Chapter III: Part 3

11. Dry your wasps, dores, or bees, upon a tile-stone, or in an oven cooled after baking, lest they burn; and to avoid that, you must lay them on a thin board or chip, and cover them with another so supported, as not to crush them, or else clap two cakes together: this way they will keep long, and stick on your hook well. If you boil them hard, they grow black in a few days.

12. Dry your sheep’s blood in the air, upon a dry board, till it become a pretty hard lump; then cut it into small pieces for your use.

13. When you use grain, boil it soft, and get off the outward rind, which is the bran; and then if you will, you may fry the same in honey and milk, or some strong-scented oils, as polypody, spike, ivy, turpentine; for Nature, which maketh nothing in vain, hath given the fish nostrils, and that they can smell, is undeniable; and I am persuaded, more guided by the sense of smelling, than sight, for sometimes they will come to the float, if any wax be upon it, smell at it and go away. We see also that strong scents draw them together; as, put grains, worms, or snails, in a bottle of hay tied pretty close, and you will, if you pluck it out suddenly, sometimes draw up EELS in it. But I never yet made trial of any of these oils; for when I had the oils, I wanted time to try them; or when I had time, I wanted the oils: but I recommend them to others for trial, and do purpose, God willing, to prove the virtue myself, especially that ointment so highly commended by J. D. in his _Secrets of Angling_.[3]

[3] In the edition of 1613, duod. the receipt here referred to occurs at the end of the volume:

Would’st thou catch fish?
Then here’s thy wish;
Take this receipt
To anoint thy bait.

Thou that desirest to fish with line and hook,
Be it in poole, in river, or in brook,
To blisse thy bait, and make the fish to bite,
Loe here’s a means if thou canst hit it right;
Take gum of life, fine beat and laid to soak
In oyle, well drawn from that which kills the oak;
Fish where thou wilt, thou shalt have sport thy fill,
When twenty fail, thou shalt be sure to kill.
_Probatum._

It’s perfect and good
If well understood
Else not to be told
For silver or gold.

Lauson, who ‘augmented with many approved experiments,’ the second edition of the _Secrets of Angling_, 1652, duod. observes, ‘This excellent receipt divers Anglers can tell you where you may buy them.’ On the subject of ‘gum of life,’ he continues, ‘I have heard much of an oyntment that will presently cause any fish to bite; but I could never attain the knowledge thereof, the nearest in mine opinion, except this Probatum, is the oyle of an ospray, which is called Aquila Marina, the Sea-Eagle. She is of body neare the bignesse of a goose; one of her feete is web’d to swim withall, the other hath talons to catch fish. It seems the fish come up to her, for she cannot dive. Some likelihood there is also in a paste made of Coculus Indie, Assa-Fœtida, Honey and Wheat-flour; but I never tried them, therefore I cannot prescribe.’

‘That which kills the oak,’ is expressly said to signify ‘the Ivy,’ edit. 1652.

In a third, and hitherto unrecorded edition of the _Secrets of Angling_, it is said, ‘This excellent receipt you may buy ready and truely made, at the signe of the Flying Horse, an Apothecaries in Carter-Lane.’

EDITOR.

14. When you see ant-flies in greatest plenty, go to the ant-hills where they breed, take a great handful of the earth, with as much of the roots of the grass growing on those hills; put all into a large glass bottle, then gather a pottle full of the blackest, ant-flies unbruised, put them into the bottle, or into a firkin, if you would keep them long, first washed with honey, or water and honey; ROACH and DACE will bite at these flies under water near the ground.

15. When you gather bobs after the plough, put them into a firkin, with sufficient of the soil they were bred in, to preserve them; stop the vessel quite close, or all will spoil; set it where neither wind nor frost may offend them, and they will keep all Winter for your use.

16. At the latter end of September, take some dead carrion that hath some maggots bred in it, which are beginning to creep; bury all deep in the ground, that the frost kill them not, and they will serve in March or April following, to use.

17. To find the flag-worm, do thus: go to an old pond, or pit, where there are store of flags, or, as some call them, sedges, pull some up by the roots, then shake those roots in the water, till all the mud and dirt be washed away from them, then amongst the small strings or fibres that grow to the roots, you will find little husks or cases of a reddish, or yellowish, and some of other colours; open these carefully with a pin, and you will find in them a little small worm, white as a gentle, but longer and thinner; this is an excellent bait for the Tench, the Bream, and especially the Carp: if you pull the flags-asunder, and cut open the round stalk, you will also find a worm like the former in the husks; but tougher, and in that respect better.

