<* < >fM *m - jf 7^ CARTHAGENA WEIR, (NEAR BROXBOURNE, IIBRTS.) Containing an Account of ALL THE BEST PLACES FOR ANGLING, THE MEANS USED TO OBTAIN PERMISSION. AS WELL AS AN ACCOUNT OF &f)e Different orts of & tsf) container therein ; THE TACKLE. BAITS, & OTHER REQUISITES TO FORM AN EXPERT ANGLER: WITH A CORRECT DESCRIPTION OF TYING HOOKS, MAKING ARTIFICIAL FLIES, REPAIRING TACKLE, &c. 1HE WHOLE ILLUSTRATED WITH EIGHTY V700D ENGRAVINGS. DESCRIPTIVE OF THE SUBJECTS TREATED ON. BY J. MARCH. Hontron : PUBLISHED BY J. MARCH, KNGRAVER ON WOOD. WATERLOO ROAD; EFFINGHAM WILSON, 88, ROYAL EXCHANGE; a. nER'GER, noi.ywKLL STREET; AND n. STKILL, PATERNOSTER BOW. Price Two Shillings. GLOSSARY TECHNICAL TERMS USED BY ANGLERS. Adipose Fin the small fleshy substance attached to the back of the Salmon, Trout, and Grayling, behind the dorsal fin. Bank Fishing to angle from the bank or shore, without the assist- ance of a boat or punt. Barb, or Beard the projecting part of the hook, rear the point, that prevents its returning when the fish is hooked. Bottom, or Ground Fishing to angle near, or on, the bottom of th river; so called, to distinguish it from fly-fishing. Bottom of a Line applies to the part nearest the hook. Butt, the thickest joint of the rod. Cads a sort of maggot found in dirty little pieces of straw, sticks, &c. on the bottom where the water is shallow. The Stone Ply and May Fly are produced from these. Cane the light cane comes from Carolina, and the strong and heavy cane is called bamboo. Caps small pieces of quill to hold your float steady on your line. Chain Lint. see Eel Fishing. Deeps the still deep parts of a river, where many large Barbel and other fish lie. Dibbing, or Dipping, angling over bushes, and with a short line, where you only dip your bait in occasionally. Dorsal Fin the large back fin. Dress to dress an artificial fly, means to make one. Dubbing the mohair, or other woolly substance, used to make the bodies of some artificial flies. Eddies the obstructed parts of rivers, where the stream curls round. Gentles maggots fit for usej that is, when they turn yellow after the green tinge has left them. Gorge to swallow. Greaves the sediment of kitchen-stuff, after the melting process of the tallow-chandler. Gregarious fish that congregate together* and swim in shoals, such as Gudgeons, &c. to distinguish them from those that live solitary, such as the Jack, &c. Ground Bait any food thrown in to encourage the fish to stay where you are angling, is termed Ground Bait. Gimp silk wound round with fine brass, or other wire, to prevent the teeth of Eels or Pike from cutting it. 2O67075 GLOSSARY. Hackles the feathers from the neck of a cock, used for making the legs of artificial flies, or the bodies of the Palmers. Hooked a Fish foul that means, by any other part than his mouth. Humble Bee the large yellow and black-bodied Bee. Hurl the fibrous parts of the Peacock, Ostrich, and other feathers. Kink to twist, or entangle. Landing Net is a net attached to an iron or brass wire-hoop, and fixed in a stick : this answers the purpose much better than a landing-hook, except for Pike, Lip Hook is a short-shanked-hook, used to hold the head of the Minnow, when spinning for Trout, &c. Link a single length of gut, &c. Leather-mouthed those fish are called leather-mouthed, that have gristly jaws without teeth, such as the Carp, Barbel, Gudgeon, &c. to distinguish them from the voracious tribes, such as the Jack, Perch, Trout, &c. all of which have bony jaws, studded with abundance of sharp teeth. Ledger, or Leger Bait a small piece of flat perforated lead, some- thing in the shape of a coffin, used to keep your bait still at the bottom. Live Bait Fishing only applies to the use of a live fish for a bait. Mohair Goat's hair, used for making the bodies of artificial flies; it is dyed of various colours, and is also used with horse-hair for twisting fly-lines. Palmer a large, rough, or hairy caterpillar. Paternoster Line see Fishing in the Docks. Play to play a fish, means to humour his violent motions until he becomes exhausted, so that he may not break your line. Plummet a lead used for sounding the depth. Pouch to swallow. Prime to prime, is to jump out of the water in sport. Barbel often leave the bottom of the river on a summer evening, and amuse themselves by leaping out of the water. Punt Fishing to angle from a flat-bottomed boat, such as are used in the Thames. Rank Hooks are denominated rank, when the point and barb pro- ject much. Rising applies only to the fish when feeding on the surface, taking flies, &c. Having a rise, is when a fish comes at your fly. Run When a Pike takes your bait, he almost always runs several yards with it, which is called a run. Running Line the line retained on your winch, for the purpose