary places of resort, they will immediately 
 return to them. 
 
 A single hair-line, a fine taper rod, a float, and a 
 small hook, must be used; and the bait must drag 
 upon the ground. 
 
 In fishing for gudgeons a rake is indispensable, 
 with which the bottom of the river must be raked 
 every quarter of an hour, and the fish w^ill flock to 
 the place in shoals. 
 
 The gudgeon is a fish in some request, both for 
 its flavour and the sport it affords to the inexpe- 
 rienced angler. It is very simple, and is allured 
 by almost any kind of bait; but it will never rise 
 at the fly. 
 
38 
 
 Loach, 
 
 The loach is an inhabitant of clear rivulets, and 
 commonly resides at the bottom among stones and 
 gravel, and is on that account sometimes called by 
 the name of groundling; it is generally about three 
 inches long; is of a dirty yellow colour on the 
 back, and white and somewhat spotted on the belly. 
 In point of delicacy it is said to be equal, if not 
 superior, to most other fishes, and is cultivated 
 with much care in some places as an article of diet. 
 The loach is observed to spawn in March, and is 
 very prolific. It is frequently taken when angling 
 for minnows. 
 
 Bullhead. 
 
 The bullhead, or miller's-thumb, is to be found 
 in almost all rivers ; it rarely exceeds the length of 
 three inches ; its general colour is yellowish olive, 
 much deeper on the head, and upper parts of the 
 back ; and the whole body is more or less clouded 
 with small dusky specks ; the fins are large and 
 yellowish, and likewise speckled; the head is large 
 and flat, and broader than any part of the body. 
 This fish occasionally swims with great strength 
 and rapidity, when in pursuit of its prey; though 
 its general habit is that of lying on the gravel, or 
 under stones, in an apparently inert state. Not- 
 withstanding its disagreeable appearance, it is con- 
 sidered as an eatable fish, and is even regarded as 
 delicate ; the flesh turns of a red or salmon-colour 
 on boiling. The bullhead usually spawns in 
 March and April. This fish also is frequently 
 caufrht when anc^linfx for minnows. 
 
39 
 
 Stickleback, 
 
 This fish is almost an universal inhabitant of 
 rivers, ponds, and marshes, and when in its full 
 perfection of colour is highly beautiful; the back 
 being of a fine olive green, the sides silvery, and 
 the fins and belly of a bright red ; the colours fade 
 in a great degree as the season advances. The 
 general length of this minute species is about two 
 inches ; on each side and on the back are placed 
 several strong jagged spines, from whence it derives 
 its name. 
 
 It is a fish of an extremely active and vigorous 
 nature, swimming rapidly, and preying upon the 
 smaller kinds of water-insects and worms, as well 
 as on the spawn of other fishes; and is, from this 
 circumstance, considered highly prejudicial to fish- 
 ponds. Its only use is to troll with for trout, pre- 
 viously cutting off the spines. 
 
 Salmon. 
 
 Salrnon may be called the king of fresh-water 
 fish, and has different names, according to its dif- 
 ferent ages. Those that are taken in the river 
 Mersey, in Cheshire, the first year, are called 
 smelts; in the second, sprods; the third, morts; 
 the fourth, fox-tails; the fifth, half-fish; and in 
 the sixth, when they have attained their growth, 
 they ' are thought worthy of the name of salmon. 
 The smelts leave the Mersey about May 9^^ June, 
 and are then about two ounces a-piece, and return 
 about August and September, and arc from one to 
 two pounds. 
 
 The most alluring bait for the salmon is a raw 
 cockle taken from the shell; with this, fish at the 
 
40 
 
 bottom, using a running bullet. Tli.is is practised 
 in the river Medway, in Kent, with success; let 
 the cockle fall into a shallow from which there is a 
 gradual descent into a deep hole. In most o-f the 
 salmon rivers of France, they use prawns, or 
 muscles taken out of the shell. 
 
 It is needless to caution the young practitioner 
 against angling for salmon from September to 
 March; because during that time they usually 
 leave their haunts in the fresh for the salt water. 
 
