STAGS 
 
 ANNEX 
 
 5 
 062 
 

 
 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL; 
 
 FLY-FISHER'S ORACLE.
 
 THE 
 
 ANGLER'S MANUAL; 
 
 OR, 
 
 FLY-FISHER'S ORACLE. 
 
 WITH A BRIEF 
 
 COMPENDIUM ON BOTTOM FISHING, 
 
 BY JOHN TURTON, 
 
 OF SHEFFIELD, YORKSHIRE. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 R. GROOMBRIDGE, PANYER-ALLEY, PATERNOSTER-ROTT J 
 AND GEORGE RIDGE, SHEFFIELD, 
 
 MDCCCXXXVI.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 " The fields his study, nature was his book." 
 
 BLOOMFIELD. 
 
 HAVING for thirty years practised the art of angling, 
 fishing for whole seasons through, when the wea- 
 ther permitted, particularly for trout and greyling, 
 in all sorts of waters, I have acquired a consi- 
 derable knowledge of the art. Being also in the 
 habit of making rods, and spinning lines with fine 
 gut twisted amongst the hairs, and of supplying 
 gentlemen regularly with flies, my friends have, 
 for some time, urged me to publish a treatise on 
 angling, comprising a proper description of feathers 
 for making artificial flies, particularly from what 
 part of the birds they are obtained, which, although 
 of great importance, is left out by most authors. 
 Perceiving, therefore, so many young gentlemen 
 
 2O67079
 
 VI PKEFACE. 
 
 and other persons practising, and wishing to learu 
 the art of fly-making, I have yielded to the parti- 
 cular request of so many friends, and now make 
 public what has so long been my study. I have 
 given a list of the flies with which I have taken 
 large dishes of trout and greyling in many of the 
 principal trout streams in England and Wales, as 
 well limestone as black waters : I have also long 
 been accustomed to take most other kinds of fish, 
 both by top and bottom angling. Should this 
 Manual prove of use to my honest brethren of the 
 angle, and be readily understood, I shall have 
 attained the only object at which I aim. Sub- 
 scribing myself to all friends and true lovers of 
 the sport, 
 
 THE AUTHOR.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 GENERAL EQUIPMENT. 
 
 Comprising, Rods Reels Lines Floats Fish Basket Bait 
 Can Landing Net Fly Horn Tackle Case Hooks 
 Feathers Down Book ----------- 1 
 
 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 
 
 General Instructions how to make Flies List of Twenty-four 
 approved Flies, Winged and Hackle ------- 12 
 
 PARTICULAR INSTRUCTIONS. 
 
 Bottom Fishing Worm Fishing Worms Pond Fishing 
 River and Canal Fishing Natural Fly Fishing Ant-Egg 
 Fishing Minnow Fishing Pike Fishing Trolling - - 22 
 
 ARTIFICIAL FLIES (SECOND LIST.) 
 
 Description of Forty-five approved Varieties of Winged and 
 Hackle Flies - 30 
 
 NATURAL FLIES. 
 Various Sorts described ------------40
 
 Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 PACE 
 
 BAITS FOR BOTTOM FISHING. 
 Thirty-four kinds of Ground Baits described Spinning Baits 43 
 
 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISH. 
 
 Descriptions of Barbel Bream Carp Chub Chub Flies 
 Dace Eels Greyling Perch Pike Roach Salmon 
 Salmon Smelts Salmon Trout Whitling Tench Trout 
 Gudgeon Minnow Loach Flounder Ruff Bleak 
 Bullhead Prickleback -----------46 
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 Best and worst kinds of Fish Sniggling and Bobbing for Eels 
 Quicksightedness of Fishes Baiting Throwing the line 
 Striking Compound Colours for Flies Prognostics of 
 the Weather Patience How to Cook Fish Signs of Rain 
 Proper and improper times for Angling Amusement for 
 leisure time ---------------58 
 
 FISHING GROUNDS. 
 
 The River Don Canals about Rotherham Reservoir at 
 Chapel-en-le-Frith The Derwent Excursion into Derby- 
 shire and Staffordshire Pleasures of Angling List of 
 Flies ----; 74
 
 THE 
 
 ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 GENERAL EQUIPMENT. 
 
 When a person is going out a-fishing, he must first 
 consider have I got my rod, reel, lines, book, fly- 
 horn, basket, landing net, baits, and money ? 
 RODS. 
 
 Fly rods of lance-wood are most in use : they are 
 composed of five pieces, for the convenience of carry- 
 ing in the pocket, or the box of a carriage. They 
 must be fitted with lined or double hoops, drawn on 
 maundrils* to fit quite tight ; the bottom pieces being 
 bored at the joint, and a peg left at the end of the 
 part above to fill it up, so that when put together, 
 all the wood being there, the joint will be as firm as 
 
 * Maundrils are tools used by silversmiths to make hollow tubes 
 upon, of all sizes, for candlesticks, telescopes, &c. 
 B
 
 2 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 any part of the rod : besides, the wood cannot swell 
 when wet, and can easily be taken to pieces. The 
 length of the rod should vary according to the breadth 
 of the river ; the strength also varies, as there are 
 scarcely two persons who use them alike : from ten 
 and a half to twelve feet long, is commonly the most 
 convenient, as enabling the user to strike the quickest ; 
 a nine-feet rod, however, is long enough for a small 
 brook. Some persons use ash for the bottom part, 
 and bamboo for the top, which, when well fitted, is 
 very stiff and light. 
 
 Bottom rods are made in the same manner, and of 
 similar materials with the above, only longer and 
 stronger. Hazel makes good ones, if well-seasoned 
 wood, got at Christmas, when the sap is down, and 
 the bark carefully preserved : it will not spring when 
 the bark is taken off. 
 
 Two-piece rods, spliced or fitted in the middle 
 only, are the best, were it not for the inconvenience 
 in carrying them. Logwood, when straight baited, 
 and clear of knots, is an excellent material for the top 
 parts of a rod, and will spring well. 
 
 A three-piece rod is very useful in lengths of three 
 and a half feet each part, with only one hoop, and 
 the top joint spliced on ; as there is less danger of 
 their breaking with fewer hoops.
 
 GENERAL EQUIPMENT. 
 
 The top part of a fly rod must be very taper, and 
 the whalebone about three and a half inches long ; 
 the end very small, and not on any account top- 
 heavy, or it will neither strike true nor quick enough. 
 I have seen many fish lost with top-heavy rods ; a 
 properly made top ought to spring just at the point 
 of the whalebone. This point is of great importance 
 in single-hair fishing. The Lancashire anglers use 
 strong single horse-hair lashes for artificial fly fishing 
 in the Derbyshire rivers : a line of this description 
 falls very softly on the water, and, being hollow, 
 swims nearer the surface than gut : the round clear 
 hair is the best. Some of these Lancashire men are 
 good anglers; they commonly use logwood rods, 
 made quite light and taper, the top part being very 
 small. 
 
 Trolling or pike rods are best in three pieces : the 
 bottom of well dried, quarter-cliffe ash, and the other 
 parts of lance-wood, which is the stiffest and best 
 wood that is used for the purpose. 
 
 As to varnishes prepared by druggists, copal is 
 best ; only it takes a long time to dry : but if a rod 
 be done over with spirits of wine varnish over the 
 copal, it will set very soon, and will not peel off. 
 Spirit varnish alone will not allow of the rods bend- 
 ing, without cracking, and flying off the top parts.
 
 4 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 REELS. 
 
 Reels are made very cheap, on an improved plan, 
 narrow and deep, so that the line will run off easier, 
 and wind up more regularly : they may be purchased 
 at most of the tackle shops. 
 
 LINES. 
 
 Lines are best, spun of fine long horse-hair and 
 fine silkworm gut, as it is called. They are usually 
 pun with a small machine that twists three parts 
 together : they should be made taper, so as to throw 
 out quite easy and light. These are better than silk 
 and hair lines, as they will not hold the water like 
 those containing silk. 
 
 Bottoms or lashes of gut must be tied together in 
 water knots, strong at the top end of the lash, and 
 regularly tapering down to a small end, for all sorts 
 of fishing. The finest lashes must be picked out for 
 artificial fly fishing ; these should be from three and 
 a half to four yards long. Half a dozen of a sort 
 may be carried, as they cannot be made so well by 
 the river side. 
 
 FLOATS. 
 
 Floats of all sizes may be bought at the tackle 
 shops, for bottom fishing. If a person makes his 
 own, the dust of logwood, or Brazil wood, boiled in 
 water or urine, will dye them red : a little alum, put
 
 GENKRAL EQUIPMENT. 5 
 
 ill the liquor when it is warm, will fix the colour. 
 Small cork floats are the best and most in use, and 
 can easily be changed so as to suit any bait. An 
 extra float is used in still pools, to keep the line 
 from sinking betwixt the float and the top of the 
 rod. 
 
 In bottom fishing, the float should be weighted at 
 one end, so as to stand erect if using tender baits, 
 and the line be kept so tight, that none of it above 
 the float lie in the water ; otherwise you cannot strike 
 quick, or at the first dipping of the float, which must 
 be done, or the bait will be taken oft" the hook ; as 
 most small fish bite rashly, and the larger ones 
 more cautiously, as being more cunning, or some- 
 times they may have been lacerated with a hook 
 before. 
 
 BASKET. 
 
 The fish-basket may be bought at the basket- 
 maker's. Those baskets made of peeled willows are 
 best, as the slime that comes from the fish often runs 
 through the common open-made ones, and dirties 
 your coat : to prevent this, some persons have them 
 lined inside with oilcase. 
 
 BAIT CAN. 
 
 The live-bait can is made of tin, oval shaped, wide 
 at bottom and narrow at top, with holes in the lid,
 
 THE ANGLEK S MANUAL. 
 
 wliich must be double, so as to open at one end, with 
 a round handle across the top. 
 
 Live baits must have fresh soft water, and changed 
 often : hard water presently swells and kills them. 
 
 LANDING NET. 
 
 The handle should be in two pieces, with a screw 
 joint in the middle, and screw spike and hook in the 
 bottom end, to pull down boughs which may happen 
 to be caught in throwing the fly : the rim is made of 
 steel, in three pieces, with joints to shut, so as to 
 screw into the top part of the handle, and go into the 
 pocket. The net may be of fine twine or strong 
 twisted thread, netted round and full at the bottom : 
 some persons use silk nets, which are certainly the 
 best. The length of the handle varies according to 
 circumstances : if a person does not wade into the 
 water, about six feet is the most common ; four and 
 a half feet is useful to cross the streams with, and use 
 when in the water. In landing a fish, the net must 
 be sunk in the water, when the fish can be brought 
 over it by the spring of the rod, and be easily taken 
 out : many are lost in the landing, by putting the 
 net towards them, which frightens them, and causes 
 them to break loose from the hook, or break the lash. 
 FLY HORN. 
 
 The horn to contain live flies, is made from a clear
 
 GENERAL EQUIPMENT. 7 
 
 or transparent cow's horn, warmed over the fire, and 
 flattened to an oval shape, so as to fit a pocket : it 
 must have small holes bored in the sides to let in air, 
 and be finished with a deal bottom. The cork should 
 have a piece cut out, wide at the bottom and tapering 
 up to the top, so that the flies can come up, and may 
 be taken out one at a time : a piece of string to go 
 through the cork, and fasten by one of the holes of 
 the horn, a loop being left on the string to hang on 
 a button. 
 
 TACKLE CASE. 
 
 A fishing case, or book, may be purchased at the 
 tackle-shops : the best are made with eight pockets, 
 two of them wide enough to contain parchments, 
 with feathers and various kinds of down, which can, 
 be taken out at leisure. 
 
 Fine tambour silks of all shades, wrapped up on 
 very thin slips of wood, about one and a half inch 
 broad, and the length of a fishing case, with notches 
 to hold the ends fast ; also raw silks to make bright 
 bodies, and gold and silver wire. 
 
 The best hooks are made at Limerick, in Ireland : 
 they have a peculiar bend, with good barb and 
 points. There are also very good ones, of the sneck 
 bend, made at Kendal. All the sorts may be bought 
 at the tackle-shops.
 
 THE AXGLEll S MANUAL. 
 
 A very small file is useful, to file off the sharp 
 edges of the hook-shanks, to prevent them cutting 
 the gut ; also one about four inches long, with a 
 scissor-bow at one end, cut as a fine rasp on one side, 
 and file on the other, to splice a rod top with. 
 
 Wax, both clear and black, is best put betwixt a 
 piece of leather, so as to open when wanted ; it does 
 not then stick to any thing else in the book. 
 
 Small hooks, if good, are best for most purposes, 
 but particularly for artificial flies in clear low water, 
 when very fine tackle must be used, and more length 
 of line thrown out, to fish farther off, and enable you 
 to keep out of sight of the fish, or your labour will 
 be lost. 
 
 A pair of very small-pointed scissors, about two 
 and a half inches long, with large bows and thin 
 blades, will be useful in trimming flies. 
 
 FEATHERS. 
 
 In carrying feathers, the best way iS to have a few 
 leaves of parchment sewed into a back like a book, 
 and a little distance one from the other, to give room 
 to shut. Tape must be sewed across, and divided, 
 and under this must be put the feathers, which must 
 be pasted betwixt some writing paper about an inch 
 broad, folded up in bunches, and put under the tape. 
 The leaves may be easily turned over, to see what
 
 GENERAL EQUIPMENT. 9 
 
 feather is wanted ; a proper quantity being carried 
 without being ruffled. Some carry them loose in 
 papers, and when opened at the river to make a fly, 
 if the wind blows it takes them away : pasting them 
 prevents this ; besides they are so much easier to 
 find. 
 