CHAP. VII.

OF SEVERAL HAUNTS OR RESORTS OF FISH, AND IN WHAT RIVERS OR PLACES OF THEM THEY ARE MOST USUALLY FOUND.

This part of our discourse being a discovery of the several places or rivers each kind of fish do most haunt or covet, and in which they are ordinarily found.

The several sorts of rivers, streams, soils, and waters they most frequent, is a matter, in this under-valued art, of no small importance; for if you come with baits for the Trout, or Umber, and angle for them in slow muddy rivers or places, you will have little, if any sport at all: and to seek for Carp or Tench in stony swift rivers, is equally preposterous; and though I know that sometimes you may meet with fish in such rivers and places, as they do not usually frequent, for no general rule but admits of particular exceptions, yet the exact knowledge of what rivers or soils, or what part of the river, for some rivers have swift gravely streams, and also slow, deep, muddy places; such or such sorts of fish do most frequent, will exceedingly adapt you, to know what rivers, or what part of them are most fit for your baits, or what baits suit best with each river, and the fish in the same.

1. The Salmon loves large swift rivers, where there is considerable ebbing and flowing, and there that fish is found in the greatest numbers; nevertheless, I have known them to be found in lesser rivers, high up in the country, yet chiefly in the latter end of the year, when they come thither to spawn, he chooses the most swift and violent streams, or rather cataracts, and in England the clearest gravely rivers usually with rocks or weeds; but in Ireland, I do not know any river, I mean high in the country, that hath such plenty of them as the black water, by Charlemont, and the broad water, by Shane’s Castle, both which have their heads in great bogs, and are of a dark muddy colour, and very few comparatively in the upper ban, though clearer and swifter than they.

2. The Trout is found in small purling brooks, or rivers that are very swift, and run upon stones or gravel; he feeds whilst strong in the swiftest streams, behind a stone, a log, or some small bank, which, shooting into the river, the streams beareth upon; and there he lieth watching for what comes down the stream, and suddenly catches it up. His hold is usually in the deep, under a hollow place of the bank, or a stone which lying hollow, he loves exceedingly; and sometimes, but not so usually, he is found amongst weeds.

3. The Pearch prefers a gentle stream, of a reasonable depth, seldom shallow, close by a hollow bank; and though these three sorts of fish covet clear and swift rivers, green weeds, and stony gravel; yet they are sometimes found, but not in such plenty and goodness, in slow muddy rivers.

4. Carp, Tench, and Eel, seek mud and a still water; Eels under roots or stones, a Carp chooseth the deepest and most still place of pond or river, so does the Tench, and also green weeds, which he likes exceedingly; the greatest Eels love as before; but the smaller ones are found in all sorts of rivers and soils.

5. Pike, Bream, and Chub, choose sand or clay: the Bream, a gentle stream, and the broadest part of the river; the Pike, still pools full of fry, and shelters himself, the better to surprise his prey unawares, amongst bull-rushes, water-docks, or under-bushes; the Chub loves the same ground, but is more rarely found without some tree to shade and cover him, in large rivers and streams.

6. Barbel, Roach, Dace, and Ruff, seek gravel and sand more than the Bream, and the deepest parts of the river, where shady trees are more grateful to them, than to the Chub or Chevin.

7. The Umber seeks marl, clay, clear waters, swift streams, far from the Sea, for I never saw any taken near it; and the greatest plenty of them that I know of, are found in the mountainous parts of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, as Dovetrent, Derwent, &c.

8. Gudgeon desires sandy, gravely, gentle streams, and smaller rivers; but I have known them taken in great abundance in Trent, in Derbyshire, where it is very large; but conceive them to be in greater plenty nearer the head of that river, about or above Heywood: I can say the same of other rivers, and therefore conceive they love smaller rivers rather than the large, or the small brooks, for I never found them in so great plenty in brooks, as small rivers; he bites best in the Spring, till he spawns, and little after till wasp time.

