FAMIiy HERALD HANDY BOOKS How to Angle ; INCLUDING Trolling & Spinning. London : B. Blake, Family Herald Office, 421, Strand. IPRICE THREE PENCE Xn WeeJclff Numbers, Id. ; Free by Pott, 2d. ; Monihli/ Partt, 6d.s Annual Volumet, It. 6d. KEGISTEKED FOK TSANSMISSION ABBOAD, THE FAMILY HERALD; a Domtstic fHagajtiw OF USEFUL INFORMATION AND. AMUSEMENT. SATURDAY REVIEW. " The Family Herald stands at the head, both in age and popu- larity, of all the penny serials. The editor is the confidant and confessor in every station of life. The answers to correspondenta cannot be fictitious, for if they were, a romance and a life history being embodied in almost each of them, the editor would be as great a genius as we now consider him to be a miracle of general information. These are elements of popularity inexhaustible, and, on the whole, people may recnr to advisers less judicious and often more interested, than the Ductorei Dubitantium of the penny weekly press." LEIGH HUNT'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. •• I call out every week for my Family Herald, a little penoy publication quabfied to inform the best of its contemporaries." BRITISH QUARTERLY REVIEW. " The Family Herald may be considered the Patetfamilicu of the whole stock of penny weekly serials. It is well considered, with reference to its aims, and is various and amusing, with a fair amount of utility intermixed. There is a leading article, or «ssay, every week, upon some subject of an instructive or thoughtful character. Under the head of the Story Teller, we have novelettes, simpler in structure than in the pages of the other penny serials. Then there is a little column of receipts and instructions in household matters; gleanings of small facts, useful and scientific ; a few scraps of statistics ; chess problems and riddles ; an anthology of stray humour and miscellanies ; and verses let into its pages, like sunshine, to brighten them. *)f all these publications, we are inclined to consider the Family Herald the best." LITERARY GAZETTE. " It must be said of the Family Herald that it is the purest reading of all purely amusing literature ; it is indeed a family paper." SATURDAY REVIEW (Second Notice). *' The Family Herald, which never condescended to write down to or flatter the prurientimagination of its readers, and which in its leaders and scientific articles is the very pattern of cheap journalism, is, perhaps, more flourishing than ever ; and its talea are quite as well written as the best circulating library stories." LoHDON: B. Blase, 421, Sxsaits; and all Booksellers. HOW TO ANGLE; INCLUDING TROLLING AND SPINNING. '• Mark tlie fisher on the margin wield the pliant supple rod; Direct the free and lithesome line upon the foaming flood, To lure its finny denizens and draw them to the side — The speckled trout and sahnon, wily monarchs of the tide." A. W. Cbichtoit. LONDON: 15. BLAKE, FAMILY HERALD OFFICE, 421, STEAND. J, LONDON : WILM\M .'5TliVi.-V.'=, I'JtUiTElJ, dT, EELI. VAUD, TKill'Li: iiXtt. CONTENTS Pkefatoey Remarks . • • . Page 5 How TO Angle . • . . • . . . 11 The Rod. . 15 Lines . . ■ . . . 37 Hooks ... . 38 Floats . . ■ . . . 19 Landing Net, Gaif, and Drag Hook . 20 Baits ... . . 21 Ground Baits .... , 23 Flies 24, General Hints .... . 27 The Salmon. . . 30 The Trout .... . 33 The Roach , . . . . . 34 The Dace .... . 35 The Greyling 30 The Gudgeon .... 20676'13 . 37 IV" CONTENTS. Tagb How TO A-SGLE— {continued) :^ The Perch . . . . . . 38 The Carp . . . . . 39 The Tench ..... 40 The Jack, or Pike ih. Eels 42 The Barbel .... 43 The Chub 44 The Bream .... . ib. The Bleak 45 The Minnow, Loach . . . . ih. Laws and Eegulations 46 Protection of Preserves . 50 Table for Angleks .... 52 Baits, Ground Baits, and Artificial Flies 53 Trolling and Spinning . 54 PREFATOEY EEMAEKS. OifE of the earliest printed books in the English language (printed by Wynkyn de AYorde), is " The Treaty se of Fysshinge ivith an Angle, ^^ by Dame Juliana Barnes, Prioress of the Kunnery of Sope- well, near St. Albans ; and this forms part of the celebrated ^'Bohe of St. Alhans,''^ which DeWorde produced at "Westminster in 1496. Ever since that time, and certainly long before it — for our Korman and Saxon ancestors loved to go a-fishing, — this sport has continued so popular, that the numerous treatises upon Angling might furnish a library of themselves ; and it is but lately that science has come down to the banks of the stream, and an expensive and beauti- fully illustrated book, called the " Anglerr NaturaKst, a Popular (^N'atural) History of 6 PEEFATOBY EEMAEKS. British Fresli-v>atcr Fish, T\'ith a Plain Exjjlana- tion of the Eudiments of Ichthyology," has just been issued ; so that to the love of sport may be added, should any one -wish to combine the two, an ardent desire to master the difficulties of Tchthyology. Few of oiu' readers, and indeed ver^' few jolly and ardent anglers, will, however, think of class- ing a fish before bagging him, of pickling him in carbonic acid to prcsen-e him, or of anatomatizing him on the banks of the river. What they seek in angling is emphatically that which Izaak Walton called it — ** the honest man's recreation;" and, viewed in that light, to those who are con- templative, gentle, and not adapted for or tired of violent sports, nothing can be better. Good Dame Juliana Barnes has told us what pleasui'es the angler has. He possibly may not catch many fish, but he has '^atte the leest his holsom walke, mery at his ease, a swete ap'e of the swete savoure of the fielde-floures that makyth him hungry ; he hereth the melodious annony of birdes ; he seeth the yonge swannes, heerons, duckes, cotes, and many other fowles wyth their brodes ; whych me secmeth better than alle the PEEFATORY EE3IAEKS. 7 blastes of homes, the noyse of houndes, the scrye of foulis, that himters, fawkeners, and fowlers do make. And if the angler take fysshe, surely then there is noo man merier than he is in his spyryte." Angling has this benefit over all other sports — that of great quiet and peace of mind, com- bined with an absorbing occupation in fresh air. To a sedentary man nothing can be better than the gentle, soothing walk on the banks of the stream, and the calm influence of the flowing water and country scenery. To men in town fiilly occupied, except on such occasions of peaceful leisure, the occupation is invaluable. "We have quite got over the sickly sentiment of Lord Byron as to the cruelty of Angling, and science has taught us that a fish taken fi^om the water does not die a violent, but an easy death ; nor do we believe, with his lordship, that Izaak, as well as his followers, ought to be treated by a lex talionis and fished for : — " The quaint, old, cruel coxcomb, in his gullet I'd put a hook, and a inudl trout to pull it." 1^0 ; wc believe Aii^^liug to be a fair, honourable, -8 PEEFATOEY EEMAEKS. and deliglitfiil