 The book ought to contain feathers from the fol- 
 lowing birds : 
 
 Grouse, or Moor Game. From the butt end or 
 outside the wing of old cock birds, that are mottled 
 and nearly black ; also the light brown mottled ones 
 from the neck of younger birds, and the light blue 
 duns from under the wings of young ones that are 
 just got into full feather. 
 
 Snipe. The under-wing feather. 
 
 Woodcock. Outside and underside the wing, and 
 the light brown mottled at the bottom of the neck. 
 
 Land Snipe. The mottled outside wing. 
 
 Brown Owl. From outside wing, and top of tail. 
 
 Blue Dun Pigeon. Of light and dark shades. 
 
 Cock Pheasant. The blue green from neck, and 
 those with a grey moon at bottom of neck, tinged at 
 the edges. 
 
 Common Cock. From neck ; of dark and light 
 furness, with a black list up the middle, and red 
 edges ; and those nearly black, with a shade of red
 
 10 THE ANGLEls's MANUAL. 
 
 underside ; also blue and grizzled duns, tinged on the 
 edges ; red, and very light ginger colour. 
 
 Dun Hens. From neck; of light, middle, and 
 dark shades. 
 
 Black Hen. From neck. 
 
 Partridge. From rump and tail, and the grey 
 mottled out of the breast, or what is called the horse- 
 shoe. 
 
 Landrail, or Corn- Creak. Outside and under 
 wing. 
 
 Yellow, or Golden Plover. Outside of wing. 
 
 Dotterill. Outside of wing. 
 
 Water Hen. Under wing and wing quill feather. 
 
 Starling. The small dark blue, and under wing, 
 by some called the sunless feather ; also the wing 
 quill feather, both of old and young birds. 
 
 Wren. Tail, as large outside as can be got, and 
 well mottled. 
 
 Sea Swalloiv. Outside wing. 
 
 Cock Magpie. The green feathers from tail. 
 
 Wild Mallard. From top of the thigh, to dye a 
 yellowish green, for the green drake fly's wing ; and 
 for small gray duns, the outside of the wing. 
 
 Widgeon. Outside of the wing, and the flaked or 
 zebra-marked feather. 
 
 Throstle. The wing quill feather.
 
 GENERAL EQUIPMENT. 11 
 
 Blackbird. The wing quill feather, and under wing. 
 
 Green Plover, or Pewet. The crest, or cup fea- 
 ther, and outside of wing. 
 
 Slack Ostrich. 
 
 Jackdaw. Feathers from the neck. 
 
 Heron. Outside wing, and topping, or crest. 
 
 Jay. The wing quill feather. 
 
 Green Linnet. Yellow tail feathers. 
 
 Merlin Hawk. Outside of wing. 
 
 Judcock. Feather from under wing. 
 
 Fieldfare, or Bluetail. Wing quill feather. 
 
 Bluecap. Tail feathers. 
 
 Peacock. Green and copper-coloured feathers. 
 
 All kinds of large fancy and gaudy feathers, for 
 salmon and chub flies. 
 
 DOWN BOOK. 
 
 A dubbing or down book must be made of a few 
 leaves of parchment sewed separately to the outside 
 leaves, to give room to shut when the downs are put 
 in, which must be done by cutting them across with 
 small-pointed scissors, about a quarter of an inch 
 from each other ; then put the pieces through it ; 
 this will hold them fast, and the leaves may be turned 
 over so as to find any colour wanted. Small pockets 
 must be made at each end, to put the mohairs in, as 
 there is no skin attached to them.
 
 12 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 The book must contain: mohairs, of different 
 shades ; camel's hair ; bear's brown and dun-coloured 
 down ; mole's fur ; water-rat's down, from back and 
 belly, with top cut off; marten's fur, yellow from the 
 throat, and ash-colour from the body ; foreign mar- 
 ten's fur, of a fine straw colour ; black down, from the 
 best stuff hats ; hare's ear, and brown from back of 
 neck and tail, a mazarin blue ; calf's tail hairs of all 
 colours, from abortive calves, or those taken at the 
 shambles from fat cows; fox's cub's tail, a blue at 
 skin and grey at top ; old fox's ear, with the brown 
 at bottom ; dark and brown tammies ; squirrel's down, 
 from thigh and tail ; blue rabbit-down, several shades 
 of which may be got, and the ends being dipped in 
 aquafortis, turn yellow a good mixture of blue and 
 yellow ; strong black horse-hair, to rib flies with ; 
 hog's down, dyed all colours ; threads from coloured 
 rugs and Turkey carpets, of many colours. 
 
 HOW TO MAKE FLIES. 
 
 In proceeding to make an artificial fly, hold the 
 hook betwixt the fore-finger and thumb of the left 
 hand, the shank towards the right hand ; give three
 
 HOW TO MAKE FLIES. 13 
 
 laps with fine waxed silk on the bare hook, and put 
 the gut underside ; then wrap very tight, and close 
 up to the bend ; twist the down round the silk, and 
 form the body ; then strip down the feather on each 
 side, leaving just what is proper for the hackle or 
 wings. Tie down the point of the feather, and put 
 the silk betwixt the gut and the shank of the hook 
 out of the way ; then wrap all the feather round, and 
 tie three knots on the shank or head. In the next 
 place, cut out the point of the feather, and put your 
 fly in order. When flies are headed with part of a 
 peacock's or magpie's tail feather, two laps are requi- 
 site before the last knots are made. A winged fly is 
 made in the same way ; only the top side of the 
 feather is cut off, so as to leave the under-side on 
 for legs ; then put on the wings, and divide them 
 with the silk crosswise, and fasten on the shank end 
 as with the hackle. When they have ribbed bodies, 
 the material forming the ribs must be tied on at the 
 bend, before the dubbing, or that of which the body 
 is made, is twisted on ; this is a very easy way, and 
 might be learnt at once by a person watching an 
 experienced hand make one. 
 
 Fly-fishing is the cleanest, as well as the most de- 
 lightful branch of the piscatory art : it requires great, 
 ingenuity in the practice. The lists of flies given in
 
 14 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 this work will be found to be of true colours, and the 
 instructions for making them very valuable. 
 
 LIST OF FLIES. 
 
 The following is a list of twenty-four standard 
 artificial flies, with their different shades, described 
 as they change colours : they are certain killers in 
 any trout river, if thrown properly on the water, and 
 are those most suitable for young anglers, as to men- 
 tion too many at first would only perplex them. The 
 flies must be varied in size to suit the rivers or brooks, 
 and the clearness of the water ; they must be made 
 small, in low clear water, and larger in high water or 
 after rains. On bright hot days, dark duns are often 
 preferable ; but on dark gloomy days, light duns are 
 best, especially if no particular fly be seen on the 
 water. Some days in summer, when thunder is 
 about, and the sky seems hanging for rain, the fish 
 will not feed ; consequently, no sport can be ex- 
 pected, as at such times they will rarely rise at any 
 thing. 
 
 1. WINGED. March Brown, Used all March and 
 April: made with orange silk; the wing of partridge,
 
 LIST OF FLIES. 15 
 
 red mottled, top of tail or rump feather ; legs of wren's 
 tail feather ; body brown down, from fox's ear, twist- 
 ed on the orange silk. It comes into use several 
 times after rains in summer, but changing its colour ; 
 it must then be made with a hackle from the feather 
 outside of a woodcock's wing, which is grey mottled, 
 and grey at the end, with Devonshire brown silk and 
 dark brown tammy dubbing : an excellent fly in dark 
 waters. 
 
 2. HACKLE Barm Dun. For March and April : 
 approaching to a furness ; made with red silk ; wing 
 a cock's hackle, tinged a bann colour ; dark-red brown 
 dubbing, from fox's ear, close to the black part ; it 
 gets darker towards the end of April, and is called 
 the Black Red or Furness Fly, and kills all the sea- 
 son : made with red silk ; body, black silk at tail, 
 and a lap or two of green peacock feather close under 
 the wing ; a black-red cock hackle feather, red at the 
 edges, and a black list up the middle ; sometimes in 
 black waters the body is quite black, and a dark fur- 
 ness feather, reddish at the underside only, and made 
 with black silk and black dubbing. 
 
 3. HACKLE Brown Watchet ; by some anglers 
 called the Orange Broivn. It kills all the year, and 
 is made with light orange silk ; wing, a wren's tail 
 feather ; body, bright light orange silk ; head, green
 
 16 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 peacock's feather. In dark water, with a little green 
 peacock's feather under wing. This is so noted a fly 
 to kill with, that anglers, when asked what the fish 
 are taking, frequently say " Wren's tail and orange 
 for ever ! " A little brown bear's down is used at the 
 spring of the year, twisted round the silk. 
 
 4. HACKLE. Hawthorn Fly. For March and 
 April : made with black silk ; body, black ostrich's 
 herl ; legs, black hen, from neck ; wing, lightest or 
 bottom part of a starling's quill feather ; sometimes 
 in summer, red legs. In May, use the jay's wing 
 quill feather for wing : this will be the Black Cater- 
 pillar Fly. In June, the sea-swallow's feather, for 
 wing, makes it the Black Ant Fly. 
 
 5. HACKLE Whirling Dun. Comes on early 
 in April : it is made with yellow silk ; wing, the 
 middle dun of cock's hackle feather, tinged at the 
 edges with the down of a fox's cub ; ash-colour at the 
 roots ; twisted thinly round the yellow silk, so as 
 that the ribs may be seen. Some use a pale dun 
 mallard feather; it comes on toward the end of June, 
 after rains. 
 
 6. WINGED Dun Drake. For March and April : 
 is made with yellow silk ; body, brown down from 
 fox's ear, ribbed with yellow silk ; legs, a dark griz- 
 zled dun cock hackle feather ; wing, the dark shaded
 
 LIST OF PLIES. 17 
 
 feather under woodcock's wing. It frequently comes 
 on after rains, and is called by some anglers the Old 
 Man : it must then be made with a bright ash-coloured 
 body ; the legs of light ginger-coloured cock hackle ; 
 and wings, dark grey mottled mallard feather. It is 
 a large fly, and kills the largest fish. 
 
 7. WINGED. Cock-up, or Upwinged Dun. Kills 
 all the season : it is made with ash-coloured silk ; 
 wing, of starling's wing quill feather ; legs, the light- 
 est ginger cock hackle feather that can be got ; body, 
 bright ash-coloured silk, having a shade of green in 
 it; ribbed with a black horse-hair, and two black 
 horns. It changes colour as the weather alters, 
 sometimes having red and at other times yellow legs ; 
 which anglers must notice, as the flies are younger or 
 older. This fly is the surest killer that is thrown on 
 the water : too much cannot be said in its praise, for 
 either trout or greyling, particularly on cool gloomy 
 days. 
 
 8. HACKLE Red Spider Fly. For March and 
 April : is made with yellow silk ; wing, a red mottled 
 partridge rump feather; body, hare's ear, dark co- 
 loured at bottom, and grey at top, twisted round the 
 yellow silk. In summer, for dark waters, yellow 
 dubbing is used. A very good fly, and often 
 wanted.
 
 18 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 9. WINGED Brown Spider Fly. Comes into 
 season about the 20th of April, and lasts all May : 
 wing, the large brown feather outside woodcock's 
 wing; legs, black hen's feather from neck; body, 
 bright lead-coloured silk. A good fly, and found on 
 sand-beds by the river side ; by some called the Sand 
 Fly. 
 
 10. WINGED. Stone Fly. Comes on toward the 
 latter end of April, and lasts three or four weeks ; it 
 comes on a second time in July. It is found under 
 flat stones by the river side, and is as large as a 
 house cricket, and not unlike one. It is artificially 
 made with yellow silk ; wing, a very dark grey mal- 
 lard's or pheasant's wing quill feather ; legs, brown 
 moor game, out of neck ; body, bear's dun, with 
 brown and yellow mohair mixed ; most yellow un- 
 derneath, and toward tail ; ribbed with yellow silk. 
 Kills large fish late at night ; also in strong streams, 
 and on rough windy days. 
 
 11. HACKLE Orl Fly. For May and June: is 
 made with red silk ; wing, a dark grizzled cock 
 hackle feather ; body, copper-coloured peacock's her!. 
 A good fly. 
 
 12. HACKLE. Down Looker. Used in May, 
 and lasts till the end of August : it is made with 
 orange silk ; wing, the brown feather outside wood-
 
 LIST OF FLIES. 19 
 
 cock's wing ; body, light bright orange silk, ribbed 
 with a thick black horse-hair ; made small at tail ; 
 dark brown down, from fox's ear, under wing. In 
 discoloured waters, this is as good a killer as can be 
 used, and takes the largest fish. 
 
 13. WINGED. Primrose Dun. For May and 
 June : is made with primrose silk : wing, light star- 
 ling's quill feather ; body, bright primrose silk ; legs, 
 brimstone-coloured mohair. A good fly in clear 
 water. 
 
 14. HACKLE. Black Gnat. In June: made 
 with black silk ; wing, the small light starling's under 
 wing feather; body, black ostrich and pewet's cap 
 feather. This fly does not touch the water, and the 
 fish is said to look above the water : the artificial fly 
 falls into the water, and this is supposed to be the 
 reason they so often refuse to take the made fly. 
 
 15. HACKLE. Yellow Spider Fly. In June: it 
 is made with yellow silk : wing, light brown mottled 
 moor-game's feather; body, light yellow silk, and 
 yellow marten's fur from the throat. Good in clear 
 low water. 
 
 16. WINGED Green Drake. Comes on about 
 the 20th of June, and lasts all July : it is a large fly, 
 made with pea-green silk : wing, a mottled mallard's 
 feather from the top side of the thigh, dyed a yellow
 
 20 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 green ; body, pea-green dubbing, ribbed with yellow 
 silk ; yellow-green mohair legs, and three black horns. 
 This fly takes the best of fish : it is very often used 
 in its natural state, and thrown on the water. In 
 their season, these flies come from the rivers in such 
 quantities, that a stranger would be artonished : boys 
 can gather small drake baskets full of these baits in a 
 very short time : these they sell to gentlemen to fish 
 with. 
 