9. Shad, Thwait, Peel, Mullett, Suant, and Flounder, love chiefly to be in or near the saltish water, which ebb and flow; I have known the Flounder taken in good plenty, in fresh rivers; they covet sand and gravel, deep gentle streams near the bank, or at the end of a stream in a deep still place: though these rules may, and do hold good in the general, yet I have found them admit of particular exceptions, but every man’s habitation engaged him to one, or usually at most, to two rivers, his own experience will quickly inform him of the nature of the same, and the fish in them. I would persuade all that love angling, and desire to be complete Anglers, to spend some time in all sorts of waters, ponds, rivers, swift and slow, stony, gravely, muddy and slimy; and to observe all the differences in the nature of the fish, the waters and baits, and by this means he will be able to take fish where ever he angles; otherwise, through want of experience, he will be like the man that could read in no book but his own: besides, a man, his occasions or desires drawing him from home, must only stand as an idle spectator, whilst others kill fish, but he none; and so lose the repute of a complete Angler, how excellent soever he be at his own known river.

Furthermore, you must understand, that as some fish covet one soil more than another, so they differ in their choice of places, in every season; some keep all Summer long near the top, some never leave the bottom; for the former sort you may angle with a quill or small float near the top, with a fly, or any sort of worm bred on herbs or trees, or with a fly at the top: the latter sort you will, all Summer long, find at the tails of wiers, mills, flood-gates, arches of bridges, or the more shallow parts of the river, in a strong, swift or gentle stream, except Carp, and Tench, and Eel; in Winter all retreat into deep still places; where it ebbs and flows, they will sometimes bite best, but in the ebb most usually; sometimes when it flows, but rarely at full water, near the arches of Bridges, wiers, or flood-gates.

CHAP. VIII.

WHAT TIMES ARE UNSEASONABLE TO ANGLE IN.

There being a time for all things, in which with ease and facility the same may be accomplished, and most difficult, if not impossible, at another: the skill and knowledge how to choose the best season to angle, and how to avoid the contrary, come next to be handled; which I shall do first negatively, viz. what times are unfit to angle; and then affirmatively, which are the best seasons.

1. When the earth is parched with a great drought, so that the rivers run with a much less current than is usual, it is to no purpose to angle; and indeed the heat of the day in Summer, except cooled by winds, and shallowed with clouds, though there be no drought, you will find very little sport, especially in muddy, or very shallow and clear rivers.

2. In cold, frosty, snowy weather, I know the fish must eat in all seasons, and that a man may kill fish when he must first break the ice; yet I conceive the sport is not then worth pursuing, the extreme cold taking away the delight, besides the endangering health, if not life, by those colds, which at least cause rhumes and coughs: wherefore I leave Winter and night angling, to such strong healthful bodies, whose extraordinary delight in angling, or those whose necessity enforceth them to seek profit by their recreation, in such unseasonable times.

3. When there happens any small frost, all that day after the fish will not rise freely and kindly, except in the evening, and that the same prove very pleasant.

4. If the wind be very high, so that you cannot guide your tools to advantage.

5. When shepherds or countrymen wash their sheep, though while they are washing, I mean the first time only, the fish will bite exceedingly well; I suppose the filth that falls from the sheep draws them, as like baiting a place together, and then they so glut themselves, that till the whole washing time be over, and they have digested their fulness; they will not take any artificial baits.

6. Sharp, bitter, nipping winds, which most usually blow out of the North or East especially, blast your recreation; but this is rather the season than the wind, though I also judge those winds have a secret malign quality to hinder the recreation.

7. After any sort of fish have spawned, they will not bite any thing to purpose, until they have recovered their strength and former appetite.

8. When any clouds arise, that will certainly bring a shower or storm, though in the midst of Summer, they will not bite: I have observed, that though the fish bite most eagerly, and to your heart’s content, yet upon the first appearing of any clouds, that will certainly bring rain, though my own judgment could not then apprehend, or in the least conjecture, that a storm was arising, they have immediately left off biting; and that has been all given me to understand that a shower was coming, and that it was prudent to seek shelter against the same.

CHAP. IX.

THE BEST TIMES AND SEASONS TO ANGLE.

We now come to the affirmative part, which is the best season to angle, that as before, we discovered when it would be lost labour to seek recreation; so now you may learn to improve opportunity, when it offers itself to best advantage.

1. Calm, clear, or which is better, cool cloudy weather in Summer, the wind blowing gently, so as you may guide your tools with ease; in the hottest months, the cooler the better.

2. When the floods have carried away all the filth that the rain had washed from the higher grounds into the river, and that the river keeps his usual bounds, and appears of a whey colour.

3. When a sudden violent shower hath a little mudded and raised the river, then if you go forth in, or immediately after such a shower, and angle in the stream at the ground, with a red worm chiefly; if there be store of fish in the river, you will have sport to your own desire.