of lengthening at pleasure. Saddle Feathers, the large hackles from the loins of a cock. Scours, or Sharps where the stream runs rapid and clear, with a gravelly bottom. These parts are much frequented by the fish during the spring, and early summer months. Scour to free maggots or worms from their impurities, the former by means of coarse bran or sand ; the latter, by putting them in damp moss, or a very coarse rag, that they may crawl through, which they will do if you put them on the top of it. Shank of a Hook the part you attach to the line. Shelves are places worn under the banks by the action of the stream, where Chub and many Barbel harbour. GLOSSARY. Silk Weed green, slimy stuff, engendered at the bottom of some rivers, iu the early part of the summer. Spear an instrument for striking Salmon, &c. ; the flat kind are used for Eels. Spike an instrument attached to the butt of the rod, for the purpose of fixing it upright in the ground, useful only in Fly Fishing. Stretcher. See " Droppers." Strike to hit a Salmon with a spear; the jerk by which you hook a fish when it bites. Strolling an amusing way of taking Trout, Chub, Perch, Dace, &c. See " Strolling." Swim a swim is a deep, steady part of the river, where the fish remain during the autumn and winter months; properly speaking, it only comprehends the distance within reach of your rod and line, from where you have taken your stand for angling, which no honest angler ought to intrude on. Take to catch fish. Tickling poaching for Trout, &c. Tight Line to keep a tight line, is, not to let your fish run from under the rod any more than you can help, keeping him from weeds, &c. ; to give line, is to let it off your winch, that he may have more room to play. Threading Worms. See " Bobbing." Traces pieces of gimp or gut, with swivels attached, for spinning a Minnow, &c. Trimmers self-acting lines for Pike, Eels, &c. See " Jack Fishing." Trolling Jack Fishing. Tumbling Bay a water-fall. Wattles. See '' Barbs." Winch an instrument affixed to the butt of the rod, for the purpose of holding the spare line. Whipping Fly Fishing (this term is generally applied to angling with only eight or ten yards of line out) ; throwing a fly is the term generally used. Whip, to tie on. ERRATA. The Cut, in page 6, is placed, by mistake, the wrong way up wards. I have also endeavoured to rectify the Gorge Dead Bait; a Shot was placed on it by mistake. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION PACE 1 CHAP. I. Description of Rivers, Lakes, Ponds, $c. The Thames 3 Lea 9 Colne 13 Mole 14 Wey 14 Wandle 15 Dartford 15 Ra vensbourne 16 New River 16 Brent 16 Serpentine 17 Dagenham Breach 17 East India, and other Docks, Canals, &c 18 CHAP. II. Description of Fish. The Prickleback 19 Minnow 19 Loach : 20 Bullhead 21 Ruff, or Pope 21 Bleak 22 Gudgeon 22 Smelt 24 Roach 25 Dace 27 Bream 28 Chub SO Barbel 32 Carp 34 Tench 36 Perch 37 Jack, or Pike 39 Eel 40 Grayling 45 Trout 46 Salmon 47 Gudgeon Fishing 23 Chub Fishing 31 Sniggling 42 Bobbing 43 Spearing Eels 45 CHAP. III. Description of Tackle. The Rod PAGE 51 Winch 63 Running Line 54 Landing Net 64 Float 55 Plummet 56 Hook 57 Line 57 Other Apparatus 58 CHAP. IV. Of Baits. Gentles 59 Worms 60 How to bait ditto 61 Ground Baits 61 Remarks on ditto 62 CHAP. V. Bottom Fishing. Ri?er Fishing 63 Pond ditto 64 Dock ditto 65 Strolling 66 Dibbing 66 Spinning a Minnow 67 Ledger Fishing 69 CHAP. VI. Trolling. Gorge Dead Bait 71 Ditto Live ditto 74 Snap Fishing 75 Spring ditto 77 Trimmer ditto 77 Remarks on Trolling 79 CHAP. VII. Fly Fishing. How to throw a Fly 82 Articles for Fly Making .... 84 How to make a Palmer 84 A Ribbed ditto 86 How to make a Winged Fly 87 How to tie a Hook 89 How to splice a Joint 90 List of Flies 91 Hints for Throwing a Fly ... 93 Remarks on Fly Fishing 95 General Remarks 96 INTRODUCTION, THE following Work has been written with no other view than to place before the public, in a condensed form, and at a reasonable price, a body of useful information on the Art of Angling; some of which, I admit, is to be found in former works, but at great cost and trouble; most of the expensive books on the subject being en- larged with songs and other matter of little moment (as far as instruction in the art goes). Although these may be very amusing, they tend to lengthen the work, and enhance the price, a thing of consequence in this age of economy; to obviate which, and at the same time modernize and improve* (as far as lies in my power) this pleasant recreation, is the purport of this work. Most of the places will be described from a personal acquaintance with them. With regard to the Fish, I do not pretend to give a copious natural history of them; but a concise descrip- tion of their haunts, food, spawning-time, &c. accompanied with cuts, drawn from the life, giving as good a representation of them as lies in my power; being draughtsman and en- graver, as well as author, the whole of the faults (and no doubt there are many) are my own; for which I beg the reader's indulgence. I shall also endeavour to class such fish as are taken * It would appear as if the science of Angling was incapable of improvement, to look over the different works on the subject for the last century, they being nearly all alike, "Sailer's" excepted. I cannot see why it should not keep pace in improvement with any other science. 