occupation, and well worthy of the name it ha?, of the ^' gentle craft." Of course, in a little elementary treatise like this, there are many tilings which must be left out ; but the hints and iiiles which are presented will be found valuable. It is impossible to teach an art entirely by book ; and in Izaak "Wal- ton's ^' Compleat Angler," one of the most genial and wholesome books ever published, the author notes that he is far from completeness. '' Xot but that manj' things may be leanit by this book," he writes, and we repeat him, ''but that art is not to be taught by words, but by practice : and so must angling," and by culti- vating his faculty of observation, by patience and determined perseverance, a man will soon grow into a good angler : and amongst the brotherhood they have a quaint fancy, that the better the angler the better the man. He will have to learn many things when he takes to it. He must not only know something about fish, but also about worms, and how to scour them in milk and moss. There is the marsli-worm, the tag-tail, the flag- worm, the oak- worm, the gilt-tail, the troachel Or lob-wonn, a most excellent bait for salmori, and PfiEFAfORY EEMARKS. 9 a hundred others. He will have tolearn th at some men are more gifted than others, even in fishing; and then, as Izaak honestly says, ''As, my scholar, ill pronouncing and ill accenting words in a sermon spoils it, so the ill carriage of your line or net, or fishing even to a foot in a right place makes you lose your labour; and though you have my fiddle — that is, my rod and tacklings with which I catch fish — yet you have not my fiddlestick : that is, you have not the skill to know how to carry your hand and line to guide it in the right place; and this must be taught you." And, what is more : the angler must teach him- self. Men are born anglers, and take naturally to it. The Ptolemies fished and angled in the waters of old Nile, as we see by paintings in the Pyramids thousands of years old ; and after us generations will probably fish in the cleansed and purified waters of old Father Thames. Let us hope, then, many will be led and taught to do so by this little Handy Book, l^o joy in the world, perhaps, equals that of a youngster who has caught his first minnow, except it be that of the grown and ardent fisherman when he has landed 10 PEEFATORY EEMAUKS. his first salmon ; and, in taking leave of our readers on the thi-eshold of the book, we wish them, and all followers of the gentle craft, health and long life, calmness, contentment, and peace and leisui^e to go a-fishing. HOW TO ANGLE, THIS art may be practised with tolerable success with simple and cheap apparatus ; though, for the benefit of everybody, we have given a list of the more expensive articles, which may be purchased. There is an amusing account by one author, of his standing half-a-day without a bite, although armed with every thiog that money could purchase, while a country bumpkin in sight took dozens of fish with a hazel rod, a piece of thread, and a bent pin. This is not altogether a jest, a great deal more depend- ing upon attention to a few necessary points, than upon costly or complicated fishing tackle. Fish have much cunning, and are very far from de- void of intelligent instincts, as the water-vivary has taught us, and exploded the former theory to the contrary. Leaving out of question at present netting and other processes on the large scale, we confine our view to the art of angling, which alone 12 HOW TO ANGLE. deserves to be reckoned as a sport. Anglers, like other sportsmen, look for excitement in the first place, though not unwilling to have the practical benefit of their successful sport. The weak point on which they count upon catching their prey is the appetite of hunger. Most fish are voracious feeders, and the art of angling consists in present ing either real articles of diet, or imitations of such so skilfully made and used as to deceive inexpe rienced and incautious inhabitants of the waters Young fish are most easily caught, the old ones ac quiring shrewdness and caution in their experience of life in populous and civilized countries. Acute- ness of sight is their chief protection, and it follows from this that the angler must direct his attention principally to cope with the quick eye of the fish. Artificial flies and fish, or other baits, must be as like their natural types as possible. They should also resemble the particular kind of food which fish are accustomed to take at special seasons, or in particular localities. On the same principle of the fish having quick sight, cloudy weather, and water either coloured or ruifled on the surface, are most likely to give successful sport. The more that the angler is out of sight the better — a shadow on the HOW TO ANGLE. 13 water, or any unusual object, scaring the fish away. The finest tackle that can be handled is also the likeliest to be successful. Whether it is better to use bait or flies depends on the season of the year, the condition of the water, and the kind of fish ; for every species has its own habits and diet. The following articles are generally considered requisite by anglers, though many dispense with the most unimportant of them ; as different rods for different fish, &c. : — Rods for salmon and trout-fishing, trolling, worm, and fly-fishing, spinning the minnow and the bleak. Hair lines, Indian weed, plaited silk and hair, and patent and other lines for trolling. Eeels for running tackle. Hooks for trolling on wire or gimp, for the gorge or the snap. Minnow, gudgeon, and bleak tackle, and baiting needles of different sizes. Paternosters for perch-fishing. Cobblers' wax, sewing silk, a few balls of smaU twine, i Floats of various sizes, and plenty of spare caps for floats. Split shot and bored bullets of various sizes. 11 HOW TO AXGLE. DIsgorger, and clearing ring and drag. Landing net, a gaflf, can for live bait, and gentle - box. A fishing -basket. A pair of pliers, a pair of scissors, and a good pocket-knife, both with large and small blades. A parchment book of artificial flies, and one for genera] tackle, with an assortment of various sorts of hooks, with spare line or gut, cord, wax, nippers, scissors, some strong, fine-pointed dubbing needles, and other tools, likely to be useful in case of break- age of tackle or rod, or other accident. A gimlet is also useful, in the event of your rod breaking at the top joint ; this will enable you to clear the pipe, should the wood be left in it. A case for the various things required for artifi- cial flies, containing the following articles : — The feathers of the turkey, the partridge, the grouse, ptarmigan, pheasant, woodcock, snipe, dotterel, landrail, starling, golden plover, common pee-wit, wild mallard, bustard, sea-swallow, wren, jay, blackbird, thrush, blue pigeon, silver-pheasant, parrot, and the tame and wild duck. Cock and hen featliers or hackles of all colours ; as red, ginger, black, dan, olive-grizzle, and stone HOW TO ANGLE. 