 17. WINGED Red Ant Fly. In June and July : 
 made with light orange silk ; wing, the light or bot- 
 tom part of a starling's quill feather ; legs, ginger- 
 coloured cock hackle ; head and body, peacock's fea- 
 ther, made thick at tail, and thin in the middle of 
 the body. An excellent fly, and used in September, 
 on bright sunny days. 
 
 18. HACKLE Orange Dun. In July: made 
 with light orange silk : wing, the light dun feather 
 under young moor-game's wing ; body, light bright 
 orange silk, and orange mohair dvibbing under wing. 
 Good in black or disturbed waters. 
 
 19- HACKLE.; Tail to Tail, or Knotted Midge. 
 In July and August : is made with purple silk : wing, 
 pewet's topping or cap feather, headed with magpie's 
 green feather from tail ; body, hare's scut, a mazarine 
 blue. These flies come down the streams two toge-
 
 LIST OF FLIES. 21 
 
 thcr, tail to tail, and the fish rise very fast at them, 
 refusing all other kinds when they are in season ; 
 the largest trout take them. 
 
 20. WINGED. Bank Fly. From July to Sep- 
 tember : made with orange silk : wing, a corncreak's 
 quill feather ; legs, wren's tail ; body, bright light 
 orange silk. Seldom takes before three or four 
 o'clock in the afternoon ; a good killer late at night, 
 and in dark waters. 
 
 21. HACKLE. Brown Shiner. In August: made 
 with light orange silk : wing, light brown mottled 
 moor-game's feather from bottom of neck ; body, 
 light orange silk at tail, and green peacock's feather 
 close under the wing, headed with green peacock. 
 At particular times, especially after rains, it is made 
 with mulberry-coloured silk, and dark brown tammy 
 twisted upon the silk for body ; wing, a grouse's fea- 
 ther, nearly black. This is a great killer after rains 
 and in black waters ; by some anglers called Old Joan. 
 
 22. WINGED Proud Tailor Fly. In August : 
 made with orange silk : wing, the darkest brown fea- 
 ther of a landrail, or corncreak ; legs, brown cock 
 hackle feather ; body, bright pale orange silk un- 
 twisted. A large fly, and kills in low clear waters. 
 
 23. HACKLE Purple Midge. For September 
 and October : it is made with purple silk : wing, the
 
 22 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 blue feather, shaded with green at edge, out of an 
 old cock pheasant's neck ; body, black down, twisted 
 on the purple silk. 
 
 24. WINGED. Little Pale Slue Dun. For Sep- 
 tember and October : made with ash-coloured silk : 
 wing, sea-swallow's outside wing feather ; legs, a pale 
 blue hen hackle ; body, light blue rabbit, and a little 
 yellow fur mixed. Good for greyling. 
 
 BOTTOM FISHING. 
 
 In bottom angling, the ground baits are of great 
 vise, to be put in where a person intends to fish. 
 Hooks of all sizes must be carried ready tied on the 
 gut, for bottom fishing and dibbling. The angler 
 should select one that is of a size corresponding to 
 the bait he is going to use. 
 
 WORM FISHING. 
 
 W T orm fishing for trout commences early in the 
 spring, in small brooks, with a rod suitable to the
 
 WORM FISHING. 23 
 
 place : if it be encumbered with wood, a short one is 
 best ; if open, a long one ; the lash which is attached 
 to the reel line being also very short. In broader 
 rivers, and for swift streams, the lash must be wrapped 
 about with \vaxed silk, instead of tying it with knots, 
 i. e. the hair part next the gut, which must be two 
 yards long. A large pistol bullet, with a hole bored 
 through it, must be put on the lash below the wheel 
 line, and a No. 2 pellet on the gut, so that the lash 
 can run through the bullet : when there is a bite, the 
 bait will show it by pulling it up to the pellet, and 
 letting it go with the stream, which will take it. The 
 bullet must be thrown into the water in the likeliest 
 places : it will lie at the bottom in the roughest 
 streams. The largest fish are often taken this way. 
 
 WORMS. 
 
 There are only three sorts of worms that need be 
 used : the brandling, found in manure, or in the old 
 bark thrown out of tanners' pits, and which has laid 
 some time ; the small red worm, found in gardens ; 
 and the small maiden dew-worm, that has no knots, 
 and with a flat tail. These worms come out of the 
 ground in the night, and may be gathered by the 
 light of a lantern. If fish cannot be taken with these, 
 when they have been well scoured in clean-washed 
 moss a few days, it is of little or no use to continue
 
 24 THE ANGLEH'S MANUAL. 
 
 fishing : large fish, however, are commonly taken 
 readily in summer, after rains, and when the water is 
 lowering in the deeps or turn-holes. 
 
 POND FISHING. 
 
 The common way of worm fishing, with a float, 
 in ponds and still places, for perch and other fish, is 
 best pursued with two worms, one put on over the 
 hook, and drawn up the gut, and then slipped down 
 when the other is put on ; so that the hook is covered, 
 and all four ends hang loose. 
 
 RIVER AND CANAL FISHING. 
 
 Perhaps the very best and most killing way of all 
 others, is angling with the small brandling worms in 
 clear water, with one pellet on the lash, and a small 
 longish shanked hook, with a stiff hog's bristle tied 
 upon the top-side of the shank, to hold the worm on. 
 The point must be put in at the tail of the worm, 
 which is run up over the hook, and about an inch up
 
 NATURAL FLY FISHIXG. 25 
 
 the gilt ; the head being left hanging down. Some 
 put two worms on at a time. They must be used by 
 casting or picking the line before or up the streams, 
 and across to the farther sides of a river, as with the 
 artificial fly. The bait will often be taken at the 
 top, or when drawing in the line. Greyling will take 
 it in the same manner as trout ; and at some times 
 almost any quantity of fish may be taken this way, 
 even when the fly is refused. This way is best pur- 
 sued by a person's wading into the stream, which is 
 regularly done, only by using overalls of Mackintosh's 
 patent cloth, which keep out the water, while there 
 is no danger of taking a cold. 
 
 In canals, lock dams, or deep parts of rivers, where 
 the bottom is clear, the worm thrown out and drawn 
 gently along the bottom, is almost certain to take 
 fine fish. 
 
 NATURAL FLY FISHING. 
 
 Dibbling is performed with a long stiff top rod, 
 and short lash to throw over the bushes, with the 
 natural fly. A middle-sized hook, with a large pellet 
 having a small hole bored through it, and fastened 
 
 E
 
 26 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 on the shank end of the hook, to sink the fly, are 
 used occasionally, as it is taken better at times when 
 sunk a little, than from the top. The flies mostly 
 used are the dun drake, grasshopper, stone fly, 
 green and grey drake, blue flesh fly, downlooker, 
 harry long-legs, or almost any that can be got when 
 the fish are rising. A caddis put upon the bend of 
 the hook, is often well-taken. 
 
 To pick or cast with a fine top rod, the green 
 drake or stone fly may be used up the streams, and 
 towards the far sides, and in a gentle manner, so as 
 not to throw off the flies. This is a sure way to take 
 fine fish. The hook is put in at the head and out at 
 the tail of the fly. 
 
 Two black or flesh flies may be put on the hook 
 at a time, one with the head to the shank, and the 
 other with the head to the point, or tails together, 
 with a pellet on the shank end of the hook ; it will 
 then sink as soon as the baits light on the water : 
 and with these a person can throw over or to the 
 back of large stones, and to the most likely places or 
 holds.
 
 ANT-EGG AND MINNOW FISHING. 27 
 
 ANT-EGG FISHING. 
 
 The natives of Derbyshire, when the water of their 
 rivers is high and black, often take great quantities 
 of trout and greyling, in the turn-holes and still deep 
 places, with the eggs of ants, got out of the nests or 
 hillocks in the woods. As many may be put on at 
 a time, as will fill a middle-sized hook, with one or 
 two pellets on the gut, about nine inches from the 
 hook, to sink them to the bottom. A very small cork 
 float is used. These eggs are so tender a bait, that 
 the fish must be struck the instant they take it, or 
 they are lost, and the bait is taken off the hook. 
 
 This is so sure a way to take the largest fish, that 
 hampers full are sometimes caught in a few hours ; 
 the banks are often lined with these fishers when the 
 waters are black after rains. 
 
 MINNOW FISHING. 
 
 The middle-sized and whitest minnow is the best ; 
 the hook must be put in under the back fin, but not 
 too deep. A float is used, and as much shot on the
 
 28 THE ANGLEK'S MANUAL. 
 
 lash, about a foot from the bait, as will keep it down, 
 or prevent it from coming to the surface of the water. 
 Time enough must be given for the fish to swallow 
 the bait before striking. Large perch are caught as 
 well in ponds as in the still deep parts of rivers this 
 way. 
 
 Large trout are taken by spinning the dead min- 
 now in the stream, with a small swivel or two on the 
 lash, and a large hook put in at the mouth and 
 through the under jaw, the point downward. These 
 baits are best affixed with a needle, the strong gut 
 drawn through them with a single hook at the tail, 
 and a pair of small double hooks put on at the vent, 
 to lay against the sides, and a single hook at the head. 
 The lash of strong gut, about two yards long, with 
 a swivel at top, will then turn and spin quickly, when 
 pulled against the current in those strong streams in 
 which it must always be used. 
 
 PIKE FISHING. 
 
 Pike fishing is not practised by so many persons 
 as with the fly or worm angle for trout : it is, how- 
 ever, good sport, especially where there is plenty of
 
 PIKE FISHlN(i. 29 
 
 fish ; and few baits being used, it is very easy to 
 learn. Pike are taken with young yellow frogs, and 
 small live fish, such as trout, perch, chub, roach, dace, 
 willow -blades, gudgeons, and the largest minnows ; 
 and at times with large worms. Fine gimp is used 
 for the line, and the hook must be a large one. A 
 frog is fastened on by tying with silk the hook to the 
 upper part of the leg ; then putting the gimp in at 
 the gills, and out at the mouth ; after which it is 
 fastened to the wheel line : it will live a long time. 
 
 In using other live baits, as minnow or gudgeon, 
 the hook is put under the back fin ; some put the 
 gimp through a small bit of the lip afterwards. In 
 baiting with larger fish, a needle is used ; it must be 
 run through the side of the back as slightly as possi- 
 ble, in two or three places, and the gimp drawn 
 through, with one hook at the tail and another at the 
 head. Large pike are taken by setting what are 
 called trimmer lines, baited this way. The line is 
 wrapped into a coil, and put slightly into a slit cut 
 in the end of a stick, hanging over the water, and 
 leaving full half a yard for the bait to play on. 
 When the pike pulls the line out of the stick, he has 
 length of line enough to allow him to go to his hold, 
 and pouch the bait.
 
 30 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 TROLLING. 
 
 Trolling with a dead bait is the most lively way of 
 pike fishing, as a great number of holes, and other 
 most likely places, may be tried over in a little time. 
 A large gudgeon is by far the best bait in a bright 
 day and clear stream ; large double hooks are used, 
 attached to fine gimp ; a long brass needle is run up 
 the bait, and the gimp drawn through to the gills ; 
 another hook is then put on at the head, and through 
 the mouth ; after which a piece of lead, with a hole 
 bored lengthwise through it, is put on the gimp, 
 sewed fast in the mouth, and then tied to the reel 
 line. The bait will then sink, and go down head 
 foremost, as soon as it falls into the water, and hang 
 in the same position when pulling the line in after 
 throwing. The bait must be kept in constant mo- 
 tion ; the pike comes very greedily at it, and must 
 be struck as soon as he bites : some use three hooks. 
 Going out for a day with an experienced pike angler, 
 is, however, the best way to learn how to prepare the 
 tackle, and use it. 
 
 SNARING PIKE. 
 
 Although not coming exactly within the province 
 of the angler, it may not be amiss to mention, that 
 snaring pike is a method sometimes practised in the 
 summer months, and on the hottest days, when the
 
 LIST OF ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 31 
 
 fish appear near the top of the water. Take a strong 
 willow stick, fasten some brass wire to the smallest 
 end, so as to make a noose wide enough to slip over 
 the fish's head without touching him. Having pre- 
 pared the snickle, lower it into the water, about two 
 yards before the fish, and guide it over his gill fins ; 
 then give an upright jerk, when the noose will draw, 
 and he may be pulled to bank. 
 
 Pike, trout, and other fish, are sometimes shot, 
 when basking in the sun near the top. Some persons 
 throw natural flies upon the water, under bushes, 
 and then shoot the fish as they come up to take the 
 baits. 
 
 ARTIFICIAL FLIES (SECOND LIST.) 
 
 The following is a second list of artificial flies, 
 which young anglers will find requisite, after having 
 practised well with the twenty-four previously de- 
 scribed. These being used in their proper seasons, 
 will rarely or never fail of taking trout and greyling, 
 in the rivers frequented by these fish. It may be 
 premised, there are several shades of duns, made 
 from cock and hen hackle, or neck, that greatly re-
 
 32 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 semble the regular dun flies, as these become of vari- 
 ous shades, particularly after the drake season is over. 
 When the fish are difficult to take, having been so 
 glutted with the drakes, a very light dun, made with 
 a bright yellow silk body ; a middle dun, with light 
 ash-coloured body ; a blue dun, with a bright orange 
 silk body ; and a very dark dun, with bright purple 
 body, must then be used ; and a small black dun at 
 night. These are nearly the only sorts that are taken 
 for about a week. 
 
 25. HACKLE Red Palmer. Used all the season 
 in strong waters : made with red silk : wing, a red 
 cock hackle feather; body thick, of black ostrich's 
 feather. 
 