11 INTRODUCTION. by the same means under one head; a plan which will prevent the tautology that occurs in other works of this kind. This method will simplify and render more comprehensive to the young angler his wants, according to the part he intends to angle in*. It would ill become me to make any apology for this work; for if I had not the vanity to think I could render myself useful in forward- ing the art, I should not have sent it forth. My father having been a Fishing-tackle maker, I had an opportunity of conversing with old sportsmen from all parts of the country; added to which, I have been a practical angler for 20 years, possessing as great a love for the art as any man, and spending a large portion of my time angling in the waters herein described; consequently the information given may be de- pended on. I shall commence with a description of all the Rivers, Ponds, &c. near London, by the perusal of which the reader may form some idea of the necessary tackle to take with him, as well as the sport he is likely to meet with. June, 1831. J. MARCH. * I think the Reader will here find everything connected with the art of angling as clearly explained as if he read through three or four of the most costly works on the subject. THE JOLLY AVdiLER: WATER-SIDE COMPANION. CHAP. I. DESCRIPTION OF RIVERS, PONDS, &c. &c. M THE THAMES. As I shall endeavour to confine myself to the subject as much as possible, I will place myself at STAINES BRIDGE, and from thence bring you down to London. I have not had much sport at this Bridge, the depth being upwards of 20 feet: of course, nothing but Ledger- fishing would be likely to give you any return for your trouble, a style of angling much followed in this river, where it frequently produces many Barbel, as well as occasionally a Perch or Eel. Passing downwards, I shall just mention that beautiful spot, LALEHAM, where there used to be many Skeggers* (something like a * Of late years they have been very scarce (as have also the shad and smelt), last year, 1830, being the first for many that I have 8 w en any of the shad worth mentioning. I feel convinced the refuse from the Gas Works caused the desertion of all fish from their vicinity, though I believe the Legislature has, in a great measure, remedied it. , THE JOLLY ANGLER. small trout or salmon) caught in the shallows in the spring of the year, with a fly-line and gentle, on a small artificial fly (see FLY-FISHING). Leaving Laleham, I know of no good place till you come to CHERTSEY DEEPS. There you may take plenty of the usual Thames fish, such as Barbel, Perch, Roach, Dace, Bleak (and Gudgeons on the scours); there are a few fish called Pope, which come out of the River Wey, that empties itself into the Thames hereabout (see RIVER WEY). The next place is SHEPPERTON DEEPS, where the Barbel often run large, as they do also in the Deeps at WALTON. I here, as well as in the forementioned places, allude to punt-fishing; but there are likewise plenty of good spots to angle from on the banks, all the way from Staines to Richmond, which you may generally discover by the deep and curling eddies, as well as by the grass being worn off by former sportsmen standing thereon; this remark I have found of great service to me at many places to which I have been a stranger. From Walton you may pass on to HAMPTON, where there are plenty of fish in the deeps, as there are also at Hampton Court Water Gallery, where you may, as well as at some other parts of the river, occasionally meet with a Trout or two, the largest and best of the kind in England; they are generally from five to ten pounds each, though I confess they are scarce: (I do not think they breed about here, but grow to a large size when they get into this part of the river, the same as the Carp and Tench in the Lea;) there are also many Eels, some good Perfch, and a few Jack in different parts of the river. THE JOLLY ANGLER. THE SWAN AT DITTON ranks high among the favourite resorts of the London angler, where he may meet with every accommodation he can wish for, with as good a prospect of success as at any part of the river that I am acquainted with*. There are many fine Gudgeons caught during the early part of