15 colonr. Peacock's herl, copper-coloured, ^reen and brown. Black ostrich's herl. Fowl's spotted feathers. Mohair, silk twist, French sewing silk, flos silk, and German wools of all colours ; and the fur of the water-rat, of the hare, and the white and sorrel hairs of stallions' tails. THE EOD. Fishing-rods are made of bamboo, or of white cane ; bat the best woods are hazel, ash, lance- Wood, or hickory. A point of whalebone is often added. The largest rods have five joints, and are as long as sixteen, or even twenty feet ; but for the young angler, a rod of twelve or at most fourteen feet is the best length ; for more experienced, eighteen feet. There are special rods for almost all kinds of fish, but the most convenient is a four- joint rod, with brass at the joints, winch fittings, and rings. The same rod, with several tops of different lengths and flexibility, will do either for bottom fishing with bait, for trolling, or spinning, or for fly-fishing. A spare fly-top is also an advantage in case of accidents, though every ngler must learn to splice skilfully. The broken 16 HOW TO ANGLE. ends must bo cut slantingly, so as to fit neatly together, and then fixed with glue, and bound with waxed silk or fine hempen cord. When there is only one rod, there should be two winches or reels, a much stronger and thicker line being needed for bottom than for fiy-fishing. Some aoglers dislike metal joinings in their rods, as increasing the risk of the wood snapping ; and they prefer glued and tied pieces, counting a few minutes devoted to making the rod all right as no lost time. For the convenience of those who prefer and can afi'ord a diversity of rods, we append the following, with the qualities they should possess. . In fly-fishing for salmon and trout, one rod will generally answer both purposes, and should be light and flexible, and about twelve to fifteen feet in length. In fishing for roach and dace, if from a high banlf, or over reeds, a light rod eighteen to twenty feet in length is a good size ; if from a boat one of twelve or fourteen will be found long enough. In fishing with the ledger bait for barbel, use a stout twelve foot rod. HOW TO ANGLE. 17 LINES. Horse hair and gut are the materials best fitted for ordinary lines. In sea-fishing good stout hempen cord is required, but for ponds and rivers lighter lines are necessary. The part wound round the reel or pirn, and reaching up the rod through the rings, is called the reel line, and the part com- monly in the water is the casting line. The former must be much stouter, of at least twelve plait, if of hair for trout-fishing. Five plait suffices for the beginning of the casting line, and the end should be still lighter; the finer the better, con- sistent with sufiicient strength. "With good gut a very small line may be made ; but there are such various articles sold as gut, that the young angler must test his line, if not bought at a place that can be trusted. The finest gut is imported from the Mediterranean, and is said to be made from the male silkworm cocoon. Lines for trolling are made of silk, and silk and hair mixed ; but the silk alone are considered pre- ferable, as they are less inclined to tangle than the twisted. A paternoster for perch-fishing is com- posed of strong gut or gimp, with three or more A 2 18 now TO a:s'gle. hoots suspended at sonic distance from oacli otlier ; the whole is connected with the wheel line by a srcall swivel. In shotting a line, place the shot within three inches of the bottom loop of the line, to which loop fix the loop of the hair or gut that the hook is tied to. Place the smallest shot about two inches from the hook, and the rest above the first loop. India-rubber is very useful for straightening hair and gut lines, which is done by passing the lines sliarply over it. It will also make ragged gut lines quite smooth. HOOKS. The best hooks, made of the finest tempered steel, have long been manufactured at Limerick, in Ireland, and at Kirby and Kendal, in the iXorth of England. The superiority of the Irish and the north country hooks is warmly contested by their respective advocates, and there is not a great differ- ence in the make. Other places now divide the excellence of manufacture ; but there arc also so many inferior articles, that the name of a Limerick or Kendal maker still serves as a guarantee to some extent. The size of hooks is from about a quarter of an inch in length to an inch and a half, and of nOV/ TO ANGLE. 19 proportional thickness, for fresh water, and of greater power for sea-fishing. The size is denoted bj numbers, which are difierently used by difierent makers. Some makers call the smallest size No. 10, and their largest 20 ; while others begin at ISTo. 1, the largest, descending to 15, or any other number as the smallest. The Limerick hooks are denoted by letters A, the largest B, and so on. These trade marks will be explained by the sellers, who will give advice as to which are best suited for any sort of fishing. Straight hooks are generally considered the best, but many bended ones are used. Always try the strength of your hooks before using them, as many large fish are lost by the hook breaking. FLOATS. In rapid rivers a cork float must be used ; but in quiet streams or ponds the quills of the porcupine, swan, goose, or Muscovy duck. As floats can be procured at any fishiug-tackle maker's better than an amateur can make them, it is always advisable to buy them ; but we give the following instruc- tions for any w ho may wish to try their hands at manul'acturing them : — The cork is burned or 20 HOW TO ANGLE. drilled to admit the quill, tlie bottom of which is plugged with wood, and has the ring fixed to it for the line to pass through. The cork, after being cut roughly into the shape desired, must be filed or scraped to make it smooth for painting. Por sink- ing the float sufficiently in the water, the line is weighted a few inches from the bottom loop, to which the hook, line, or hair is fixed. Split shot are the usual and convenient sinkers used, being fastened by a pair of pincers or pliers. One or two small shot near the hook help to keep the bait steady. LANDING-NET, GAFF, AND DKAG-HOOK. For ordinary fishing, a landing-net is seldom required ; but for pike, salmon, and other strong fish it will be found useful where it is difficult, from the nature of the banks, to land large fish. It is merely a small bag-net, stretched on a hoop or circle of iron at the end of a pole four or five feet long. The gaff is another implement sometimes used, being like a small boat-hook, for seizing a large fish when threatening to be obstreperous on landing. It is chiefly used for landing salmon. T'le drag-liook is li\-e a sm:ill anchor with threo nOAV TO ANGLE. 