 The usual baits are lob- worms, small dace, gud- 
 geons, bleak, minnows, or two well-scoured dew- 
 worms, which should be often varied, in order to 
 suit the fickle humour of this fish; for the bait 
 which will allure him one day, he will pass by the 
 next, without noticing. He generally bites best 
 about three in the afternoon, in May^ June, and 
 July, especially if the w^ater happen to he clear, 
 and there be a little breeze of wind stirring ; but 
 there will be still greater likelihood of success if the 
 wind and stream set contrary wise. 
 
 There is a fly, called the horse-leech fly, of w hich 
 he is very fond ; they are of various colours, have 
 large heads and bodies, long tails, with two and 
 even three pair of wings placed behind each other: 
 behind each pair of wings, whip gold and silver 
 twist about the body, and do the same with the 
 head. With this fly angle at length, as directed 
 for trout and grayling; but if you dib, do it with 
 two or tjiree butterflies of different colours, or with 
 the most glaring small flies you can find. 
 
 When you make use of a fly, let your hook be 
 strong and large ; but it would be better to have 
 two well-scoured lob-worms, as they will be found 
 most successful in angling at the bottom. In thig. 
 
41 
 
 case, let your hook be large, and armed with gimp ; 
 for though a salmon, when struck, very seldom 
 attempts to bite the line, yet, as you will be obliged 
 to play the fish for some time, the line will rake 
 against his teeth, and you will be in great danger 
 of losing your prize without this precaution. Next 
 to gimp are recommended the bristles of a Westpha- 
 lia hog, doubled 5 which are only preferable to 
 others on account of their length. If therefore, 
 you cannot easily procure the former, you^may 
 make use of the common ones, which being 'often 
 lapped into the length of half a yard, have been 
 found proof against the teeth of a pike, when trol- 
 ling for that fish. 
 
 Wherever you observe a salmon leap out of the 
 water, you may safely conclude there is a deep hole 
 not far off; and if the river is too broad for you to 
 throw a fly, or if a contrary wind hinder you, then 
 lay your leger bait as near the hole as you can, and 
 you will have great probability of success. If you 
 bait with a dace, gudgeon, &c., put on your swivel 
 and reel, and make use of a large cork float, with 
 your live-bait about mid-water. 
 
 NATURAL FLY FISHING. 
 For natural fly-fishing, the rods should be long 
 and slender; the lines fine, but not so long as those 
 used for artificial fly-fishing; the tackle running; 
 and the hooks short in the shanks, and well pro- 
 portioned in size to the baits. In streams, begin 
 by fishing just under the banks or near the shore, 
 and proceed by degrees, until at length you may 
 throw your line the whole breadth of the water. 
 In rivers, which, during the summer months, pro- 
 duce an abundance of weeds, you should fish 
 D 3 
 
4g 
 
 between those places where the current is strongest, 
 taking care so to manage your line as^not to get it 
 entangled. When fishing with natural flies, all the 
 other haunts of the difierent fish which we have 
 elsewhere mentioned should be frequented. Let 
 the fly just reach the surface of the w^ater, and go 
 gently down the stream ; the top of your rod should 
 be a little raised, and the bait kept in motion upon 
 the surface, by gently raising, lowering, and draw- 
 ing it to and fro. When a fish takes your bait, 
 after a moment strike smartly ; and, if he be not so 
 large as to break your tackle, lift him out imme- 
 diately ; for by playing with him you may, pro- 
 bably, scare away others. 
 
 The best mode of keeping natural flies, is in a 
 horn bottle made in the shape of a cone, with a 
 wooden bottom, in which several holes must be 
 pierced; which should be sufficiently numerous to 
 afford the flies air, but none of them large enough 
 to suffer your smallest bait to escape; a cork must 
 be obtained to fit the upper or smaller end, so that 
 you may take your baits out, one by one, without 
 losing any. If the flies be kept in a common box, 
 there is a great chance of half a dozen flying out 
 every time you lift the cover. 
 