4. A little before any fish spawn, your own observation will inform you of the time, by the fulness of their bellies, they come into the gravely, sandy fords, to rub and loosen their bellies, and then they bite very freely.

5. When rivers after rain do rise, yet so as that they keep within their banks, in swift rivers the violence of the stream forces the fish to seek shelter and quiet ease; in the little and milder currents of small brooks, where they fall into larger rivers, and behind the ends of bridges that are longer than the breadth of the river, making a low vacancy, where the bridge defends a small spot of ground from the violence of the stream, or in any low place near the river’s side, where the fish may lie at rest, and secure from the disturbance of the rapid stream; in such a place, not being very deep, and at such a time, you will find sport: as regards myself, I have ever found it equal to the best season.

6. For Carp and Tench early in the morning, from sun rising, until eight of the clock, and from four after noon, till night; and from sun set, till far in the night in the hot months.

7. In March, in the beginning of April, and at the latter end of September, and all Winter, fish bite best in the warmth of the day, when no winds are stirring, and the air quite clear. In Summer months, morning and evening are best, or cool cloudy weather: if you can find shelter, no matter how high the wind be.

8. Fish rise best at the fly, after a shower that has not mudded the water, yet has beaten the gnats and flies into the rivers; you may in such a shower observe them rise much, if you will endure the rain; also the best months for the fly, are March, April, May, and part of June; in the cooler months, in the warmest time of the day; or in warm weather, about nine in the morning, three in the afternoon, if any gentle gale blow; sometimes in a warm evening, when the gnats play much.

9. Also after the river is cleared from a flood, they rise exceeding well; I conceive that being glutted with ground-baits, they now covet the fly, having wanted it a time.

10. A Trout bites best in a muddy rising water, in dark, cloudy, windy weather, early in the morning, from half an hour after eight, till ten; and in the afternoon, from three, till after four, and sometimes in the evening; but about nine in the morning, and about three in the afternoon, are his chief and most constant hours of biting at ground or fly, as the water suits either; March, April, May, and part of June, are his chief months, though he bites well in July, August and September. After a shower in the evening, he rises well at gnats.

11. Salmon, at three in the afternoon, chiefly in May, June, July, and August, with a clear water and some wind. He bites best when the wind is blowing against the stream, and near the sea.

12. Carp and Tench, morning and evening, very early and late, June, July and August, or indeed in the night.

13. A Chevin, from sun rising or earlier, at snails especially; for in the heat of the day he cares not for them, in June and July till about eight, again at three in the afternoon at ground, or fly; and his chief fly which he most delights in, is a great moth, with a very great head, not unlike to an owl, with whitish wings, and yellowish body, you may find them flying abroad in Summer evenings in gardens, when some wind is stirring, in large rivers chiefly, streams or shade. He will take a small lamprey, or seven-eyes, an eel-brood, either of them about a straw’s bigness.

14. Pike bites best at three in the afternoon, in a clear water, accompanied by a gentle gale, in July, August, September, and October.

15. Bream, from about sun rising, till eight, in a muddy water, a good gale of wind; and in ponds, the higher the better, and where the waves are highest, and nearer the middle of the pond, the better; from the end of May, June, July especially, and August.

16. Roach and Dace all day long; best at the top, at fly, or oak-worm principally, and at all other worms bred on herbs or trees, palmers, caterpillars, &c. in plain rivers or ponds, under water-dock leaves, or under shady trees.

17. Gudgeon from April, and till he have spawned in May, and a little after that, till wasp time, and then to the end of the year, all day long.

18. Flounder all day in April, May, June, and July.

CHAP. X.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

1. Let the Angler’s apparel be sad dark colours, as sad grey’s, tawny, purple, hair, or musk colour.

2. Use shoe-maker’s wax to your silk or thread, with which you make or mend either rod or fly; it holds firmer, and sticks better than any other.

3. Into such places as you use to angle at, once a week at least, cast in all sorts of corn boiled soft, grains washed in blood, blood dried and cut into pieces, snails, worms chopped small, pieces of fowl, or beast’s guts, beast’s livers; for Carp and Tench you cannot feed too often, or too much; this course draweth the fish to the place you desire. And to keep them together, cast about twenty grains of ground malt at a time, now and then as you angle; and indeed all sorts of baits are good to cast in, especially whilst you are angling with that bait, principally cad-bait, gentles, and wasps, and you will find they will snap up yours more eagerly, and with less suspicion; but by no means, when you angle in a stream cast them in at your hook, but something above where you angle, lest the stream carry them beyond your hook, and so instead of drawing them to you, you draw them from you.