21 prongs, used for clearing away weeds at the bottom when the fishing-hook gets entangled. BAITS. The most usual baits for bottom-fishing are worms, gentles, larvae, or grubs, and pastes of various kinds. Worms may be used all day in spring and autumn, but in summer only in the morning early, and late in the evening. Anglers seldom regard the nice distinctions of natural history — worms and grubs of other species than those familiarly known serving the purpose almost as well. The following are among the sorts in most general use. Lohs or red garden worms : good bait for large greyling, perch, trout, breams, and eels. Brandling, a striped worm found on dunghills : a good bait for most fish. Blood-worms, the larvae of beetles, are also killing baits. The blood-worm found in ditches, drains, and cow-layers, is blood-red, and about the thick- ness of a worsted needle : a particularly good bait for gudgeons, carp, roach, and dace. Two or three should be put on the hook together. Maggots, or gentles, from game and other meat in high condition : good for most fish. 22 HOW TO ANGLE. Caddis-hait, the larvae of flies, found amongst water-weeds, are good for any fish which frequent the water in wliich they are found. Insects of various kinds, minnows and other small live fish, or artificial imitations of them, are good for pike, salmon, trout, and perch. Salmon spawn, which may be bought ready pre- served, is a good bait for trout, roach, and chub. Gentles, or maggots, may usually be got at fish- ing tackle shops ready for use ; otherwise they are bred from liver or from a piece of coarse fish, which the flies blow in a few days. Some fine bran and sand, or bran and oatmeal, being put into a dish when the first brood are of full growth, the maggots then bred scour themselves in it ; if the liver is suspended over the dish, the maggots fall into the bran and become fitted for use. When bred late in the autumn, they continue in the larva state all the winter, if kept in the bran or allowed to shelter themselves under garden mould. In summer, about two or three days after falling from the carrion into the bran, the gentles are in primest condition, becoming harder after tour or five days in the progress of their transformation to flies. Lobs, caddis, and other bait, will be besc kept under now TO ANGLE. 23 circumstances as near as possible to their natural condition, wlietlier with mould, moist gravel, water, or other appliances. For water-larvte bait pans with small holes are used, to admit of their being dipped occasionally in water. Paste is a good bait for the generality of fresh- water fish. It is formed of flour, bread, honey, and water enough to make into a consistent paste, and coloured with a little red ochre or yermilion. For carp, chub, roach, and tench, a paste made with crumb from a penny roll, dipped in honey and worked up to a sufBcient consistence to remain on the hook, will be found very killing. Another capital paste for carp, tench, chub, dace, bleak, and barbel, is made by dipping a small piece of bread in water, squeezing it quite dry in the palm of your hand, and then kneading it well. Chub are also very fond 'of a paste of rotten Cheshire cheese and crumb of bread. In making these pastes take care that the hands are perfectly clean. Geound baits. For brirbel : boiled greaves, clay, and bran, worked into balls* For carp, roach, dace, and 24 now TO AKGLE. cliub : ■white bread eoaked in \rater, worked up witli bran and pollard. For roach, dace, and bleak: small balls of clay and bran mixed. For all fish in Stillwater: bread chewed till it sinks is a capital bait. For roach in rivers : balls of bread and bran. Ground-baiting should be done the night before, if practicable. FLIES. Fly-fishing is justly considered the highest depart- ment of the art, requiring more skill, address, and practice, besides being a neater, cleaner, and less repulsive mode of operation, at least when artificial flies are used, as ought almost always to be the case. Fishing-tackle shops have an endless variety of flies for sale, and it would require a volume to describe all the kinds that are met with ; but for ordinary use, no great assortment is necessary. Any attempt to imitate natural flies closely, would be useless labour. Very clumsy resemblances suffice in most cases, and there are only a few general points to be taken into account with regard either to shape or colour. Mr. Stoddart, one of the most skilful anglers and accomplished writers on the art, affirms that two sorts of flics may be relied on as sufljicient HOW TO ANGLE. 25 for most waters all the year round, and he engages, with a maximum of four flies, to catch trout in any water, at any season, all over the kingdom. In fact, the colours of water and sky are almost the only indicators to guide to the suitable hue ot artificial flies, ordinary judgment being shown in the form and size. The following is a short cata- logue of different flies : — The Black Palmer, Eed Palmer, and Soldier Palmer are standard flies, and are valuable for drop- fiies in bad weather, and may be used generally. Hofland's Fancy may be used after sunset with success in any part of the kingdom, and in any season. The Chantrey. — This fly was a great favourite with the late Sir Francis Chantrey, and is an excellent killer. Blue Dun. — Appears in March, and generally upon the water in dark, windy days ; may be used with success till October. Dun Drake, also called the March Brown, appears about the latter end of March, and continues in season till the beginning of May ; it will be found a very killing fly, in many lakes in Wales, from March to September. 26 HOW TO ANGLE. The Yellow Sally continues in season from May to July in warm weather. The Iron Blue is in season from April till July, and again in September and October. The Great Eed Spinner may be used in the even- ing during the whole summer season. Carshalton Cocktail. — A dun fly, and usefid in a good many streams. Pale Yellow Dun. — Appears in April, and may be used till the end of the season. The Orange Dun is in use on most of the streams in the South of England. The Cow Dung Fly is in season throughout the year, and is used chiefly in dark windy weather. The Governor and Hare's Ear Dun are killing flics for the Hampshire rivers, as also the King- dom and Kindon, besides being a good general fly- Gravel or Spider Ely. — ^The Trout take this fly freely in the localities where it is found. It appears at the beginning of May, and may be used at all times of the day. Brown Shinar is killing in Cumberland and Wales. Edmondson's Welsh Fly. — A great favourite in HOW TO ANGLE. 