 26. HACKLE Great Red Palmer. Used all the 
 season in strong waters : made with red silk : wing, 
 red cock hackle feather ; body, black ostrich's feather, 
 ribbed with gold twist. 
 
 27. HACKLE. Whirling Blue. For March and 
 April : wing, feather from under water-hen's wing : 
 made with yellow silk and mole's fur, twisted thinly 
 on the silk. 
 
 28. HACKLE. Black with Red. All the season : 
 made with red silk : wing, black hen's feather from 
 neck ; body, black silk at tail, and black down close 
 under wing.
 
 LIST OF ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 33 
 
 29. HACKLE. Green Tail. For April: made 
 with orange silk: wing, light-brown mottled wood- 
 cock's feather from bottom of neck ; body, hare's ear, 
 the brown part ribbed with brimstone-coloured silk ; 
 head, green peacock's herl; and tip of tail, dark- 
 green silk. A very good fly, but only lasts about a 
 week. 
 
 30. HACKLE. Snipe Dun. For April and May : 
 made with yellow silk : wing, a full snipe's underside 
 wing feather ; body blue, rabbit's down, twisted on 
 the silk. An excellent greyling fly. 
 
 31. HACKLE Red Shiner Fly. For April: 
 
 made with orange silk : wing, red woodcock's feather 
 from butt end of wing ; body, light bright orange 
 silk, ribbed with green peacock's feather ; and pea- 
 cock's head. A good killer after rains. It changes 
 these colours : if there be bright days, the red owl's 
 feather, from butt end of wing, is used for wings ; if 
 a dark day, the brown owl's feather must be used 
 from outside of wing ; if clear low water, the par- 
 tridge's rump feather is best. 
 
 32. HACKLE Cow-dung Fly. In May: made 
 
 with pea-green silk : wing, feather from underside of 
 jay's wing, and pea-green mohair twisted on the silk. 
 
 33. HACKLE. Black May Fly, or Silver Palmer. 
 Made with black silk: wing, a black hen's hackle 
 
 F
 
 34 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 feather; body, black ostrich's feather, ribbed with 
 silver twist. 
 
 34. HACKLE. Oak Fly. In May: made with 
 yellow silk : wing, partridge's rump feather, without 
 moon ; body, yellow silk, ribbed with a strong black 
 horse-hair, light brown down under wing. 
 
 35. HACKLE Iron Blue Fly. In May: made 
 with yellow silk : wing, outside or butt end of merlin 
 hawk's wing ; body, dark water-rat dubbing, ribbed 
 with yellow silk. An excellent fly, and frequently 
 comes on after showers of rain. 
 
 36. WINGED. Small Black Midge. In May: 
 made with black silk : wing, fieldfare's quill feather ; 
 body, black ostrich's feather ; legs, blue starling. 
 
 37. WINGED. May Imp. Made with yellow silk : 
 wing, the yellow feather out of a green linnet's tail ; 
 legs, yellow plover's feather ; body, waxed yellow silk. 
 A good fly in brooks after rains ; seldom taken in 
 clear water. The Little Yellow Drake is made the 
 same way, only with a bright yellow body. 
 
 38. WINGED. Yellow Legs. In May and June : 
 made with yellow silk : wing, a jay's wing quill fea- 
 ther ; legs, yellow plover's feather ; body, bright 
 brimstone silk. Both trout and greyling take this fly 
 well in discoloured waters. 
 
 39. WINGED. GWy Drake. In June: made
 
 LIST OF ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 35 
 
 with yellow silk : wing, a blue shaded green feather 
 from a white grouse ; legs, a middle dun grizzled 
 cock's hackle feather ; body, blue and yellow dubbing 
 mixed, ribbed with black, and three black horns. 
 
 40. HACKLE. Purple Gold Palmer. In June : 
 made with purple silk: wing, a red cock's hackle fea- 
 ther ; body, purple mohair, ribbed with gold twist. 
 Takes large fish in rough streams and dark waters. 
 
 41. WINGED. Red Spinner. In June: made 
 with yellow silk : wing, starling's quill feather ; legs, 
 red cock's hackle feather ; body, red-brown squirrel's 
 down, ribbed with gold twist. 
 
 42. WINGED Small Red Spinner. In June: 
 made with yellow silk: wing, starling's wing quill 
 feather ; legs, a red feather from a cock's neck ; body, 
 yellow marten's fur from the throat, twisted on the 
 silk. A capital killer ; takes large greyling. 
 
 43. HACKLE. Netted Fly. In June : made with 
 yellow silk: wing, light mottled partridge's feather 
 out of the horse-shoe mark on the breast ; body, yel- 
 low silk, and yellow marten's fur close under wing. 
 
 44. HACKLE. Gold-coloured Dun. In June : 
 made with gold-coloured silk : wing, yellow or golden 
 plover, from outside of wing ; body, gold-coloured 
 mohair, twisted on the silk, close under wing. Best 
 early in a morning and late at night.
 
 36 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 45. HACKLE. Brown Gnat. In June : made 
 with very light brown silk : wing, feather under star- 
 ling's wing ; body, lightest brown and violet down 
 mixed, twisted on the silk. A good fly in clear 
 water ; made long, and very thin. By some anglers 
 it is called the Fern Fly. 
 
 46. WINGED. Small Ant Fly. In June : made 
 with orange silk : wing, marten's wing quill feather ; 
 legs, wren's tail feather ; body, bright reddish orange 
 silk, headed with green peacock's feather. Best on 
 bright days, and in low clear water. 
 
 47. HACKLE. Grasshopper. In June: made 
 with pea-green silk : wing, a red cock's hackle fea- 
 ther ; body, green and yellow dubbing mixed, ribbed 
 with green silk. A very good chub fly. 
 
 48. WINGED. Sky-coloured Blue. In June and 
 July : made with sky-blue silk : wing, starling's wing 
 quill feather ; legs, yellow mohair ; body, blue and 
 yellow dubbing mixed. Most taken in clear water. 
 
 49- HACKLE. Buff-coloured Dun, or Stream 
 Ply. In June and July : made with buff-coloured 
 silk ; wing, a buff-coloured dun hen's feather ; body, 
 buff-coloured mohair, and yellow dubbing mixed 
 close under wing. 
 
 50. HACKLE. Blue Gnat. In June and July : 
 made with yellow silk: wing, a pale blue cock's
 
 LIST OF ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 37 
 
 hackle feather, tinged at edge ; body blue, fox's cub 
 and yellow down mixed, twisted on the silk. A very 
 good trout fly. 
 
 51. WINGED. Small White Moth. In June, 
 and, at evenings, to the end of the season : made 
 with yellow silk : wing, a white duck's feather ; legs, 
 white hen's hackle feather ; body, white part of hare's 
 scut, ribbed with yellow silk. 
 
 52. WINGED. Shade Fly. In July, and, on 
 bright days, to the end of the season : made with 
 orange silk: wing, water-hen's underwing feather; 
 legs, blue starling's feather ; body, light brown and 
 pea-green dubbing mixed, with about three laps of 
 green peacock's feather close under wing ; head, 
 green peacock. An excellent fly, and kills either in 
 clear or discoloured waters ; good for all sorts of fish 
 that take flies. 
 
 53. HACKLE July Blue Dun. Made with ash- 
 coloured silk: wing, bluecap's tail, or a dark blue 
 pigeon's feather ; body, mole's and marten's fur 
 mixed, twisted on the silk. 
 
 54. HACKLE. Violet Midge. In July: made 
 with violet silk : wing, jackdaw's neck ; body, pale 
 pink silk, and water-rat's down close under the 
 wing. 
 
 55. HACKLE. Stone Midge. In July : made
 
 38 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 with sky-blue silk: wing, pewet's topping feather; 
 body, fibres of blue heron's feather ; a silver colour, 
 headed with green peacock's feather. 
 
 56. HACKLE Orange Black. In July: made 
 with orange silk : wing, black hen's hackle feather ; 
 body, bright orange silk. 
 
 57. HACKLE Wasp Fly. In July: made with 
 light brown silk : wing, starling's underwing feather ; 
 body, brown bear's hair, ribbed with yellow silk. 
 
 58. HACKLE. Black Palmer Fly. July to Sep- 
 tember : made with dark orange silk ; wing, black 
 hen's hackle feather ; body, copper-coloured peacock's 
 feather ; after rains, ribbed with silver twist. 
 
 59- HACKLE. White Dun Midge. In July: 
 made with white silk : wing, blue dun heron's fea- 
 ther ; body, white mohair, very small. Taken early 
 in a morning, and in the evening. 
 
 60. WINGED. Red Clock Fly. In July and 
 August : made with dark orange silk : wing, red 
 partridge's tail feather ; legs, blue starling ; body, 
 large peacock's and black ostrich's feathers mixed. 
 On some days, a red freckled partridge's tail feather 
 must be used for wings. 
 
 61. WINGED. Black Wood Fly. In August 
 and September : made with red silk : wing, black- 
 bird's wing quill feather; legs, black hen's hackle
 
 LIST OF ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 39 
 
 feather ; body, purple mohair, ribbed with black 
 ostrich's feather ; head, green peacock. 
 
 62. HACKLE. Yellow Spider Fly. In August : 
 made with yellow silk : wing, the large mottled fea- 
 ther of a sandpiper, or snipe ; body yellow, marten's 
 fur, twisted on the silk. 
 
 63. WINGED Mill Dun. In August : made 
 with light orange silk : wing, lightest starling, bottom 
 of quill feather ; legs, light ginger cock's hackle fea- 
 ther ; body, one rib pink and one purple silk ; a 
 little light brown down close under legging. 
 
 64. WINGED Small Black-clock Fly. In Au- 
 gust : made with black silk : wing, a yellow throstle's 
 wing quill feather; legs, blue starling's feather; body, 
 peacock's and ostrich's feathers mixed. 
 
 65. WINGED Stone Gnat, or Dark Watchet. 
 In August and September : made with plum-coloured 
 silk ; very small : wing, marten's wing quill feather ; 
 legs dark, tinged at edge, dun hen's feather from top 
 of neck ; body, dark water-rat's down. This is a fly 
 most anglers are at a loss about : it comes on after 
 rains, and is taken in the turn-holes and still, deep 
 places ; it looks very dark coloured, and may be seen 
 carried down the rivers by the current ; it is the best 
 fly that can be used for trout and greyling in dark 
 waters.
 
 40 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 66. WINGED. Little Whirling Blue. In August 
 and September : made with yellow silk : wing, star- 
 ling's quill feather ; legs, red feather from a cock's 
 hackle ; body, blue and yellow dubbing mixed, twist- 
 ed on the silk. 
 
 67. HACKLE. Grey Dun Midge. In September : 
 made with yellow silk : wing, light woodcock's fea- 
 ther under wing ; body, yellow silk ; head, green 
 peacock. On some days, the outside wing feather 
 of the dotterill is used for wing. 
 
 68. HACKLE Willow Fly. In September and 
 October : made with yellow silk : wing, a blue griz- 
 zled cock's hackle feather ; body, blue squirrel's fur 
 and yellow down mixed, twisted on the silk. Best 
 on cold stormy days. 
 
 69- HACKLE. Winter Brown. In October and 
 November : made with orange silk ; wing, woodcock's 
 under wing feather ; body, bright orange silk, headed 
 with magpie's tail green feather. 
 
 NATURAL FLIES. 
 
 The flies used for angling are, as we . have seen, of 
 many sorts, and are bred in a variety of ways and
 
 NATURAL FLIES. 41 
 
 places. The small Clock Flies, or beetles, are bred 
 in manure heaps ; Spider Flies, bred on trees and 
 hedges near rivers ; Ants, in their conspicuous hil- 
 locks in the woods ; Bank Flies, bred in the banks of 
 rivers ; and Water Flies, of a variety of shapes and 
 colours, are bred in the bottoms of rivers : they rise 
 out of the water all the summer at their proper times 
 and seasons. Young anglers should attend to this, 
 as it is of great advantage to find out what sorts are 
 best taken by the fish. The true colours are described 
 in the lists of flies already given. There are many 
 others bred from grubs of various kinds, that resort 
 to the waters. Those that have their wings erect, 
 are called Aerial Flies : they can rise and fall in the 
 air at pleasure, and are commonly taken down the 
 streams with their legs extended on the water, and 
 their wings standing up as if of no use to them. 
 Those flies whose wings lie flat on the back, always 
 flutter or spin on the water ; and are most naturally 
 imitated by the hackles. The aerial flies must be 
 made with wings and legs. Wasps, and some large 
 beetles, are well taken in their seasons. 
 
 Drake Flies are bred in the bottoms of rivers, from 
 eggs which have been dropped into the water ; these 
 first change to long grubs, and are found in the sand- 
 beds in April and May the year after ; they are used 
 G
 
 42 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 to fish with at the bottom, just before they turn to 
 flies, and are well taken by nearly every sort of fish. 
 Trout is accounted not to come into perfect season 
 till these and the stone fly make their appearance. 
 On emerging from the water, the air and sun soon 
 stiffen their wings, and they fly from the rivers and 
 alight on the grass bents, fluttering up and down in 
 the shade in swarms, when they are beautiful to look 
 upon. They change colour before they go out, be- 
 coming grey and black drakes, and are rather smaller ; 
 the fish will take these, but not so well as the green 
 ones. 
 
 The Stone Fly is bred from the creeper that is 
 always found under stones at the bottoms of rivers ; 
 it is an excellent bait to use on the same hook with a 
 caddis. Immediately before they appear as flies, 
 they come out of the chrysalis like the drake fly, and 
 creep on the water, getting under the banks and flat 
 stones that lie hollow on sand-beds near the river's 
 edge. The jack, or male fly, is the best to use : he 
 has very short wings, while the female has very long 
 ones ; both flies are well taken, and kill the largest 
 trout.
 