the season from here down to Richmond (see GUDGEON- FISHING). After the Swan, we come to KINGSTON, another good situation for angling from a punt, or from the shore on the Middlesex side, during the early spring months. The ancient wooden bridge used to harbour a great quantity of fine Barbel, &c.; but those decayed * 1 consider this neighbourhood the most productive of every thing an angler can desire, as the distance from London is not above twelve miles, with the chance, if you stay a day or two, of spend- ing your evenings in company with some old sportsmen, from whom you may learn something; a circumstance that has entertained me nearly as much as the sport itself. . A 3 6 THE JOLLY ANGLER. piers have been pulled out to make way for the present noble structure of stone, which affords no encouragement to the fish, though there are still plenty in its vicinity. We now come to TWICKENHAM DEEPS, an excellent situation for angling, with the King's Head and George, good houses of accommodation for the angler. From Twickenham Deeps I should say the chance of large fish rather falls off towards RICHMOND. Here are still some good places for angling; but the fish run smaller, though I think more numerous, than in the former .parts. From Richmond downwards there is nothing worth noting till you come to PUTNEY BRIDGE, a place I recommend to the London angler, who has but a. fern hours to spare. Here you fish the tide down until low water, (spring tides excepted, which run too rapid for the first three hours ; the flood tide is no good to the angler, ) the last two hours of the ebb tide ; if the fish leave off biting at the pier-head, I would advise you to try under the arches, along the side of the piles, in the deep water, where in autumn the large Roach lie: all the best piers to angle from are on the Surrey side of the river*. Your boat should be moored to the bridge in the manner here described in a bird's-eye view: * Of late years the fish have taken their autumn abode more in the middle of the river. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 7 A, the pier of the bridge ; B, the boat ; C, a staff fastened in the piles to keep it steady, and just the length of the rod from where your float swims; the dotted line D shows the direction your bait should take from the pile E, where you should let your line sink, (as close to the bridge as possible, if the tide runs quick,) otherwise your bait will not reach the bottom till it is at the end of the swim. Having moored your boat as before described*, if near high water, you must have a stiff rod (see Bag- rod,) a long line, and a float that will carry eight or ten large, or more small shot (see Floats.) Towards low water you must change your line and float for a lighter one; the hook for this sort of fishing should be No. 10 stout, as you catch many Barbel here. Some use two hooks, one a foot above the other; but I have generally caught as many with one; two are apt to catch one another in sinking; besides, nine out of ten fish caught in this manner are on the bottom hook, a circumstance that will convince you of the necessity of fishing close to the ground. Having your tackle ready, proceed to plumb your depth, without which you might as well fish in a pail ; and mind you try your depth frequently as the tide falls, your success so much depends on your bait just dragging along the ground, which it will do here, the end of the swim being a foot shallower than the middle, where you take your depth; then throw in, (at the top of your swim E, as the tide will wash it down fast enough,) plenty of ground bait, in large balls (see " Ground Bait, Nos. 2 and 3"); bait your hook with two or three of the largest gentles. By these means you may reckon on good sport from June till October, or sometimes later: the dotted lines show where to place your boat, if you fish under the arch towards low water. Leaving the bridge, I will just mention Wandsworth Creek, where there are many Dace with some Roach and Eels, and a few Floun- ders. I have spent many a pleasant day, starting from town about three hours before high water, and rowing to Wandsworth Creek, where I place my boat under some * When fishing in the tide, occasionally observe the head of your boat, that it does not hang out of water, in consequence of the tide leaving it. 8 THE JOLLY ANGLER. willow-trees, against the osier bank, up the right hand water (from here I used to take my clay); where I put on a light rod, a single hair line, with a porcupine float, the same as 1 used for the bottom of the tide at Putney, and No. 11 hook; throw in a little ground-bait, and you will generally catch two or three dozen Dace the last hour and a half of the flood-tide; when it falls a little, the fish leave off biting here, and that is