4. Destroy all beasts or birds that devour the fish or their spawn,[4] as the

&c. and endeavour, whether in authority or not, to see all statutes put in execution, against such as use unlawful nets, or means to take fish; especially bar-netting and night-hooking.

[4] THE OTTER’S ORATION.

Why stand we beasts abasht, or spare to speake?
Why make wee not a vertue of our need?
We know by proofe, in wit wee are to weake,
And weaker much, because all Adams seed,
(Which beare away the waight of wit indeed)
Do dayly seeke our names for to distaine,
With slanderous blotte, for which we Beasts be slaine.
First of my selfe, before the rest to treate,
Most men cry out, that fishe I do deuoure,
Yea some will say, that Lambes (with mee) be meate:
I graunt to both, and he that hath the powre,
To feede on fish that sweeter were than sowre,
And hath yong flesh to banquet at his fill,
Were fonde to fraunche on garbage, graynes or swill.
But master Man, which findeth all this fault,
And streynes deuise for many a daynty dishe,
Which suffreth not that hunger him assault,
But feedes his fill on euery flesh and fishe,
Which must haue all, as much as witte can wish,
Us seely Beasts, deuouring Beasts do call,
And he himsefe, most bloody beaste of all.
Well yet me thinks, I heare him preach this Text,
How all that is, was made for vse of man:
So was it sure, but therewith followes next,
This heauy place, expound it who so can:
The very scourge and plague of God his Ban,
Will light on such as queyntly can deuise,
To eat more meate, then may thir mouthes suffise.
Now master Man stand forth and here declare,
Who euer yet could see an Otter eate,
More meate at once, then serued for his share?
Who sees vs beasts sitte bybbing in our seate
With sundry wynes, and sundry kindes of meate?
Which breede disease, yfostred in such feastes,
If men do so, be they not worse than beasts?
The beastly man, must sitte al day and quaffe,
The Beaste indeede, doth drincke but twise a day,
The beastly man, must stuffe his monstrous masse
With secrete cause of surfeiting alway;
Where beasts be glad to feede when they get prey,
And neuer eate more than may do them good,
Where men be sicke, and surfet thorough foode.
Who sees a Beast, for sauery Sawces long?
Who sees a beast, or chicke or Capon cramme?
Who sees a beast, once luld on sleepe with song?
Who sees a beast make venson of a Ramme?
Who sees a Beast destroy bothe whelpe and damme?
Who sees a Beast vse beastly Gluttonie?
Which man doth vse, for great Cinilytie.
I know not I, if dyuing be my fault,
Me thinks most men, can dine as well as I:
Some men can diue in Seller and in vault,
In Parlor, Hall, Kitchen and in Buttery
To smell the Roste, whereof the fume doth flee:
And as for games, men dine in every streame,
All frawdes be fishe, their stomacks neuer squeame.
So to conclude, when men their faults can mend,
And shunne the shame, where with they beasts do blot,
When men their time and treasure not mispend,
But follow grace, which is with paines ygot,
When men can vice rebuke, and vse it not:
Then shall they shine, like men of worthy fame,
And else, they be but _Beasts_ well worthy blame.

_Noble Art of Venerie_, 1611, _4to._ pp. 201-203.

5. Get your rods and tops without knots, they are dangerous for breaking.

6. Keep your rod dry, lest it rot, and not near the fire, lest it grow brittle.

7. In drought, wet your rod a little before you begin to angle.

8. Lob-worms, dew-worms, and great garden worms, all one.

9. When you angle at ground, or with the natural fly, your line must not exceed the length of your rod. For the Trout at ground, it must be shorter, and in some cases, not half the length as in small brooks or woody rivers, either at ground, or with the natural fly.

10. When you have hooked a good fish, have an especial care to keep your rod bent, lest he run to the line, and break your hook, or his hold.

11. Such tops or stocks as you get, must not be used till fully seasoned, which will not be in one year and a quarter, but I like them better if kept till they be two years old.

12. The first fish you take, cut up his belly, and you may then see his stomach; it is known by its largeness and place, lying from the gills to the small guts; take it out very tenderly, if you bruise it, your labour and design are lost; and with a sharp knife cut it open without bruising, and then you may find his food in it, and thereby discover what bait the fish at that instant takes best, either flies or ground-baits, and so suit them accordingly.