27 Wales, also good for the lakes of England, Ireland, and Scotland. Black Gnat. — A capital fly for trout and dace, and may be used from April to the end of the season. The Sand Fly. — Trout and greyling take this fly freely from April to the end of September. Wren Tail. — An excellent fly for small, bright streams, especially for the northern counties. The Stone Fly. — A large kind of fly, appears in April; it is used in windy weather, and is a good fly in May or June, early in the morning or late in the evening. The Alder Fly is in season in May and June. It is an excellent fly, and will tempt the trout, even where the May-fly is strong on the water. GENERAL HINTS. In hot days it is immaterial for angling what quarter the v^dnd comes from ; biit when the weather is cold and windy, fish on the weather side of the river, as the fish lie there for warmth and quiet. When the weather is warm, and a good breeze on the river, angle on the lee side, as the fish come to it to pick up the flies which the 28 now TO ANGLE. wind drives over. From November to April, fish rise and bite best in the warmest time of the day. When the day is bright, the sun gleaming at times, and the water very clear, always use small dark- coloured flies, as the lish in such weather will dis- cover it to be counterfeit if the artificial fly is large. On hooking a large fisb, immediately lower your elbow, and push forward the butt end of your rod, which will cause it to stand almost erect, only a little bent at the top by the weight of the fish. Keep steady, and do not pull ; but if he runs, let go the line ; should he struggle and leap, do not check him, but the moment he seems quiet reel the line up, and keep it tight again, which will soon tire him. Fish the side of the river next you first (keeping out of sight), so far down, then return to where you commenced, and fish the middle, and as far as you can reach across. Always endeavour to have the wind at your back and the sun before you, so that the shadow of yourself, rod, and line may not be seen. When a fish rises, strike quickly, but gently, and upright when you can, keeping the elbow of your rod arm close to your side, which will prevent you from breaking the line in striking. HOW TO ANGLE. 29 In fly-lisliing, keep as mucli of the line out of the water as possible, that it may not disturb the water and frighten the fish. In holding the rod, when fishing for salmon or large fish, place one hand below the reel, the other above it, encircling the line and rod, to prevent the line from running off the reel when throwing the fly. What is greatly conducive to success in angling is to cast the line so that the fly may touch the water first, and the least possible part of the line afterwards. This art may be attained by paying attention to the following directions : — Hold the rod as directed above ; stand erect ; should the right hand be uppermost, bring the line round the left shoulder with a sweep of the rod ; throw out and check it when nearly at its greatest extension, by giving the rod a quick jerk backwards, which will retard the line and propel the fly, and cause it to touch the water first. The body, in casting the line, ought never to be thrown back or forward, nor ought it to diverge to the right or left ; neither ought it, after the line is cast, to stoop forward, which appears awkward. In angling, you ought always to stand at ease ; the weight of the body alternately on the right and left foot. 30 now TO ANGLE. THE SALMON. The salmon is, without doubt, the finest of the fresh-water fish, as has always been admitted. This monarch of rivers is very handsome in its make, having a small head, with sharp-pointed nose, grey on the back, and sides sometimes spotted with black, sometimes plain, as are also the gills. The belly is ?ilvery, and the teeth, slen- der but sharp, are lodged in the jaws and tongue. The tail is a little forked. The female has a longer snout, the scales are duller in appearance, and the flesh is paler, and has less flavour than that of the male. In fishing for salmon with baits, prawns, worms, minnows, cockles, or mussels and salmon roe boiled are all considered good bait«, minnows and worms especially on their first arri- val into fresh-water. Tliis mode of catching salmon is not so difficult as with the fly. Having baited your hook, cast tlie lines (without shot) into some shallow at the edge of a pool, allowing the current to carry down the bait. Strike smartly after having given the fish time to swallow the bait, hold the rod firmly, and you will not have much diffi- culty in landing him. now TO ANGLE. 31 In fishing for tlie salmon with a fly, attend to the following directions : — Keep the fly always in constant motion. At the head of a rapid stream draw the fly against it ; but at the middle and bottom of it across, as, eight times in ten, they follow the fly, and take it in the act of describing the segment of a circle across the stream. "When a salmon gets sulky and lies down, throwing in stones seldom moves him. Have, therefore, recourse to the tickler, a piece of lead six inches long, formed like a pencil. Bend it round the top of your rod, give it a shake, when it will run down the line to the hook, v/liich will so surprise and confound him that he often leaps, tosses, flies, and splashes ; at this time, keep your finger ofl' the running-line, and, if possible, stand opposite to him, with the rod almost erect ; when you find him a little steady after this brush, endea- vour to get his head down the stream, that the water may get into his gills and out at his masti- cators, which will soon nearly drown him in his own element. Should the bank be precipitous, use the landing-net or gaff". The flies for salmon-fishing are generally gaudy, with two or three wings ; but we are inclined to give the preference to the one 32 now TO ANGLE. dressed to imitate the natural fly, unless the rivers are dark from tributary rivulets that run into them. There should not be more than two wings to a salmon fly, as they prevent the wings playing, which is considered a great enticement to the fish. The best flies for salmon are as follows : — For August, Cow Dung Fly ; for May, Yellow May Fly and Black Caterpillar j for June, White Moth ; for August, Willow. THE TEOUT. The trout ranks next to the salmon in the estima- tion of all real anglers, and always affords good sport. They very much resemble the salmon in their habits, ascending rivers at the spawning sea- son, and clearing obstacles as large in proportion as the salmon is known to do. There are several species or varieties of trout; and between April and August they are everywhere in season — in some places, from March, and as late as September. November to January is their spawning-time. Their favourite haunts are the dark pools of pebbly rivers, mill-dams, or weirs, and deep lakes with rocky bottoms. Minnow is the most attractive bait, being thrown in gently, and worked quickly, HOW TO ANGLE. 