 ARTIFICIAL FLY-FISHING. 
 
 Artificial fly-fishing is by far the most difficult 
 part of angling; much time and practice are 
 required to make the tyro an adept in it; by theory 
 it can never be attained; a few months instruction, 
 under an experienced person, will be more beneficial 
 toward its acquirement than the perusal of all the 
 works extant on the subject. With the preliminary 
 
43 
 
 part or rudiments of the science (for so it may 
 with propriety be called), the young angler may, 
 however, make himself acquainted, and may, with 
 practice, attain considerable proficiency in artificial 
 fly-fishing; but it cannot be learnt so soon, or so 
 well, from books as from an experienced instructor. 
 
 To make Artificial Flies, 
 
 Dun-fly, — Make the body of dun-coloured wool; 
 the wings of partridge feathers, black drake's fea- 
 thers, or the feathers from under the tail. A pro- 
 per fly for March. 
 
 Stone-fly, — The body is made of black wool, 
 yellow under the wings and under the tail ; the 
 wings are made of a mallard's feathers. This fly 
 is in season in April. 
 
 Ruddy 'fly, — Make the body of red- wool, wrapt 
 about with blue silk; the wings make of the wing- 
 feathers of a drake and a red hackle. This fly is 
 proper for the beginning of May. 
 
 Black-fly, — Make the body of black wool, wrapt 
 about with peacock's tail; the wings are feathers 
 from the wings of a brown capon, with the blue 
 feather in its head. This fly is in season in May. 
 
 Sand Yellow Fly, — Body of black wool, with a 
 yellow list on either side; the wings of buzzard's 
 feathers, bound with hemp. A good fly for June. 
 
 Moorish Fly, — Body of duskish wool; the 
 wings are black feathers from a small drake. 
 Another excellent fly for June. 
 
 Taring Fly, — Body of bear's wool ; the wings 
 made contrary one against the other, of the whitish 
 feathers of a small drake. To be used in the 
 middle of June. 
 
 Shell Fly, — Body of greenish wool, wrapt about 
 
44 
 
 with pearls of a peacock's tail; the wings are 
 made of buzzard's feathers. An excellent fly for 
 the middle of June. 
 
 Wasp Fly. — Body of black wool, wrapt about 
 with yellow silk; the wings are made of the feathers 
 of a buzzard or drake. This may be used in July. 
 
 Dark Drake Fly, — Body of black wool, wrapt 
 about with black silk; the wings are made of the 
 feathers of a male drake with a black head. Pro- 
 per fly for August. 
 
 May Fly, — Body of greenish or willow-coloured 
 cruel, darkened in most places with waxed silk, or 
 ribbed with black hair, or a silver thread; the 
 M'ings may be made of grey feathers. This fly 
 may be used at any time. 
 
 Oak Fly. — The body made of orange-peel and 
 black cruel; the wings, the brown feathers of a 
 mallard. This also may be used at any time. 
 
 FLIES PROPER FOR EACH MONTH. ' 
 
 February, — Palmer flies, little red brown, the 
 silver hackle, the plain hackle, the gold hackle, 
 the great blue dun, tbe great dun, the dark brown. 
 
 March. — The early bright brown, the little 
 whirling dun, the thorn-tree fly, the whitish dun, 
 the little black gnat, the blue dun, the little bright 
 brown. 
 
 April. — The little dark brown, the small bright 
 brown, the violet fly, the great whirling dun, the 
 horse-flesh fly, the yellow dun. 
 
 May. — The green drake, the dun cow, the black 
 May fly, the stone fly, the little yellow May fly, 
 the camlet fly, the grey drake, the yellow palmer, 
 the turkey fly, the black flat fly, the little dun, the 
 
45 
 
 light brown, the white gnat, the cow lady, the pea- 
 cock fly. r-. '" 
 
 June. — From the 1st to the 24th. The stone 
 fly, the green drake, the barn fly, the owl fly, the 
 purple hackle, the flesh fly, the purple gold hackle, 
 the Jittle flesh fly, the ant fly, the peacock fly, the 
 little black gnat, the brown gnat, the green grass- 
 hopper, the brown hackle, the dun grasshopper. 
 