 BAITS FOR BOTTOM FISH1XG. 43 
 
 BAITS FOR BOTTOM FISHING. 
 
 Natural baits must be used in their proper seasons, 
 that is, when Nature puts them forth. 
 
 Ash Grub, plump and white, bent round head to 
 tail, with a red head, found under the bark of fallen 
 trees that have laid some time upon the ground, is a 
 good bait for greyling. 
 
 Black Bee, found at the bottom of long grass, is 
 good for chub. 
 
 Beetles, both black and red, found under cow-dung, 
 are used for chub. 
 
 Blood Worm, found in the mud of cow-ponds, is 
 a good bait for carp. 
 
 Brandling Worm, with gilt tail, found in tanners' 
 old bark, or manure that has laid some time, is taken 
 by most fish. 
 
 Clap Bait, a white maggot found under cow-clots, 
 is a good bait 
 
 Caddis Grub, found encased in a husking cover- 
 ing, fixed under stones at the sides of rivers, and in 
 small brooks ; these grubs turn yellow when kept a 
 few days in a bag with wet sand. An excellent bait 
 for most fish : when put on the tip of a dub-fly hook, 
 salmon trout will take them eagerly.
 
 44 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 Creeper, found at the bottom of rivers, under 
 stones ; it changes to the stone fly : put on a hook 
 with a fly, it is well taken by trout and large chub. 
 
 Caterpillar, or Cabbage Grub, found on cabbages, 
 is an excellent bait for chub. 
 
 Cherries, newly got from the tree, are taken by 
 large chub. 
 
 Dock Grub, found at the roots of that plant, is a 
 good bottom bait. 
 
 Dew Worms, come out of the ground during the 
 night ; those with a flat tail, and without knots, are 
 best. 
 
 Drake Grubs, found amongst the sand by the side 
 of rivers in June, are taken well just before they turn 
 to flies. 
 
 Earth Grub, the brood of a species of beetle, 
 which is found by following the plough in fresh land, 
 is a good bait. 
 
 Frogs, the young and yellowest sorts, found in July 
 amongst short grass, are taken by eels, chub, and pike. 
 
 Gentles, bred from a piece of cow's lights, are the 
 largest and cleanest when scoured in bran : they are 
 taken by most fish : a red one between two white 
 ones makes a good bait. 
 
 Green Grub, found on oak trees, is a good bait 
 for chub.
 
 BAITS FOR BOTTOM FISHING. 45 
 
 Lamprey Eel, by some persons called a pimper on 
 seven eel, found in the muddy bottom of rivers, is a 
 good bait. 
 
 Lob, or Red Garden Worm, is best in the spring 
 of the year. 
 
 Bacon, the fat, boiled and rusty, is used for chub. 
 
 Bread, chewed to a paste, is good for roach, and 
 proper to throw into the water for ground bait. 
 
 Cheese, soft and new, is a good bait for barbel ; 
 some anglers mix it with soft sheep's tallow, and beat 
 it to a paste. 
 
 Green Peas, parboiled, are taken by carp. 
 
 Greaves, or tallow-scraps, may be used to throw 
 into the turn-holes, and will make a good bait the day 
 after : excellent for barbel and most scale fish. To 
 prepare the greaves for use, break the stuff into a 
 vessel of water, and nearly boil it ; some part of it 
 will turn nearly white : this is the best to throw into 
 holes overnight, and to use the day after in the places 
 that have been baited. 
 
 Malt, creed in the manner of furmety wheat, is 
 good for ground bait. 
 
 Marsh, or Bluish Meadow Worm, found in mea- 
 dows, is well taken by most fish. 
 
 Palmer Worms, found on herbs or trees, are good 
 baits for most fish.
 
 46 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 Periwinkle, taken whole from the shell when boil- 
 ed, is a good bait for roach. 
 
 Rice, boiled, is good for ground bait. 
 
 Salmon Spawn, is prepared in Scotland, and sold 
 at the tackle-shops in pots : this is so choice a bait 
 for trout and most other fish, that when the water is 
 breaking after a fresh, nothing can be used as a bot- 
 tom bait to equal it. 
 
 Shrimp, taken out of the shell, will take sole fish. 
 
 Straw Worm, a caddis found at the sides of rivers 
 enveloped in a straw case, is a good bait. 
 
 Wheat, boiled leisurely in milk, and afterwards 
 fried in a little honey, and beaten with saffron, is an 
 excellent bait for greyling, chub, roach, and dace. 
 
 Wasps, the young brood, or grubs, taken from the 
 nests, and hardened in a warm oven, are well taken 
 by most fish. 
 
 The use of oils and various kinds of odorous sub- 
 stances, designed to allure fish to bite, as mentioned 
 and recommended by some authors, is considered by 
 all the practitioners I ever met with, as preposterous 
 nonsense. 
 
 SPINNING BAITS. 
 
 Dead baits, to spin with in March, April, and Sep- 
 tember, for these are the best months in which to 
 use them, are the largest sticklebacks, minnows,
 
 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISH. 47 
 
 loaches, and bullheads, fixed upon the hook as before 
 mentioned, so as to turn quick when pulled against 
 the middle current or sides of the stream. They are 
 taken in deep places on dark, warm, windy days : 
 use a single hook, only proper size for the bait, with 
 a bristle tied to stand up on the top side near the 
 shank : put it in at the fish's mouth, and out near his 
 tail, so that the bait lie nearly straight on the shank, 
 the tail turned a little on one side, and the mouth 
 stitched up. Some persons use a small lead on the 
 hook, to lie in the body of the bait, which will sink 
 it sooner. 
 
 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISH. 
 
 The various kinds of fish peculiar to this country, 
 are generally so well known, that it would be of little 
 use to anglers to repeat such descriptions of them as 
 may be found in works of Natural History. The 
 intention of the author of this work is, in as compen- 
 dious a form as possible, to give proper instructions 
 how to catch fish, what baits are best taken, and 
 where to find them in their proper seasons. 
 
 BARBEL. A handsome-shaped, leather-mouthed,
 
 48 THE ANGLER S MANUAL. 
 
 coarse fish ; found in most rivers that communicate 
 with the sea ; spawns in March and April, in holes 
 made in the gravel. These fish keep together in 
 companies ; in summer they frequent swift shallow 
 streams, and in autumn return to the still deeps and 
 turn-holes. Barbel is in season the latter end of sum- 
 mer ; he bites best from May to October, from sun- 
 rise to ten o'clock in the morning, and from four 
 o'clock in the afternoon to sunset. Baits : prepared 
 salmon roe, lob worms, green gentles, fat bacon, new 
 soft cheese made on purpose ; ground bait, consisting 
 of malt grains, worms, and greaves thrown in over- 
 night : in the hot months, the barbel sometimes takes 
 very large chub flies, the hook being pointed with a 
 caddis or straw bait. 
 
 BREAM. Both a river and pond fish ; spawns 
 about midsummer ; bites early in the morning, and 
 in the evening ; lurks in deep parts of rivers. Baits : 
 red and dew worms, grasshopper, gentles, black fly, 
 and wasp grubs ; ground bait, with worms or creed 
 malt. 
 
 CARP. Chiefly a pond fish, but found in some 
 rivers ; spawns several times in a year, and feeds in 
 still deeps and turn-holes. Carp cannot be fished for 
 too early in the morning, or too late at night. Baits : 
 red and marsh worms, gentles, caddis worms, grass-
 
 IMFFEREXT KINDS OF FISH. 49 
 
 hoppers, and sweet pastes ; ground bait, worms or 
 creed wheat. 
 
 CHUB. Both a river and pond fish ; spawns in 
 May, and bites at the bottom. Baits : to be used 
 early in the morning, and in the evenings during a 
 breeze of wind : worms, minnows, soft cheese, gentles, 
 red and black beetles, pimper or seven eel, young 
 green grubs, humble bee, or any of the paste of a 
 yellow colour ; also, fat bacon, ox brains, or the pith 
 of the back bone of a calf boiled. They first come 
 out into the streams when the hawthorn trees are in 
 full bloom ; the second time, when oats are shooting 
 out of the blade ; they then take several flies. The 
 smaller chub will rise at most of the trout flies ; but 
 the large fish prefer very large fancy flies, especially 
 those ribbed with gold and silver twist, with peacock's 
 herl bodies, nearly the size of salmon flies. The hook 
 must be pointed with a caddis worm or gentle. When 
 the fish shew themselves at the top of the water, in 
 hot sunny days, and swim in shoals, many of the 
 largest may commonly be taken this way. The flies 
 proper to use are the following : 
 
 70. HACKLE Moor- Game Brown. Made with 
 red silk : wing, a large dark-brown mottled moor- 
 game feather, from top of thigh ; body, black down, 
 ribbed with gold twist. Some anglers use a brown 
 
 H
 
 50 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 mottled hen's feather for wings ; and for body, brown 
 part of fox's ear, with orange silk. 
 
 71. HACKLE Brown Moth Fly. Made with 
 
 orange silk : wing, mottled cock pheasant's breast 
 feather, red edged ; body, green peacock's herl, ribbed 
 with gold twist. 
 
 72. WINGED Great Moth Fly. Made with 
 orange silk : wing, hen pheasant's mottled tail fea- 
 ther ; legs, a red cock's hackle feather ; body, green 
 peacock's herl, ribbed with gold twist. 
 
 73. WINGED. White Moth Fly. Made with 
 white silk : wing, a white mottled barn-owl's feather ; 
 legs, white hen's hackle feather ; body, white part of 
 a hare's scut, ribbed with yellow silk or gold twist. 
 This is an excellent fly, and is frequently taken by 
 the largest trout after hay-harvest, and during the 
 night. 
 
 74. WINGED. Black Fly. As No. 61, for trout, 
 but very large in August ; it must be ribbed with 
 silver twist. 
 
 75. HACKLE. Harry Longlegs, or Large Spider 
 Fly. Made with yellow silk : wing, partridge's long 
 top tail or rump feather ; body, pale buff or nankeen- 
 coloured silk, with red down from squirrel's thigh 
 close under wing. 
 
 76. HACKLE. Large Bank Fly. Made with
 
 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISH. 51 
 
 orange silk: wing, the largest feather from under 
 corn-creak's wing ; body, light orange silk, with blue 
 and brown down mixed from fox's ear. 
 
 77. HACKLE. Purple Palmer. Made with pur- 
 ple silk : wing, corn-creak's feather from top or out- 
 side of wing ; body, bright purple silk, and purple 
 mohair dubbing close under wing. This is an excel- 
 lent fly for the latter end of the season. 
 
 These flies, with the green and grey drake, down- 
 looker, brown shiner, purple midge, and ant flies, are 
 all made very large ; and chub, roach, and dace may 
 always be taken with them on hot sunny days. 
 
 DACE. Found in most rivers with chub ; spawns 
 in March ; bites all day in the deeps and shadiest 
 parts, at small red worms caddis, pastes, gentles, and 
 at the oak worm near the surface of the water ; in hot 
 weather, they resort to the eddies betwixt two streams, 
 and rise at ants, and house and black flies, pointed 
 with gentles or caddis as for chub. 
 
 EEL. In most rivers that communicate with the 
 sea, and in some ponds ; always in season ; found in 
 still deeps and muddy bottoms of sluices ; bites best 
 after a storm in gloomy warm weather, at lob worms, 
 young frogs, minnow, gudgeon, powdered beef, and 
 small lamprey eel. 
 
 GREYLIXG. Found in very few rivers; are a very
 
 52 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 firm, good-flavoured fish ; they spawn in May, and 
 are in high season during August and September, 
 when they are black on the back, and the belly a dark 
 dappled grey. There is a great quantity of this fish 
 in the rivers Dove, Wye, and Derwent, in Derby- 
 shire. They take ash grub, clock worm, wheat and 
 malt creed, and small red and brandling worms : one 
 of the best of all bottom baits in muddy or black 
 waters, is ants' eggs ; in clear water, these fish lie in 
 the swiftest part of the streams, and mostly take trout 
 flies : they bite best at flies in the spring, and again 
 at the fall of the year ; but badly at the surface in 
 summer, except after rains, when the water is break- 
 ing : they are then in the still deeps and flats, where 
 the water breaks off into the rough streams, when 
 they rise very fast at flies, sometimes biting two or 
 three times in succession, if they miss taking the fly 
 at first. 
 
 PERCH A bold-biting, firm, good-flavoured fish ; 
 in most rivers and ponds ; they spawn in March, 
 and bite early and late, and all day in cool, windy, 
 gloomy weather. They take gentles, minnow, small 
 frogs, and all sorts of worms ; also caddis, grasshopper, 
 and large artificial flies, when the hook is pointed 
 with gentles, as for chub. Red or lob worms are 
 best for ground bait. Perch swim in shoals, and a
 
 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISH. 53 
 
 great many may be taken after a good hole has been 
 baited overnight. 
 
 PIKE " the tyrant of fresh-water fish." Found 
 in rivers, lakes, and in some ponds ; they spawn in 
 March, and bite best early and late, in clear water, 
 on cool, cloudy days. They are most frequently 
 found in the still parts of rivers, or the bottom part 
 of streams. They take gudgeons, small roach, dace, 
 large minnows, and bleak, which is a good shining 
 bait ; also, loaches, bullheads, pimper or small eel ; 
 in July, young yellow frogs are a tempting bait, and 
 the best to use with trimmer lines, as the finest fish 
 take them. 
 
 ROACH In most rivers; spawns in May, and 
 bites all day, in gentle streams and still deeps. They 
 take caddis, red worms, paste of white bread, and 
 flies, as used for chub and dace. The use of a small 
 hook, and a single hair, bottom baited with gentles, 
 often affords the angler good sport ; as by this means 
 many very fine fish are taken ; indeed, it is by far 
 the best method of angling for them. 
 