33 but lightly, against the current. With flj, throw across the stream upwards, and slowly draw it towards your left hand, giving a quivering motion with the wrist, so as to imitate the movements of the natural fly. Blue Duns, Marlow Burrs, Hofland's Fancy, Eed Cowdungs, Governors, Eed Spinners, Eed Hackle, Eed Palmer, The Dotterel Hackle, are capital flies, and in the spring, when very cold weather, even accompanied by frost and snow, they take the smallest Midge-flies — Double Nothings — when the water is clear. Generally, the brightest colours best suit midsummer months, and more sombre hues the spring and autumn. When a fish is hooked, always try to turn his head with the stream, which exhausts him sooner, and gives less strain to the line. Early in spring is the best time for trout-fishing with bait, and in the morning or evening, the fish preferring to rise to the top in the day-time to look out for winged food. A well- scoured brandling is usually the best bait for the body of the water when turbid, and for bottom- fishing a lob-worm, using a small shot for sinking, and a light float. The hook should be small and the gut fine, and the line not too long. How to troll for trout will be found at the end of the book. 31 HOW TO ANGLE. The only mode of fishing for trout in a calm or in sunshine is by dropping a fly in the centre of the circle a trout describes on sucking down a fly. It is a very amusing, as well as an excellent way ot catching fish in a calm, sunshine, or muddy water, and even at night, if the circle can be perceived. Deep pools are the best ; your fly-line must be of the finest gut, two yards long, tapering from the casting-line, with one hook attached to it. Keep a sharp look-out for a circle, to enable you to drop your fly with quickness and precision into the centre; when you attain this, you are almost certain of hooking the trout. It is often imma- terial what colour your fly is. Many large trout are taken in this way. THE EOACH. "Walton calls this fish the " water-8heep," on account of his eimplicity ; but for all that, he affords excellent sport for the angler, and will take a variety of baits. Late in the summer and early in the autumn is the proper season for these fish, when they may be found in gravelly or sandy streams, and in warm weather in shallows, under the shade of bough?, or water- weeds. In warm weather these HOW TO AKGLE. 35 fish only bite in the morning and evening, in cold weather in the middle of the day, and in moderately warm and cloudy weather during the whole day. Use a light hand-rod for this fish, and as fine a line as you please. Bait with the yellow fly which is found on cow dung, artificial house-flies with a gentle attached, paste, or boiled grains of wheat or barley, or grasshoppers. Ground-bait should be used for fishing in ponds. In bottom-fishing sink the bait within a few inches of the bottom. THE DACE. This pretty fish, which in the sport it afibrds very much resembles the trout, frequents shallow and deep but rapid streams, and bites freely in the spring and late in the summer. The best time of the day in hot weather is early or late ; in cold weather, the middle of the day ; and the whole of the day in mild cloudy weather. He will take many kinds of baits, but red worms, flies, and the common black gnat with a gentle attachedj are considered the best. The same tackle as used for the roach will answer admirably. The ground-bait for dace should be bread soaked in water. 36 now TO ANGLE. THE GEEYLING. Ttese graceful and beautifully -marked fish are in best order just as trout are getting out of season. The back is a bluish steel colour, and the sides grey with black spots. In the morning or evening they bite most freely, and dun-flies should be used. A gentle or maggot on the fly increases the chance, but there is little shyness when the fish are plenti- ful. They are not nearly so common throughout the country as the trout, and are most frequent in the clear streams of Derbyshire and the uplands of other midland counties. They hare been taken oi five pounds, but in general they do not weigh above one pound. Cabbage -grubs, grasshoppers, and lob-worms are good baits for bottom-fishing for greyling j and the best months for taking them are September, October, and November. Walton says, " Of grubs for greyHng, the ash- grub, which is plump, milk-white, bent round from head to tail, and exceedingly tender, with a round head ; or the dock-worm, or grub of a pale yellow, longer, lanker, and tougher than the other, with rows of feet all down his belly, and a red head also, are the best — I say for greyling, because, although HOW TO AKGLE. 37 a trout will take both these, and the ash-grub espe- cially, yet he does not do it so freely as the other, and I have usually taken ten greylings for one trout with that bait ; though, if a trout come, I have observed that he is commonly a very good one." Care should be taken in landing these fish, as they often slip their hold of the hook. THE GUDGEON. This is a sweet-flavoured little fish, and one that gives good sport to the young angler, from hia freeness in taking ground-bait. In summer, gud- geon abound in the shallows of gravelly streams ; but in winter they remove to deeper water. They bite freely from the end of spring until autumn commences, during an hour after sunrise to within the same space of its setting : the rest of the year in the middle of the day. By disturbing the bottom with a garden rake, crowds of them are attracted, and they can then be readily taken with small blood-vrorms, grubs, or gentles. Eepeat the same operation at another place, when they leave off biting. Use a light rod, and single hair line, with a small float. In tidal rivers, such as the Thames, allowance must be made for the rise or fall of the 38 HOW TO ANGLE. water alterino- the depth, and requiring alteration of the length of the line. THE PEECH. From their want of shyness, and their gregarious habits, perch, which are to be met with almost everywhere, usually afford good sport, and at any time of the year, except the beginning of summer from April to June ; but they are in perfection in August, September, and October. Early morning and late in the evening are the best times for catch- ing this fish, except when the weather is cloudy, when they will bite all day. Eeedy streams, deep holes, locks, and wherever there is a fall of water, are the favourite haunts of perch. As they go in shoals, it is best to have several hooks at work, which may be differently baited ; if three, the lowest with a lob-worm or brandling, the middle with a minnow, and the upper with a red- worm. To diminish risk of entanglement, there is a contriv- ance for making the three hooks stand out hori- zontally from the line at the different depths, so as to revolve without interfering with each other. HOW TO ANGLE. 