 July. — The orange fly, the badger fly, the w^asp 
 fly, the little white dun, the bkick hackle, the blai^k- 
 brown dun,, the shell fly. 
 
 August, — The fern fly, the late ant fly, harry- 
 long-legs, the white hackle. 
 
 September. — The late badger, the camel bro-wn 
 
 fly. 
 
 October and the following months. — Use the 
 same flies that were used in March. 
 V It may be observed here, that so little can be 
 done in fly-fishing at this part of the year, that it 
 is not worth the inexperienced angler's while to lose 
 his time at the river's side, unless in company with 
 one skilled in the art. 
 
 TO MAKE PASTES, &c. 
 
 Almost every experienced angler who uses paste^ 
 has his peculiar method of making it ; the following 
 recipes, however, may be considered as the most 
 approved, and most generally to be relied upon. 
 
 Salmon Paste. — Take one pound of salmon 
 spawn, about September or October, boil it about 
 fifteen minutes, beat it in a mortar until sufficiently 
 mixed, with an ounce of salt, and a quarter of an 
 ounce of salt-petre ; carefully pick out the mem- 
 brane, as you find it disengaged. When^t is bcateu 
 
46 
 
 to a proper consista?Bcy, put it into cups or galli- 
 pots, over which tie a piece of bladder close, and it 
 will keep many months. 
 
 Shrimp Paste is prepared precisely by the same 
 method as salmon paste, observing to separate the 
 solid part from the shell before it is put into the 
 mortar. 
 
 Paste to catch Chub and Carp in the Winter, — 
 Beat strong Cheshire cheese, mixed with cotton 
 wool, to the consistence of paste. If it be too moist, 
 temper it with wheaten flour ; if too dry, moisten 
 it with honey. The bait should be formed about 
 the size and shape of an acorn. 
 
 Paste to catch Pike, — Mix four ounces of fine 
 wheaten flour wdth a little cotton wool, the whites 
 of two eggs, and a very small quantity of vermilion 
 or red-lead. This paste should not be made above 
 one day before it is used. 
 
 Sweet Paste for Carp, Tench, or Chub, — Take 
 the crumb of white bread dipped in honey, and 
 work it with the fingers in the palm of the hand 
 until it is of a proper consistency. When honey 
 cannot be procured, lump sugar dissolved in warm 
 water will answer nearly as well. 
 
 Paste for Barbel, — Dip the crumb of white 
 bread in water in which chandlers' greaves have 
 been boiled, and knead it stifi*. If a small quantity 
 of the greaves be mixed with the bread, it will 
 prove more enticing. 
 
 Many authors recommend oil of aniseed, and a 
 variety of other essential oils, to scent paste with ; 
 these are communicated as secrets, and having an 
 air of mystery, are eagerly sought after by the 
 young angler. We have, however, tried a variety, 
 buf never had reason to suppose they were instru- 
 
47 
 
 mental in taking a single fish, and believe tliem all 
 to be a wasteful and ridiculous expense. 
 
 TO KEEP BAITS. 
 
 Red Worms should be kept in a bag of red cloth, 
 with a handful of cropt fennel mixed with half as 
 much fresh black mould, which will preserve and 
 scour them. Keeping them in moist moss, or 
 wrapping them in a dishcloth dipped in mutton 
 suet, are also recommended. All other kind of 
 worms must be kept in the leaves of the plants they 
 feed on. 
 
 G?'eat White Maggots may be kept in sheep's 
 tallow. To scour these, put them in a bag with 
 sand. 
 
 Flies may be used as they are taken ; but wasps, 
 hornets, and humble bees, when dead, should be 
 dried in an oven, their heads dipped in sheep's 
 blood, and then dried again, and kept in boxes for 
 use. 
 