 SALMON, the choicest fish of the fresh waters, 
 in the summer months are found in most rivers that 
 run into the sea ; they spawn at the latter end of 
 August, and in September, but vary a little as to time 
 in different rivers. Salmon feeds best on windy days,
 
 54 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 in the deepest part of rapid streams, and at the tails 
 of large ones on sandy or gravelly bottoms ; the baits 
 are large lob worms, minnow, loach, gudgeon, dace, 
 cockle, muscle, or a prawn taken out of the shell, 
 and most trout baits : they also take flies, made very 
 large, and from the gaudiest-coloured feathers ; bo- 
 dies of bright silks, and green peacock's herl, ribbed 
 with gold and silver threads, with four and six wings, 
 tied upon long-shanked hooks, affixed to salmon gut, 
 and headed with peacock's or magpie's green feather 
 from the tail. The author has been in company, and 
 out on excursions, with many excellent salmon-fishers, 
 and has found them to vary so much respecting the 
 colours of their flies, that it is next to impossible for 
 any person to describe them precisely : the principal 
 thing is to make them of bright gaudy colours, and 
 large enough. Mr. Mackintosh gives a very good 
 list of salmon flies, in his work on angling. By spin- 
 ning the minnow in the streams, and laying the lob- 
 worm at the bottom in clear water, large fish are 
 taken ; some bait with two worms, as for trout. A 
 gaff is used to land them with, which is a large barbed 
 hook, screwed into the end of a stick ; a common 
 landing-net is often too small. 
 
 Salmon are called by different names at different 
 stages of growth : the first time they come from the
 
 DIFFEREIfT KINDS OF FISH. 55 
 
 sea, they are called smelts ; the second time, sprods, 
 or grilse ; the third time, morts ; the fourth time, 
 forktails ; the fifth time, half-fish ; and at the sixth 
 migration, salmon. 
 
 SALMON SMELTS afford good sport, and rise well 
 at small flies, particularly at red and black ones ; they 
 are very delicate eating. 
 
 SALMON TROUT. A handsome, rich, good fish ; 
 spawns in September ; found only in rivers and brooks 
 that run into the sea ; is in season in April ; takes 
 large gaudy flies and worms, when the water is much 
 coloured, and affords an angler great sport. 
 
 WHITE SEA TROUT, OR WHITLING. A most 
 excellent fish ; in most rivers near the sea ; spawns 
 in September or October ; affords great sport when 
 hooked ; takes flies and other baits used for salmon 
 and trout. 
 
 TENCH. Chiefly a pond fish ; spawns during the 
 hot months ; bites best early and late, in warm wea- 
 ther ; takes all kinds of worms, young wasps, gentles, 
 caddis, and pastes of white bread and honey. 
 
 TROUT. A fish of prey ; the finest flavoured and 
 most esteemed of any other fresh-water fish ; in most 
 rivers that are clear, or that rise from the moors or 
 limestone springs ; a fine shape, rather long than 
 broad. In some good feeding rivers, they are very
 
 56 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 thick and short ; have a short head and wide mouth 
 filled with sharp teeth ; a broad tail ; the sides marked 
 with beautiful red spots. There are several sorts of 
 trout : those accounted best are the red or yellow ; 
 they are in perfection in the month of May, but con- 
 tinue good till they spawn in October and November. 
 They spawn in beds of sand, but vary somewhat as 
 to time, being in some rivers sooner, in others later ; 
 after spawning, they loose their spots, become sickly, 
 lean, soft, and unwholesome, their bodies being co- 
 vered with small lice : in this condition, they retire 
 to the still deeps until spring, when they get into the 
 tails, eddies, or whirling parts of streams having gra- 
 velly bottoms, and rub themselves clean. Trouts feed 
 in spring on worms and minnows, which are then the 
 best baits to take them with ; in summer they take 
 caddis, bullheads, loaches, stone fly, black fly, beetles, 
 and most of the artificial flies given in the first and 
 second lists. 
 
 GUDGEON. A small, but excellent-flavoured fish ; 
 spawns in April and November ; found in most in- 
 land rivers ; bites at small red worms, gentles, caddis, 
 blood-worm, and pastes. The best spots for gudgeon 
 fishing are where the stream runs quickly, having a 
 gravelly or sandy bottom. A gudgeon is the best 
 bait that can be used for taking pike.
 
 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISH. 57 
 
 MINNOW OR. PINK In most small rivers ; spawns 
 in April ; abounds most in swift shallow streams ; 
 takes small worms, caddis, and gentles ; bites best in 
 clear water, on bright hot days. An excellent bait 
 for trout, perch, and pike. 
 
 LOACH. A small fish, but well flavoured ; spawns 
 in April ; found in small streams ; takes very small 
 worms at the bottom. A very good bait for trout. 
 
 FLOUNDER. An excellent fish ; regularly taken in 
 fresh-water rivers near the sea, with the small bluish 
 meadow worms : it affords much sport to anglers. 
 
 RUFF. A river fish ; much like a perch in shape ; 
 small, and well flavoured ; a greedy biter, conse- 
 quently very easy to take. These small, greedy fish 
 are the delight of juvenile anglers, as great numbers 
 of them may be taken out of the water at a standing ; 
 a small red worm is the best bait. 
 
 BLEAK. A small, but handsome fish; green on 
 the back, the belly very white ; takes gentles, worms, 
 and small artificial flies ; the shade fly is one of the 
 very best to use. 
 
 BULLHEAD. A small, ill-shaped fish ; takes small 
 worms, and is a good bait for trout. 
 
 PRICKLEBACK or, more commonly, Stickleback. 
 A very small fish, with strong spines ; only used to 
 bait with for trout, 
 
 I 
 

 
 58 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 Salmon, trout, greyling, perch, eels, and gudgeons, 
 are the best of fresh-water fish ; pike, carp, tench, 
 and bream, are esteemed second best ; chub, barbel, 
 roach, and dace, are the worst. 
 
 There are several kinds of trout, as salmon trout, 
 bull trout, white trout, red and yellow trout : if these 
 are really all of the same species, it must be the dif- 
 ferent kinds of water and soil in which they are bred, 
 and something peculiar to the places where they lie 
 and feed, that produces the varieties in the colours of 
 their flesh : different kinds are sometimes found in 
 the same river, one kind not far distant from the 
 other; the lightest colours, however, are generally 
 met with in limestone rivers, and the dark colours in 
 streams that rise in the moors. In some of the small 
 brooks which flow amongst the ling, and contain a 
 considerable quantity of vegetable colouring matter, 
 trout are sometimes nearly black. The female trout 
 is considered the best ; there are some that do not 
 breed these remain good all winter. 
 
 A choice way of taking large trouts in the night- 
 time, is by picking out the large lob-worm, when 
 quite dark, over the smooth part of a deep stream,
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 59 
 
 and near to the haunt of the fish ; draw the bait gen- 
 tly along upon the top of the water, as you would a 
 fly. Trout lie very close in the day-time, but feed 
 boldly during night. The white moth, made very 
 large, will take them, if used the way just described, 
 both in rivers and ponds : it is best to throw close by 
 the side in a pond or dam, as the fish mostly lie there 
 watching for food. 
 
 Eels with white bellies are the best ; they run up 
 the rivers in April, return to the deeps in autumn, 
 and retire under the banks amongst the mud, having 
 only their heads out, watching for food. When the 
 water is thick, they come out and bite eagerly ; they 
 are in best season in May, June, and July. The bait 
 must always be on the ground, as eels never rise from 
 the bottom to take their food, which they take best 
 during the night and till day breaks. 
 
 Sniggling for eels is done by dubbing the lash 
 used to the middle of a needle, pointed at both ends ; 
 then draw a worm on straight : it may be put care- 
 fully down to the holes where the eels lurk, such as 
 drains and sludgy places in rivers. When the bait is 
 taken, time must be given to gorge it, when a smart 
 jerk pulls the needle across in the fish : this is much 
 better than using a hook ; the needle wants no cutting 
 out, as the point can be pushed through either way,
 
 60 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 and the gimp being loosened from the wheel line, it 
 is pulled out, and the appearance of the fish is not 
 spoiled if for sale. 
 
 Bobbing is practised most in Lincolnshire : it is 
 done by stringing worms from head to tail on worsted 
 with a needle, and tying them so as to hang in links ; 
 these are fastened to a strong line weighted with lead, 
 to sink them quick to the bottom; the eels bite 
 eagerly at the baits, and are lifted gently out by a 
 strong pole on land, or into a boat ; this method is 
 chiefly used in muddy water ; three or four are some- 
 times taken at a time where they abound. 
 
 Most fresh-water fish spawn earlier in the season 
 in ponds than in rivers. 
 
 River fish are generally better than pond fish, but 
 pond fish are better than fen fish, and fen fish better 
 than muddy-dike fish : if the latter be kept alive a 
 few days in clear pure water before they are dressed 
 for eating, they will be both sweeter and more whole- 
 some. 
 
 The greyling is by some persons called umbra, 
 from the swiftness of his swimming, or gliding out of 
 sight more like a shadow than a fish : they seldom 
 exceed twenty inches in length : when first taken out 
 of the water, they are thought to smell of water 
 thyme : the mouth is so tender, that they often break
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 61 
 
 their hold. Some angle for them with small double 
 hooks, which retain them much better. 
 
 Roach and dace recover their strength, and are in 
 season, in a fortnight after spawning ; barbel and 
 chub in one month ; trout in four months ; and the 
 salmon also, if he gets into the sea, and afterwards 
 into fresh water. Roach are better in rivers than 
 ponds. 
 
 Fish lie or swim nearer the bottom, and in deeper 
 water, in winter than in summer ; and nearer the 
 bottom, or in the deep part of the streams, on cold 
 days. 
 
 " If fish could hear as well as see, 
 No fishermen there'd need to be." 
 
 Fish are so quick-sighted, that anglers ought not 
 to have light-coloured clothes, nor, on any account, 
 to wear white or drab-coloured hats ; for on bright 
 days, and when the water is clear, that will be a means 
 of frightening the fish and spoiling your sport. The 
 celebrated Sir Humphry Davy, whose attachment 
 to the recreation of angling is well known, wore on 
 field-days a green hat. 
 
 If a trout does not take, or make an offer at your 
 fly, after two or three casts, it is of no use trying any 
 longer at that place. 
 
 To fish fine and far off, keep out of sight of the
 
 62 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 fish ; strike quickly, or at the first rising of the fish, 
 especially in clear water : these rules must be ex- 
 actly observed in fly-fishing. 
 
 The artificial fly must always be thrown on the 
 water about half a yard above the place where fish 
 are observed to rise, or the stream will carry it down 
 before the fish can take it, as they always look for the 
 flies coming down the current, and either take or 
 miss them overhead, but never rise at any that have 
 gone past the spot where they lie and feed. In 
 throwing out the long line, the flies should fall first 
 on the water, the rod being kept erect, so that as little 
 of the line as possible touch the water, otherwise it 
 will make a splash, and frighten the fish. 
 
 Always strike as quick as possible when fishing 
 with artificial flies, if for a small fish ; if a large one, 
 not till he turns his head down with the fly. 
 
 Strike instantly when fishing with paste, ant-eggs, 
 wasp-grub, or bread, or the bait is taken off the hook. 
 
 Give time enough, when using the worm at bottom, 
 and when fishing for perch or pike with a minnow or 
 any live fish, so that they can pouch the bait. 
 
 If pike or perch have got into a baited hole, the 
 other fish will not bite : it is easy to find out when 
 this is the case, as the small fish will strike and jump 
 on the top of the water : proper baits must presently
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 63 
 
 be used to take them, or the angler will have no sport 
 with the fish for which he baited the place. 
 
 Canal fishing with the artificial fly is best practised 
 by a person standing close on the side, as the flies 
 will then show as soon as they drop in the water, 
 when the fish generally take them ; when thrown across 
 to the opposite side, the end fly only will show ; be- 
 sides, this cannot always be done, as there is wood in 
 many places on the side opposite to the hauling path. 
 In the hot months, mornings and evenings are the 
 only proper times for fishing with the long line. 
 
 Flies come in earlier or later, according to the 
 warmth or coldness of the season : want of rains will 
 also alter the time of the water-flies, as they cannot 
 rise from the bottom until freshes soften the sand- 
 beds where some of them breed, from which they 
 emerge when the fish prepare to take them. 
 
 In making artificial flies, the exact size, shape, and 
 colour must, with some exceptions, be particularly 
 attended to, or the fish will rise at and not take them, 
 but give them a lash with their tails ; this you may 
 see them do frequently, when the fly is ill-propor- 
 tioned, or not of the true colours. 
 
 Endeavour especially to imitate well the true co- 
 lours of the body and legs of a fly, as the fish ob- 
 serve these parts most ; it will be proper to wet the
 
 64 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 dubbing, otherwise it may not be the right colour 
 after a little use, most downs altering their colour 
 more or less when wet. 
 
 To Mix Compound Colours. Black and white 
 make a russet ; white and blue, a lead colour ; white, 
 black, and blue, an ash colour ; red and white, a car- 
 nation or flame colour ; blue, brown, and white, a 
 deep purple or plum colour ; fair red and blue, a 
 purple; red and white, a light crimson, and by 
 adding blue, a dark crimson ; blue and green, a vio- 
 let ; pink and blue, with white, a light green ; white, 
 yellow, and blue, make a dun blue ; red and white, a 
 violet ; black and red, a brown ; brown, white, and 
 deep red, a flesh colour ; purple and white, a red ; 
 brown and black, a bay colour. 
 