39 THE CABP. More craft and wariness are needed for catching carp than any other fish that swims. They fre- quent most of the ponds and rivers of Europe, but attain perfection in clayey, muddy-bottomed waters, which have a gentle flow. Their shyness is all the more provoking that they are known to be at hand, " twigging" the angler, and of all sizes, even up to ten or twelve pounds. They sometimes reach twenty pounds, and attain a most patriarchal age. Live gentles, worms, and dainty paste, of flour or ground rice and honey, will be most likely to tempt them. Fme gut line, hook on eight or nine, and the smallest quill float possible. With such a slender line it is impossible to strike a fisli, it is therefore necessary to let him have line, checking him gently, and allowing him to tire him- self out by his own exertions. From February till June carp bite at all times of the day, from then till September only in the morning and evening. It is well to ground bait the spot before you begin fishing, grains or gar- bage of any kind being very attractive to these fish. The most retired spots are their flivouritc haunts. 40 HOW TO INGLE. THE TENCH. Tench luxuriate in lakes, still, weedy ponds, shaded with foliage, and stagnant muddy waters. They seldom grow so large as carp, and are less beautiful in their scales, but are very prolific, and abound in most waters. They may be angled for the same as carp, using the same ground bait, from April till October in rivers, and in still waters from May till September. The bait should always touch the bottom. The morning and evening is the most favourable time for catching them, except in windy and showery weather, when they bite freely all day. After having hooked a fish, take care that he does not run into the mud ; but hold him firmly, and humour him till he is exhausted, THE JACK, OB PIKE. These are names for the same fish, which are called jack when of small size, and pike when they reach three pounds or thereabout. The pike is a rough, savage, voracious, destructive fish, well de- serving the name of the fresh-water shark. He is even a cannibal ; an old pike having been known HOW TO Angle. 41 to swallow a jack more than a third of his own weight. Some specimens grow to an enormous size, twenty or twenty-five pounds being not uncommon. These monsters gorge themselves with every sort of prey, not only fish, but water-rats, ducks, and geese being attacked by them, and they have been known to swallow the leaden plummet of the line. They are taken from autumn to spring, being in the finest condition in October. In all parts of the country they are common, growing larger in ponds than in streams, though river pike are best for table. Trolling for pike is considered the best mode of angling, instructions for which will be found at the end of the book. Perch with the fin cut off", or gudgeon or roach, are excellent line baits for pike, as is also a good yellow frog, as ledger bait. A stiff* rod and strong line is required, with a gimp hook. Many large pike are caught by attaching a live bait to a strong goose or duck. Good sport is also occasioned by doing the same with a bladder, which it is impossible for the pike to drag under water. Some people shoot pike; but it generally mangles them. In warm weather large pike may be caught by snaring. For this purpose a strong rod may be used, with a circular wire 42 now TO ANGLi:. noo?e fixed at the cud. Draw the noose over the head of the fisli (when basking), and strike imme- diately it is over the shoulders. In fly-flshing for pike large gaudy flies are required ; but this method of taking is not often practised. EELS. Eels are found in all the rivers and waters of Europe, whether clean or dirty, muddy, stony, or sandy, and are most readily taken in hot summer nights, when they feed greedily ; but they are in season most of the year. The rod must be stiff and strong, and the line stout, with a good-sized hook. Garden v/orms, or lob-worms, are the best baits. As soon as you have landed an eel, cut off his head, which will facilitate disgorging the hook, and prevent you entangling your line. Bobbing for eels is practised from a punt in the following manner: — String a quantity of marsh or lob-worms on worsted or coarse thread by passing a needle through them from head to tail. Having a large bunch of them, fasten it to a cord, with a lead sinker in the middle, and cast it gently into the water. The bunch of baits vrill sink to the bottom. Eaise them constantly a few inches from BOVi TO ANGLE. 43 the ground and let them sink again. As soon as you perceive a bite draw up quickly but carefully, and let the eel or eels fall into the boat. Many are takentogetherbythis method, especially in thenight, though eels generally bite freely in the day-time. THE BAEBEL. The barbel takes its name from the beard or wattles which are about his mouth. " With these beards or wattles," says Walton, " he is able to take such a hold of weeds and moss, that the sharpest floods cannot move him from his position. He seems to have the power of rooting into the mud, and, pig-like, wallowing in the mire and weeds at the bottom of deep holes, and under overhanging banks." A strong but fine line should be used, and a stout rod, for he is a heavy fish to deal with. The baits must be clean, as the barbel is very dainty. The common red worm, tallow, greaves, slugs, grubs, gentles, and bits of cheese, are all good baits. No float should be used, and the shot should be covered with clay or leather, so that it may not frighten the fish. The most favourable times for catching barbel are the evening and morn- ing, but more especially the night. Being a strong 44 HOW TO ANGLE. fish, he affords good sport when hooked. The same ground bait may be used for barbel as for carp. THE CHUB. The chub is of no use but as a means of sport, as its flesh is not even palatable. It may be found in nearly all English rivers, under banks, in quiet deep holes, and occasionally in rapid streams. The chub which are found in ponds and lakes are infinitely inferior to those of the river. Red worms, lob-worms, grubs, gentles, cheese, cockchafers, humble-bees, and other insects are all good bait. Chub will also rise at flies. They will bite all the year round, but may be said to be in season from June to the end of August. Nearly auy bait is successful, as they are very gross feeders. Any kind of ground bait will suit this fish. THE BREAM. The bream has very much the same qualities as the chub, being very detestable on the table, but affording good sport to the angler. The same bait and tuckle, with a smnll float, as U!=cd for carp, will HOW TO ANGLE. 45 do as well as well as any other. June to October may be said to bo the best season for bream. Ground bait the spot you intend to fish on with greaves, or bran and clay made into small balls ; marsh worms, gentles, and paste are the best for bait, which should just clear the ground. Early in the morning and late in the evening is the best time for bream. THE BLEAK. This little fish frequents nearly all the rivers and fresh waters in Europe, and yields a good deal of amusing sport. The rod and tackle should be light and the hooks small. Bait with flies, gentles, and small grubs. Three or four hooks on the line are not amiss. .: THE MINNOW, LOACH. These little fish are of no account except as baits. Nets may be used for taking minnows, and if, lines, the smallest tackle possible. Bait with blood- worms, gentles, or paste. 