13. Fish are frightened with any the least sight or motion, therefore by all means keep out of sight, either by sheltering yourself behind some bush or tree, or by standing so far off the river’s side, that you can see nothing but your fly or float; to effect this, a long rod at ground, and a long line with the artificial fly, may be of use to you. And here I meet with two different opinions and practises, some will always cast their fly and bait up the water, and so they say nothing occurs to the fish’s sight but the line; others fish down the river, and so suppose, the rod and line being long, the quantity of water takes away, or at least lessens the fish’s sight; but others affirm, that rod and line, and perhaps yourself, are seen also. In this difference of opinions I shall only say, in small brooks you may angle upwards, or else in great rivers you must wade, as I have known some, who thereby got the sciatica, and I would not wish you to purchase pleasure at so dear a rate; besides, casting up the river you cannot keep your line out of the water, which has been noted for a fault before; and they that use this way confess, that if in casting your fly, the line fall into the water before it, the fly were better uncast, because it frightens the fish; then certainly it must do it this way, whether the fly fall first or not, the line must first come to the fish, or fall on him, which undoubtedly will frighten him: my opinion is, therefore, that you angle down the river, for the other way you traverse twice so much, and beat not so much ground as downwards.

14. Keep the sun, and moon, if night, before you, if your eyes will endure, which I much question, at least be sure to have those planets on your side, for if they be on your back, your rod will with its shadow offend much, and the fish see further and clearer, when they look towards those lights, than the contrary; as you may experiment thus in a dark night, if a man come betwixt you and any light, you see him clearly, but not at all if the light come betwixt you and him.

15. When you angle for the Trout, you need not make above three or four trials in one place, either with fly or ground-bait, for he will then either take it, or make an offer, or not stir at all, and so you lose time to stay there any longer.

PEARCH bites exceedingly well at all sorts of earth-worms, especially lob-worms, brandlings, bobs, oak-worms, gentles, cad-bait, wasps, dores, minnows, colwort-worm, and often at almost any bait, save the fly.

He bites well all day long in seasonable weather, but chiefly from eight in the morning till after ten, and from a little before three in the afternoon till almost five.

16. A CHEVIN loves to have several flies, and of divers sorts, on the hook at once, and several baits also at once on the hook, as a wasp and colwort-worm, or an old wasp, and young dore, or humble, when his wings and legs are grown forth, or a fly and cad-worm, or oak-worm.

17. Take for a Trout, two lob-worms well scoured, cut them into two equal halves, put them on your hook; this is an excellent bait.

In a muddy water, a Trout will not take a cad-bait, you must therefore only use it in clear water.

If you desire to angle in a very swift stream, and have your bait rest in one place, and yet not over burthen your line with lead; take a small pistol bullet, make a hole through it, wider at each side than the middle, yet so open in every place, as that the line may easily pass through it without any stop; place a very small piece of lead on your line, that may keep this bullet from falling nearer the hook than that piece of lead, and if your float be made large enough to bear above water, against the force of the stream, the fish will, when they bite, run away with the bait as securely, as if there were no more weight upon your line, than the little piece of lead, because the hole in the bullet gives passage to the line, as if it were not there.

18. When cattle in Summer come into the fords, their dung draws the fish to the lower end of the ford; at such time angle for a Chevin, with baits fit for him, and you will have sport.

19. Before you set your hook to your line, arm the line by turning the silk five or six times about the link, and so with the same silk set on your hook; this preserves your lines, that your hook cut it not asunder, and also that it will not, when using the cast fly, snap off so easily, which it is very subject to do.

20. In very wet seasons Trouts leave the rivers and larger brooks, and retreat into such little brooks as scarce run at all in dry Summers.

21. To all sorts of pastes, add flax, cotton, or wool, to keep the paste from falling off your hook.

22. Deny not part of what your endeavours shall purchase unto any sick or indigent persons, but willingly distribute a part of your purchase to those who may desire a share.

23. Make not a profession of any recreation, lest your immoderate love towards it should bring a cross wish on the same.

J. Johnson, Printer, Brook Street, Holborn, London.

Transcriber’s Notes

Page 10—changed were to where — where the fish lie in wait for them

Page 14—changed then run the the same round your fly — then run the same round your fly.

Page 16—changed artifical to artificial.

Page 20—changed fall to falls, twice; — that your fly falls first — if the line falls first

Page 23— changed get to gets — and close his mouth so no water gets in.