 Ant'Flies. — Put some earth of the hill from 
 which ihey were taken into a glass bottle ; and if 
 the bottle is first rinsed with honey and water, they 
 will live longer. Roach and dace bite greedily at 
 these. 
 
 ADVICE REGARDING BAITS. 
 
 Fish take the baits freely which the seasons afford; 
 when therefore you angle, beat about the bushes 
 near you, and make use of whatever flies you find 
 there, and imitate them with an artificial fly. 
 Notice also what worms or insects fit for baits 
 infest the leaves and grass, or are in the water, and 
 if you use these you may expect good sport. 
 
48 
 
 To breed Gentles. —About the end of September^ 
 bury some carrion wliich has young niagfrots in 
 it (leep in the earth, so tliat the frost will not kill 
 tliem ; and in the following March or April you 
 will find them fit for use. 
 
 To Catch Worms, — Take a poker, and striking 
 it in the ground to about the depth of six inches, 
 shake the ground well, and the worms will start up 
 out of the ground. 
 
 THE HAUNTS OF FISH. 
 
 Ang^le for perch in gentle streams of reasonable 
 depth by a hollow bank. 
 
 For salmon, in large swift rivers that ebb and 
 flow, gravelly and craggy. 
 
 For trout, in purling brooks, or rivers very swift. 
 Strong, or sandy-bottomed. 
 
 For carp and tench, in still waters, muddy 
 ponds, and where weeds and roots of trees are. 
 
 For eels, in muddy rivers and ponds. 
 
 For bream, pike, or chub, in sandy or clayey 
 rivers, brooks, or ponds, wherein bulrushes and 
 flags grow. 
 
 For roach, dace, barbel, and ruff, in sandy and 
 gravelly deep w^aters, shaded with trees. 
 
 For grayling or umber, in clayey marshes, or 
 streams running swift. 
 
 For gudgeon, in small sandy or gravelly rivers : 
 they bite best in spring. 
 
 CURIOSITIES IN ANGLING. 
 To catch Eels. 
 
 Put some sheep's guts or garbage in some hay, 
 and tie it round the middle, sink it to the bottom 
 
49 
 
 of the water at night, leaving one end of the cord 
 tied to a peg of wood in the bank. Next morning, 
 as soon as it is light, quickly draw the bundle of 
 hay out, and you will find many eels sticking fast 
 to the sides of the hay. ♦ 
 
 To bring fish to the 'place you desire. 
 Boil some barley in clean water ; when it bursts, 
 put liquorice, a little soft wax, and some honey to 
 it, and beat all together in a mortar into a stiff paste ; 
 then boil about the quantity of a walnut of this 
 paste with a quart of barley, till it becomes like 
 glue. Lay it for ground bait, and all the fish will 
 come to it. 
 
 Another method of collecting fish together. 
 Fasten corks round the mouth of a glass globe, 
 so that it will not sink when sufficient water is put 
 into it to weigh it down to the corks ; then make 
 a hole in the middle of a bung, and place a lighted 
 candle in it, stick four skewers into the bung in 
 such a manner as to keep it in the middle of the 
 globe. This must be used in the dark, when the 
 light shining through the water will attract the fish, 
 which will play about the globe. 
 
 A humorous plan of catching pike. 
 A humorous way to catch a pike is, to take a 
 goose, a gander, or a duck : tie a pike- line under 
 the left wing, and over the right wing, round the 
 body, as a soldier wears his belt; turn it into a 
 pond in which there are pike ; in a short time, it 
 is most likely that the bait will be taken, when you 
 will see some sport between the bird and the fish, 
 as neither will feel pleased with such a close ac 
 quaintance. 
 