46 HOW TO ANGLE. LAWS AND EEGULATIONS. Any person being armed and disguised, and vrho shall steal or nnlawfullj take away any fisli out of a river or pond, or maliciously break down and destroy the mound or head of any river, whereby the fish shall be lost or destroyed, or shall rescue any person in custody for such offence, or procure another to assist him therein, shall be found guilty of felony, without benefit of clergy. For destroying or killing fish in enclosed ground, being private property, a penalty of five pounds, or imprisonment in the House of Correction for not exceeding six mouths. For breaking into an enclosed or private ground, and stealing or destroying the fish, transportation for seven years, and receivers the like punishment. Is'^o persons may have in possession, or keep, any net, angle piche, or other engine for taking fish, but the makers and sellers thereof, and the owner or renter of a river fishery, except fishermen and their apprentices, legally authorized in navigable livers ; and the o«ner or occupier of the said nxev now TO ANGLE, 47 may seize, and keep, and convert to liis own use, every net, &c., which he shall discover laid or used, or in the possession of any person thus fishing without his consent. Damaging or intruding, by using nettrices, fish- hooks, or other engines to ca,tch fish, without con- sent of the owner or occupier, subjects the party thus trespassing to any amount of iine the magistrate or justice orders, provided it exceeds not treble the da- mages, and to a further fine, not exceeding ten shil- lings, for the use of the poor of the parish, or impri- sonment in the House of Correction, not exceeding one calendar month, unless he entersinto abond, with one surety, in a sum not exceeding £10 not to offend again, and the justice may cut or destroy the nets, &e. If any person unlawfully or maliciously cut, break down, or destroy any head or dam of a fish- pond, or unlawfully fish therein, he shall, at the prosecution of the king, or the owner, be impri- soned three months, or pay treble damages, and after such imprisonment, shall find sureties for seven years for his good behaviour, or remain in prison till he doth. To prevent the fish in the Thames from being improperly destroyed, the 30th of George the 48 now TO A^■aLK. Second enacts, that no person shall fish, or endea- vour to take fish, in the said river, between London-bridge and Eichmond-bridge, with other than lawful nets. For salmon, not less than six inches in the mesh ; For pike, jack, perch, roach, chub, and barbel, with a flew or stream net, of not less than three inches in the mesh throughout, with a facing of seven inches, and not more than sixteen fathom long ; For shads, not less than two inches and a half in the mesh ; For fl.ounders, not less than two inches and a half in the mesh, and not more than sixteen fathom long; For dace, with a single play-net, of not less than two inches in the mesh, and not more than thirteen fathom long, to be worked by floating only, with a boat and a buoy ; For smelts, with a net of not less than one inch and a quarter in the mesh, and not of greater length than sixteen fathom, to be worked by float- ing only, with a boat and a buoy ; Under the penalty of paying and forfeiting the sum of five pounds for every such offence. r now TO ANGLE. 49 No fish of any of the sort hereinafter mentioned may be caught in the Thames or Medway, or sold, or exposed to or for sale, if caught in the Thames or Medway— No salmon of less weight than six pounds, No trout of less weight than one pound, No pike or jack under twelve inches long, from the eye to the length of the tail. No perch under eight inches long, No flounder under seven inches long, No sole under seven inches long, No plaice or dab under seven inches long, No roach under eight inches long, No dace under six inches long, No smelt under six inches long, No gudgeon under five inches long, No whiting under eight inches long, No barbel under twelve inches long. No chub under nine inches long. Under pain to forfeit five pounds for every such offence. Salmon and trout may be taken only from Jan- uary 25th to September 10th. Pike, jack, perch, roach, dace, chub, barbel, and 50 now TO ANGLE. gudgeon, may be taken between July 1st and March 1st. Bottom-fishing is prohibited in the river Thames, as far as the Corporation of London has jurisdiction, from the 1st of March to the 1st of June. The right of fishing in the sea, and in aU riyers where the tide ebbs and fi.ows, is a right common to all the king's subjects. Any person or persons considering themselves wronged or aggrieved by any decision against them by the magistrate or justice, may appeal against it at the quarter sessions. PEOTECTIOX OF PRESERVES. " That no person shall fish with any sort of net, weel, night-hook, or any other device, except by angling in, or make use of any net, engine, or device to drive the fish out of any place which shall be staked by order of the Lord Mayor of the City of London for the time being, as conservator afore- said, for the preservation of the fishery, and where- of notice shall be stuck up in some public place of the town or village next adjoining to the place or places so ordered to be staked ; and that no person shall take up or remove any stake, burr, boat, or HOW TO ANGLE. 51 any other thing which shall have been driven down or sunk in any such place as aforesaid, upon pain to forfeit and pay, from time to time, the sum of five pounds for every offence or breach of any part of this order." — City Ordinances, Item 44. 1 1 lli » » 11 i H = 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 nil 1 1 1 ss- ZS ^i fl 1 a e? F fi F P ES^-E i-ii. F = ?- S ES 5 B rS" SB £3*2 * i s 25 ii a kS CK KS ;;rs3 SZZ -.^.^ ssxs = "i II HI =^3 .1 llll 1^. • • 1 s ; r 1 1 H llll Ill II His c 1? 2 2o 2 f i:£ o = = « = - 22=2 p. i« ji s." is s-^-s- = o fi s 1 1- b.< ^Z ^ll< 2do/j Review, " No publication of the day is, to our mind, so useful."— S^anfZarcf. " In the form of a pocket remembrancer, we have such a variety of carefully condensed information— historical, physiological, mathematical, and astronomical— to say nothing of pages teeming with instructive facts in chemistry, photography, &c., as to entitle it to the title of a Pocket Csc\opxd\&."—M(yrni7ic/Adiertwer. Monthly, Price 3tZ., THE PUPIL-TEACHER; THE ONLY INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL PUBLICATION FOE ELEMENTARY TEACHERS. For SELF-TUITION in Arithmetic, Algebra, Grammar, Geography, History.