 With flies of proper colours, and in a preserved or 
 unfrequented river, on a dark day, and with a right 
 wind, a good angler may be sure to catch such plenty 
 of fish, as will make him grow more and more in love 
 with " the art," as it is called ; and certainly it is an 
 art, requiring more skill than many persons imagine, 
 to catch some kinds of fish. 
 
 Anglers have a maxim, that 
 
 When the wind is north or east, 
 'Tis good for neither man nor beast ; 
 But when it blows from west or south, 
 It takes the bait into the fish's mouth.
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 65 
 
 The south and west winds are by far the best ; but if 
 the weather be not rendered extremely cold by an 
 east wind, and if it be a cloudy day, let the wind 
 blow from what quarter it may, fish may be taken ; 
 so that the above is not in all cases a standing rule ; 
 for, as Solomon observes, "he that considers the 
 wind shall never sow ;" so he that does this too im- 
 plicitly, shall rarely fish. The following are, as near 
 as need be, what an angler could wish for as condi- 
 tions of probable success : 
 
 The waters not too high, or clear, 
 When Sol's bright beams at times appear, 
 The wind not low, nor over high, 
 On proper streams then cast the fly 
 That's just in season of true make, 
 The colour right, fish best will take, 
 I dare engage, have you but skill, 
 A basket with fine trout you fill. 
 
 A good way to find out what baits the fish are 
 taking, is to open the mouth of the first you catch, 
 and force with your thumb the feed up from his sto- 
 mach, and put it in water : it will thus presently 
 show what fly or other baits he has taken, thus fur- 
 nishing a proper criterion for your judgment. 
 
 In baiting with a moth, the hook is to be put in at 
 the head and out at the tail ; the fly to lie straight 
 on the shank, the point of the hook being left bare.
 
 66 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 With the drake fly, the hook is put through the 
 thick part of his body under the wings say in at 
 one side and out at the other ; if with two flies, put 
 the head of the second contrary way : they will live 
 some time, and stand picking out several times, baited 
 this way. The rod must be kept up, and the stream 
 left to carry down the flies : this is most natural, and 
 they will not so soon be drowned. 
 
 Some anglers dub a small hook on the gut about 
 an inch above the hook used for worm-fishing, to hang 
 the worm's head on ; it keeps it from slipping off the 
 large hook, or being pulled off by small fish. 
 
 For bottom fishing, at the latter end of the year, 
 you may use three or four shade or house flies on a 
 small hook, and a very small cork float : try this bait 
 both in still places and where there is a deep, slow- 
 running stream, or an eddy ; many fish are often 
 taken by this method, which is considered a great 
 secret, as fish will take this when they refuse all other 
 baits. Small clock flies, or beetles, are also well 
 taken this way ; they must be used when the water 
 is clear. 
 
 In limestone rivers, when the water is clear and 
 low, the flies must be made from the brightest cock 
 hackle feathers that can be obtained ; dark furness 
 and three shades of blue duns are the best ; they must
 
 GENEBAL OBSERVATIONS. 67 
 
 be very small, with bright silk bodies, very little or 
 no dubbing being used. 
 
 On bright hot days, and in low water, when the 
 gnats are strong on the wing, and fly in swarms, the 
 artificial gnat flies cannot be made too small on 00 
 hooks, with black, purple, sky-blue, and flesh-coloured 
 silk bodies ; the wings from the marten, and long 
 wing feathers from back, of different shades, must be 
 used in the middle of the day ; and regular-sized flies 
 that are on the water, morning and evening. 
 
 It is useless to fish in the rough streams after bleak 
 frosty nights : if the day turn out fine and bright, 
 the fish lie and feed at the bottom end of the shallow 
 flats in the morning, and keep getting farther up the 
 streams as the sun warms the water. About the 
 middle of the day, they rise in the deep or smooth 
 places ; and about four o'clock in the afternoon, some 
 few get into the roughs, particularly greyling. This 
 is a certain rule, and may save young anglers the 
 time they would waste by trying over the streams. 
 
 In strong black or discoloured waters, the fish rise 
 in the still deeps all the day. 
 
 On hot bright days, and with clear water, the swift- 
 est part of the stream is the only place to take trout 
 and greyling with the long line, and under the bushes 
 with dibbing.
 
 68 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 Many persons desirous of becoming anglers, try to 
 take fish at different times ; but for want of judg- 
 ment, they go home without any, and are angry 
 because they do not bite. Such persons, like all bad 
 sportsmen, care not to follow the diversion any 
 longer. It certainly requires a great deal of both 
 practice and patience to become a good fly-fisher. 
 An old author says 
 
 " If patience be a virtue, then 
 How happy are we fishermen ! 
 For all do know that those who fish 
 Have patience more than heart can wish." 
 
 To Cook an Eel. Wash him in salt and water ; 
 cut off his head, strip off the skin to the vent, gut, 
 and wipe him clean inside, but do not wash it ; give 
 a few scotches with a knife, and put into his belly 
 sweet herbs cut small, a little nutmeg grated and 
 mixed with butter, and a little salt ; then pull his skin 
 up over him, and tie it fast, to keep all the moisture 
 within ; bind him with tape, and roast him leisurely ; 
 baste with water and salt till the skin breaks, and then 
 with butter till enough ; let what he drips, and what 
 was put into his belly, be his sauce. 
 
 A Cheap Way to Dress Trout. Cut them open, 
 and take out the inside and blood, and wash them 
 clean to the back bone ; do not let them lie in water,
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 69 
 
 but wipe them quite dry inside and out, and rub 
 them all over with flour ; then put butter or a little 
 bacon fat into the pan, and when it is of a proper 
 heat, put the fish in, and fry them gently till they are 
 browned all over ; then serve them up with crisp 
 parsley and white sauce. When they are boiled, they 
 are cleaned the same way, and wrapped in a linen 
 cloth, quite separate, or so as not to touch each other, 
 and put into the water when it boils ; when enough, 
 they are served up with parsley sauce. Greyling and 
 perch are dressed the same as trout ; some persons 
 scale them, and then dip or cover them with eggs 
 and bread-crumbs beat together ; when well browned 
 in the pan with butter, this is considered the best 
 way to cook them. If perch are dipped up to the 
 gills in hot water, the scales will come off quite easy. 
 Gudgeons, dressed same as trout, and browned in the 
 pan with butter, are of exquisite taste, and com- 
 mended as a fish of excellent nourishment. 
 
 Trout and greyling are the best flavoured and finest 
 eating when cooked the same day they are taken. 
 
 How to Dress large Chub. First scale them, and 
 take out the inside ; then wash them clean, particu- 
 larly the throat ; make a little hole as near the gills 
 as you can ; then put herbs of rosemary, thyme, 
 sweet-marjoram, parsley, and winter savory, into
 
 70 THE ANGLEll's MANUAL. 
 
 their belly ; tie them with splinters, and roast them ; 
 baste with vinegar, butter, and salt. 
 
 Another Way Scale, and cut off the tails and 
 fins ; then slit them through the middle, as salt fish 
 are usually done ; give a few scotches with a knife, 
 and broil them on a fire, free from smoke ; baste with 
 butter and salt, with a little thyme bruised in it. 
 
 How to Dress Barbel, Bream, or. any other large 
 Fish. First scale them, take out the inside, and 
 wash them clean ; then peel and boil a few onions in 
 a little water ; take them out, and boil the fish in the 
 same water with a little salt, till enough ; then pour 
 off the water, and boil a few eggs, which chop with 
 the onions very small, put them in white sauce, and 
 pour it on the fish : it will be good eating either hot 
 or cold. 
 
 SIGNS OF RAIN, OR PROGNOSTICS OF THE 
 WEATHER. 
 
 If two rainbows appear together. 
 When thin white clouds fly swiftly in the air, un- 
 der thick black clouds. 
 
 If corns pain your feet more than usual.
 
 SIGNS OF RAIN. 71 
 
 If swallows fly low, and often touch the water with 
 their wings. 
 
 If cattle feed greedily after dark at night, or faster 
 than common when it rains, the rain will continue. 
 
 If sheep return from the hills early in the morning, 
 it is certain to rain that day ; but if they go up to 
 the top of them, it will be fine. 
 
 When there appears to be mist, or several grey, 
 dark, or coloured circles about the sun or moon. 
 
 If gnats bite very keen when you are near rivers. 
 
 If mists continue to hang on the tops of hills in a 
 morning. The Derbyshire people always say, that 
 if the large hill called Mam Tor, near Castleton, keeps 
 its nightcap on in the morning, it will rain ; but if 
 the mist rises and clears off, it will be fine. 
 
 If very large black thick clouds arise suddenly in 
 the west. 
 
 If stones, or walls inside houses " sweat," or become 
 suddenly wet. 
 
 If flies bite very keen, and get near the mouth and 
 eyes of people or cattle. 
 
 When white clouds appear like packs of wool, or 
 mountains of snow, and are tinged on the edges like 
 silver, it will be showery that day. 
 
 Rain generally occurs after three or four sharp 
 white frosty nights in summer.
 
 72 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 When a white mist, like a sheet, completely covers 
 the rivers or valleys, and the tops of the hills are 
 quite clear early in the morning, and no wind stirring, 
 it generally turns to rain : but if it clear off with the 
 sun, it is always good angling, and the fish rise very 
 well that day. 
 
 When rain in the morning comes with the wind, if 
 it does not clear up by nine o'clock, it generally con- 
 tinues rainy all the day. 
 
 When it is very red about the sun at rising, and 
 soon turns gloomy after. 
 
 PROPER TIMES TO ANGLE. 
 
 Fish bite well in close warm gloomy weather, or 
 during soft mizzling rain, or when the dew is strong. 
 They are often very eager in small rivers and brooks, 
 after a shower that has a little raised and discoloured 
 the water : on a gloomy day, after a light night, and 
 -with a little wind, the best fish will feed : they also 
 rise and bite well in rivers a little below the place 
 where sheep are being washed. 
 
 Trout bite well when the water is rising, or when 
 it is clearing after a flood.
 
 IMPROPER TIMES TO ANGLE. 73 
 
 When there is a flood, and the water keeps up 
 some days, and is not very thick, while it is sinking 
 within the banks, angle near the ends of bridges, and 
 in shallow still places, where the fish then lie, or in 
 the turnholes and back current of streams : at such 
 times and places, the author has often taken fine fish 
 with the artificial fly, and also where the froth lies 
 spots very few would think of trying with the fly. 
 
 IMPROPER TIMES TO ANGLE. 
 
 It is of little use to angle with the long line under 
 a scorching sun, in the middle of the day, during the 
 summer months. 
 
 It is almost always bad angling -in a cold east or 
 north wind, especially in the spring or fall of the year. 
 
 It is never good fishing when " snow-broth" is in 
 the rivers. 
 
 Large fish will rarely or never feed the day after a 
 dark or a windy night ; for in those nights they glut 
 themselves, and will not soon feed afterwards. 
 
 It is of little use fishing in very long droughts, 
 when the rivers are very low, the water dead, and 
 full of fine green weed, vulgarly called " croggil,"
 
 74 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 which adheres to the knots of the lash, clogs the hooks, 
 and covers the flies, so that no fish can take them, 
 and is quite troublesome to the angler. 
 
 It is commonly bad fishing whilst the mill next 
 above you stands still, and there is no stream running. 
 
 It is of little use, in most instances, to fish with the 
 fly, when the wind is very high ; chub, roach, and 
 dace never rise when there are great waves on the 
 water. 
 
 AMUSEMENT FOR LEISURE TIME. 
 
 Anglers, when they have leisure, may be recom- 
 mended 
 
 To look over their rods, and put them in proper 
 repair, especially by varnishing, which preserves them. 
 
 To spin, and repair their reel lines, and keep them 
 of a proper thickness, and fine at the small end, 
 which is of great importance in throwing the line 
 light. 
 
 To examine lashes of gut, after a day's fishing with 
 them ; tie the knots over again ; add new lengths of 
 gut, to make them of a proper length to use at the 
 next excursion.
 
 AMUSEMENT FOR LEISURE TIME. 75 
 
 To cut up the old flies that have been used, and 
 make new ones, whilst the proper colours remain 
 fresh in memory as connected with the fish they have 
 taken, which is certain to be of great use at a future 
 time. 
 
 To re-dub hooks that have been used for bottom 
 fishing. 
 
 To look over the fishing-book, and put all to rights, 
 after a fishing journey. 
 
 To wash the bait-bags and fish-hamper quite clean, 
 both inside and out. 
 
 To look over and dress any feathers that may have 
 been procured, and paste them in paper in rows ready 
 for use. 
 
 To dress any furs, or parts of skins, which must be 
 kept quite dry ; spirit-of-wine varnish being laid on 
 the underside of the skin, to preserve them : if this 
 be neglected, the down side will soon be full of small 
 eggs that turn to grubs. I have known anglers have 
 all their downs totally destroyed, by neglecting them, 
 or laying them in a damp place during the winter.
 
 76 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 FISHING GROUNDS. 
 
 I first commenced angling in some dams that had 
 plenty of fine trout in them, and lost no time in re- 
 turning home from school in summer to fetch my rod 
 and go to the sport. My grandfather was an inde- 
 pendent man, and an excellent fly-fisher: he had 
 practised for fifty years, and supplied me with his old 
 flies for some time ; with these I took many fish. He 
 then took me, as a companion, to the upper part of 
 the river Don, to fish in the hill streams ; there were 
 very few anglers, and plenty of fish in the rivers, at 
 that time ; I soon found out it was much better fish- 
 ing there than in still pools. My grandfather, per- 
 ceiving my taste for the art, was at great pains to 
 give me instructions ; he taught me by degrees the 
 art of fly-making, and what sort of feathers, downs, 
 and silks were proper to use for different flies : he 
 also informed me concerning the places where fish 
 feed ; so that before I was fourteen years of age, he 
 called me a good fly-fisher. Being a good shooter, 
 as well as an angler, he supplied me with a capital 
 stock of materials ; and at his death I got his valua- 
 ble selection of tackle, and his book, out of which I 
 have made many hundreds of flies, and caught at 
 different times an immense quantity of fish.
 