50 
 
 The following account of this curious mode of 
 fishing is extracted from M^Diarmid's Scrap-book, 
 1820: — " Several years ago, a farmer in the imme- 
 diate neighbourhood of Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire, 
 kept a gander, which not only had a great trick of 
 wandering himself, but also delighted in piloting 
 forth his cackling harem to weary themselves in 
 circumnavigating their native lake, or in straying 
 amidst forbidden fields on the opposite shore. 
 Wishing to check this vagrant habit, the farmer 
 one day seized the gander, just as he was about to 
 spring upon the pure bosom of his favourite ele- 
 ment, and tying a large fish hook to his leg, to 
 which was attached part of a dead frog, he suffered 
 him to proceed upon his voyage of discovery. As 
 had been anticipated, this bait soon caught the eye 
 of a greedy pike, which swallowing the deadly 
 hook, not only arrested the progress of the asto- 
 nished gander, but forced him to perform half-a- 
 dozen somersets on the surface of the water ! For 
 some time the struggle was most amusing — the 
 fish pulling, and the bird screaming with all its 
 might, — the one attempting to fly, and the other 
 to swim, from the invisible enemy — the gander 
 one moment losing, and the next regaining his 
 centre of gravity, and casting between whiles many 
 a rueful look at his snow-white fleet of geese and 
 goslings, who cackled out their sympathy for their 
 afflicted commodore. At length victory declared 
 in favour of the feathered angler, who, bearing 
 away for the nearest shore, landed on the smooth 
 green grass one of the finest pikes ever caught in 
 the Castle-loch. This adventure is said to have 
 cured the gander of his propensity for wandering. 
 
61 
 
 GENERAL RULES FOR ANGLERS. 
 
 ' "When bottom-fishing, plumb the depth with 
 accuracy, and with as little disturbance to the water 
 as may be; let the plummet line remain in the 
 water whilst you cast in your ground bait, by which 
 time it will become softened and stretched. 
 
 Keep as far from the water as possible. 
 
 Use fine tackle, and you will sooner become 
 skilful. If your tackle should become injured, do 
 not let it injure your temper, but sit down and 
 diligently repair it. 
 
 If, while you are angling, hail should fall, or the 
 day become cold, or the wind blow strong, you 
 must not expect much sport. In soft rain, or foggy 
 close weather, most fish will bite. A cloudy day 
 with light showers, after a bright night, generally 
 proves most advantageous for angling. When a 
 calm bright morning is succeeded by a gloomy day 
 with a brisk wind without rain, the fish (especially 
 the larger sort) are almost sure to feed. 
 
 It is supposed the best winds for angling are the 
 south, west, and south-east. In hot weather, the 
 cooler the wund the better; but in the early part of 
 the season and in autumn, a warm wind is advan- 
 tageous. When the wind blows from a cold quarter, 
 those places which are most protected should be 
 your resort. When the wind blows right across 
 the water, fish with your back to the wind, 
 because you can then not only throw your line 
 with more certainty, but the fish also will most 
 likely be on that side watching for the flies, &c., 
 which may be blown from the bank. Throw your 
 line as near the bank on which you are standing as 
 the wind will allow you, if it be high wind. 
 
52 
 
 In fine summer sunshiny weather, when scarce 
 a breath of wind is stirring, you may often see the 
 fish basking, in clear low water, with their fins and 
 part of their backs above the surface; they will 
 then greedily rise at a hackle, if your foot length 
 be fine, and you keep yourself at a sufficient distance 
 to be unperceived. Your line for this purpose 
 should be long; and if on hooking a fish, the others 
 should become alarmed and swim off, just retire for 
 a little time, and most probably they will soon come 
 back again. 
 
 Never drink water out of rivers or ponds^while 
 in a state of perspiration ; and keep your feet dry, 
 by wearing strong boots or shoes. 
 
 Avoid all piscatory poaching; and use none of 
 the oils or chemical preparations which are recom- 
 mended by some, but which are practices quite 
 dishonourable to the fair angler. 
 
 Before you fish in strange waters, always ascer- 
 tain that they are Tree to the public ; and if not, 
 obtain the. consent') of the proprietor ere you cast 
 your line over them, or you may involve yourself 
 in an unpleasant predicament, as you will perceive 
 by referring to the laws relating to angling. 
 
 If two or more persons are angling in company, 
 there should be a distance of at least thirty yards 
 between them. 
 
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