 FISHING GROUNDS. 77 
 
 The river Don produces fine-flavoured, handsome- 
 shaped trout, and several sorts of scale fish, but no 
 greyling. It rises on the high moors above Penistone, 
 several smaller rivers flowing into it above Sheffield : 
 they all breed good trout ; but there are so many 
 works on most of these waters, for puddling, tilting, 
 or grinding, in connection with the different manu- 
 factories of the town of Sheffield, that most of the 
 fish are destroyed, particularly by " sludging," or 
 cleaning out the dams in summer. What few fish 
 are left in the deeps, are often so poached during the 
 night, that it is of little use, in most situations, to 
 angle for trout, except in the spring of the year. 
 There is good fly-fishing for chub and other fish in 
 the river and canals below Rotherham all summer : 
 when trout are bad to take, it is the best time to 
 catch scale fish. Pike and scale fish are also taken 
 in the Rother, but very few trout, it being a slow- 
 running river. 
 
 There is a very large and deep reservoir of water 
 near Chapel-en-le- Frith, Derbyshire, where many 
 gentlemen go to angle ; it contains an immense quan- 
 tity of perch and very large trout. I was once re- 
 turning from a journey, and met with a gentleman 
 from Manchester, who was going to angle there : he 
 kindly obtained permission for me to fish one evening
 
 78 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 only : it was rather windy, the trout rising close to 
 the grass near the edge of the water. I took sixteen 
 trout, weighing together thirty-three pounds ; having, 
 besides this, broken or lost my flies five different 
 times with very fine fish. The brown watchet, up- 
 winged dun, and a small black, were taken ; but the 
 principal fly was the dun drake, made large, with 
 wings from the grey mottled mallard's feather ; legs, 
 light ginger cock's hackle feather ; and body, ash- 
 coloured silk, with a shade of green in it. The 
 gentleman, who was a bottom fisher, took sixty perch 
 with the red worm, that together weighed sixteen 
 pounds: he assured me there were many trout of 
 from four to six pounds weight in the pool, which is 
 supplied from two brooks that rise on the moors, 
 where the trout run up to spawn. 
 
 There is a neat stone building, known as the 
 Grouse Inn, in Darley Dale, Derbyshire, the landlord 
 of which gives anglers leave to fish in the river Der- 
 went : he is a pleasant, cheerful, civil man, affords 
 good accommodations, and charges very reasonably. 
 It is very good fishing in his part of the river : the 
 bottom, however, is so full of rocks, and often so 
 deep by some of them, as to be dangerous wading to 
 strangers. When the water is discoloured, I have 
 frequently seen young anglers so eager to throw at
 
 FISHING GROUNDS. 79 
 
 and reach a fish when rising, as to enter the water, 
 and drop overhead in an instant ; then crawl out, 
 like half-drowned rats ; having to take off their wet 
 clothes, and hang therii to dry on the rails near the 
 river. I have felt sorry for them, but could not help 
 laughing at the same time. It is no uncommon thing 
 for the Derbyshire publicans to have to lend dry 
 clothes to anglers. 
 
 In Sheffield, there are more general anglers, and 
 good fly-fishers, who make their own rods, lines, flies, 
 and other tackle, than can be equalled in any other 
 town in England, considering they are ten miles from 
 the river Derwent, where they commonly go to fish 
 for trout and greyling. 
 
 EXCURSION INTO DERBYSHIRE AND STAFFORDSHIRE. 
 
 A middle-aged, independent, single gentleman 
 called upon the author for a complete set of artificial 
 flies, with which he was so well pleased, that an in- 
 vitation was given to go and spend a few weeks with 
 -him in Darley Dale. We first angled in three pre- 
 served dams, into one of which the owner had put 
 many fine greyling, he being a young fly-fisher 
 himself. It was the only dam in which L ever saw 
 them. After taking there as many fine trout and 
 greyling as he wanted, my friend wished to see me
 
 80 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 angle in the rivers. We commenced in the Derwent 
 near Matlock, and fished with the fly up the streams, 
 taking very fine trout and greyling, particularly above 
 Darley Bridge : there are some fine deep streams, and 
 they contain plenty of fish up to Rowsley, where the 
 river Wye joins the Derwent a little below the vil- 
 lage. We found very good accommodations at the 
 Peacock Inn. We then fished up to Chatsworth, 
 through the park of His Grace the Duke of Devon- 
 shire, close in front of his noble mansion, and forward 
 to Baslow. We took both chub and dace, as well as 
 trout and greyling. There are very large barbel, 
 and several other kinds of fish, all up the river. We 
 then passed Stoke Hall, Grindleford Bridge, and up 
 the fine streams at Padley Wood, to Hasleford 
 Bridge, and stopped a night at Widow Eyre's, whose 
 son had angled many years, and was very entertain- 
 ing, relating various days' sport, and telling what 
 quantities of large fish the Duke of Norfolk's keeper, 
 Mr. Jonathan Bamford, and others, had taken, before 
 the river was so poached in overnights. We next 
 went up fine streams and roughs to Mytham Bridge, 
 where the river Hope joins the Derwent, and forward 
 to Bamford Mill, and thence up to Ashopton Inn, a 
 beautiful place, where the woodland brook comes in : 
 we found it good fishing all the way : the streams are
 
 FISHING GKOUNDS. 81 
 
 less, and the fish become smaller above. We then 
 returned to Rowsley, and went up the Wye, a beau- 
 tiful, clear, swift, limestone water, and crossed the 
 Lathkil, the clearest stream, and which breeds the 
 finest and reddest-coloured trout, in the country : 
 we next passed Haddon Hall to Bakewell, and took 
 abundance of fine trout and greyling in streams made 
 by His Grace the Duke of Rutland to accommodate 
 anglers. We found the Rutland Arms a capital inn; 
 and the streams in the vicinity are so free from M r ood, 
 that the inn is always well attended by gentlemen, 
 particularly in the drake season. We then passed by 
 Ashford, up Monsal Dale, which is so romantic and 
 celebrated a place, and the stream so full of trout, 
 when the water is discoloured after rains, that a person 
 may tire himself with sport. There are good but 
 small streams up to Buxton. Our next out was to 
 Ashbourn : we fished two days up Dove Dale, and 
 found plenty of fish there: it is such a place for 
 romantic scenery, as cannot be described : we then 
 returned home, after spending nearly a month in this 
 delightful way namely, from the middle of April to 
 the middle of May, which is the best season of the 
 year for the Derbyshire rivers. As there were many 
 light showers, which discoloured the waters, little 
 change of flies was wanted : the March brown, dark 
 M
 
 82 THE ANGLEK'S MATVUAI,. 
 
 dun, cock-up dun, dun drake, snipe dun, cow-dung 
 dun, brown watchet, and a small black, were the prin- 
 cipal flies taken. 
 
 It is very pleasing to good anglers, when they meet 
 together after a few days' sport, to name the particu- 
 lar places and holds in rivers where they have at 
 different times taken fish ; and what colours of flies, 
 or what sort of baits, they took them with. It ap- 
 pears a sort of repetition of the enjoyment itself, and 
 one from which young anglers may gather a great 
 deal of valuable information, that would take them 
 years to find out by their own practice. 
 
 PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 
 
 What can be more delightful to an angler, than to 
 look from the hills into the beautiful valleys, where 
 three of the principal Derbyshire rivers the Dove, 
 the Wye, and the Derwent take their course ! to 
 see rocks, woods, pleasant groves, and in some places 
 the fine streams in which he is going to fish, abound- 
 ing as they do with fine trout and greyling. Sur- 
 rounded by such scenery, while angling for these fish 
 with the fly in the charming month of May, is indeed
 
 PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 83 
 
 enjoying one of the sweetest pleasures of outdoor life, 
 not only passing his days delightfully, but making 
 his very dreams pleasing. 
 
 The last desire of an old angler who had lost his 
 sight, was to go with the gamekeeper of His Grace 
 the Duke of Norfolk, up one of the favourite small 
 rivers in which he had so often fished when he could 
 see : the keeper respected the enthusiast, and was at 
 considerable pains to lead him through the scenes of 
 his former days, and name to him the different holes ; 
 and when the keeper took some fish, which he put 
 into his friend's hand alive, he called them " pretty 
 creatures ! " though he could not see them ; and so 
 much pleased was he, that he told the keeper he was 
 satisfied, and could then go home and die happy ! 
 
 Isaac Walton remarks, that there is no life so 
 healthy, so happy, and free from care, as that of an 
 angler ; for while the lawyer's time is swallowed up 
 in business of deceit, and while the statesman is con- 
 triving plots, the angler walks through the meadows 
 where the cowslips grow ; hears the birds sing ; re- 
 ceives the benefit of the fresh air ; admires the beau- 
 ties of nature, and enjoys as much quietness as the 
 silent silver streams that glide so quietly by him. 
 God never allowed a more harmless or innocent re- 
 creation than angling ; for, to sit on the primrose
 
 84 THE ANGLER'S MANUAL. 
 
 banks in summer, and to look down the meadows 
 they appear too beautiful to be looked upon except 
 on holidays. He also mentions several eminent reli- 
 gious, good men, as having been anglers, and proves 
 it useful to keep the mind free from the cares and 
 troubles of the world : it is an employment for leisure 
 time, which is then not leisurely spent ; after hard 
 labour or severe study, it is a rest to the mind, a 
 cheerer of the spirits, a diverter of sadness, a calmer 
 of unquiet thoughts, a moderator of passions, a pro- 
 curer of contentedness, and prepares a person for a 
 feathery rest at night. 
 
 Let not the foregoing remarks in commendation of 
 this delightful art be mistaken, or misapplied, so as 
 to prejudice their proper effect. Some persons are so 
 intent on angling, as to go out at improper seasons, 
 and spend their time in a foolish, not to say criminal, 
 manner, stopping at the sport for days and weeks 
 together, or, at all events, longer than their circum- 
 stances will justify : this is certainly very improper ; 
 for he who makes a profession or business of any 
 recreation or pastime, will be a poor man. The best 
 way is, so sedulously to mind the affairs of business 
 in their proper time and place, as to make provision 
 for pleasures, lest they leave a sting behind. There 
 is a proper time and season for every thing.
 
 LIST OF THE ARTIFICIAL FLIES 
 
 DESCRIBED IN THIS WORK. 
 
 1. March Brown. 
 
 2. Barm Dun, Black, Red, or 
 
 Furness Fly. 
 
 3. Brown Watchet. 
 
 4. Hawthorn Fly, Black Ca- 
 
 terpillar, and Black Ant 
 Fly. 
 
 5. Whirling Dun. 
 
 6. Dun Drake. 
 
 7. Cock-up, or Upwinged 
 
 Dun. 
 
 8. Red Spider Fly. 
 
 9. Brown Spider Fly. 
 
 10. Stone Fly. 
 
 11. OrlFly. 
 
 12. Downlooker. 
 
 13. Primrose Dun. 
 
 14. Black Gnat. 
 
 15. Yellow Spider Fly. 
 
 16. Green Drake. 
 
 17. Red Ant Fly. 
 
 18. Orange Dun. 
 
 19. Tail to Tail, or Knotted 
 
 Midge. 
 
 20. Bank Fly. 
 
 21. Brown Shiner. 
 
 22. Proud Tailor Fly. 
 
 23. Purple Midge. 
 
 24. Little Pale Blue. 
 
 25. Red Palmer Fly. 
 
 26. Great Red Palmer. 
 
 27. Whirling Blue. 
 
 28. Black with Red. 
 
 29. Green Tail. 
 
 30. Snipe Dun. 
 
 31. Red Shiner Fly. 
 
 32. Cow- dung Dun. 
 
 33. Black May Fly, or Silver 
 
 Palmer. 
 
 34. Oak Fly. 
 
 35. Iron Blue. 
 
 36. Black Midge. 
 
 37. May Imp. 
 
 38. Yellow Legs. 
 
 39. Grey Drake. 
 
 40. Purple Gold Palmer. 
 
 41. Red Spinner. 
 
 4*2. Small Red Spinner.
 
 86 
 
 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 
 
 43. Nettle Fly. 
 
 44. Gold-coloured Dun. 
 
 45. Brown Gnat. 
 
 46. Small Ant Fly. 
 
 47. Grasshopper. 
 
 48. Sky-coloured Blue. 
 
 49. Buff-coloured Dun, or 
 
 Stream Fly. 
 
 50. Blue Gnat. 
 
 51. White Moth. 
 
 52. Shade Fly. 
 
 53. July Blue Dun. 
 
 54. Violet Midge. 
 
 55. Stone Midge. 
 
 56. Orange Black. 
 
 57. Wasp Fly. 
 
 58. Black Palmer. 
 
 59. White Dun Midge. 
 
 60. Red Clock Fly. 
 
 61. Black Wood Fly. 
 
 62. Yellow Spider Fly. 
 
 63. Mill Dun. 
 
 64. Black Clock Fly. 
 
 65. Stone Gnat, or Dark 
 
 Watchet. 
 
 66. Little Whirling Blue. 
 
 67. Grey Dun Midge. 
 
 68. Willow Fly. 
 
 69. Winter Brown. 
 
 70. Moor-Game Brown. 
 
 71. Brown Moth. 
 
 72. Great Moth. 
 
 73. White Moth. 
 
 74. Black Fly. 
 
 75. Large Spider Fly. 
 
 76. Large Bank Fly. 
 
 77. Purple Palmer. 
 
 G. RIDGE, PRINTER, MERCURY OFFICE, SHEFFIELD.
 
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