the time to take your boat to Putney -bridge, where you may fish the tide down. I used generally to leave off at Putney three quarters of an hour before low water, so as to have the tide in my favour home. At BATTERSEA BRIDGE there are many Roach and Dace, but there are very few Barbel. I have fished here some hundred times, when I lived on the spot, but never saw six taken with a line; so that you may fish safely with single hair, though it is of less advantage in the tide than in smooth, clear, and steady water. We are now getting too near town to expect much sport; still there are many Roach and Dace to be caught at Vauxhall, Westminster, and the other bridges, where the kind inquiries of u What sport?" " Do they bitel" " A maggot at one end, and a fool at t'other," &c. with occasionally a handful of dirt or a stone coining in the water or on your head, renders angling any thing but an amusement. I shall leave the Thames with this remark, that I should place it before any other river for bottom- angling, was it not for the great drawback, if you fish in the best places, of being cramped up in a punt or boat all day; not but there are, as I said before, a great many good places to angle from on the banks above Richmond. In punt-fishing, the boatmen of whom you hire the punt know the best places where to fix it much better than I could describe them, as each man is well acquainted with the localities of his own neighbourhood. Angling in this river is prohibited, under a heavy penalty, from the 1st of March until the 1st of June, in consequence of its being the spawning season*. * I never heard of this Act being put in force. THE JOLLY ANGLER. . 9 THE LEA rises in Bedfordshire, and runs from thence through the places hereafter mentioned, dividing Hertfordshire and Middlesex from the county of Essex, until it empties itself into the Thames, at Blackwall ; during the whole course of which it is difficult to mention a place that has not its admirers; in short it abounds with fish in every part. Most of this River is private or subscription water, which in the upper parts is one guinea per annum, in the lower ten shillings and sixpence, but being nearer town, and much frequented, the fish are more shy, and not so plentiful or large as higher up. I shall commence my description of this River near HERTFORD, where, a small distance from the town, in the Hertham Stream, I have taken a few Trout and many Dace with an artificial fly, and once, when the may-fly was on, I caught a good dish of fish with the real fly, in and about a bend of the River, where the water runs sharp; but I have not fished much above the RYE-HOUSE WATER, which now belongs to Mr. Webb, of the King's Arms. This piece of water begins at Black Pool, and continues about two miles down to the River Stort ; it is all deep heavy water, and favourable for bottom -fishing. The Chub, Roach, and Perch, are plentiful and large ; many of the Roach here are covered with black and rough spots, and here commences the best Jack fishing that I know of. From the King's Arms*, (where you may have excellent accommodation, the distance from town keep- ing the company select;) you may meet with good Chub, * It is only necessary for the Angler to board and lodge during his stay, at the King's Arms, to have permission to angle in the water belonging thereto; the same at the Crown, at Broxbourn ; at eith*- of which places he will be accommodated at a reasonable price, and if a stranger, a person from the house will shew him where to fish. * 10 THE JOLLY ANGLER. Roach, Jack, and Perch, all the way down to Crane's . Pool, where there is also a good supply of fish ; this is rented by Mr. Robinson, who, I believe at present keeps it sacred. It is about three quarters of a mile long, and joins Page's, at the bottom of Oak-tree Field. Page keeps a public-house, and has about a mile of good water, well stored with fish, but he nets it and sells the fish, of which he makes no secret. This is a Subscription water, below which is about three quarters of a mile of public water belonging to Nazing parish. This extends to Carthagena Fall, where the water rented by Mrs. Scorer begins ; there are always a few large Trout, as well as many Perch and Jack. From the Weir there are plenty of fish all down to the Crown, a house I would recommend the Angler to go to once ; he will want no persuasion of mine to go again ; here is " The Angler's Home." THE CROWN, AT BROXBOURN BRIDGE. I could not express half what I feel without appearing to depreciate the well-earned approbation that many other Houses have gained ; but I can no more get past this with- out saying something in its favour, than I could walk or ride within three miles of it without calling. I cannot give the old toast " may you never know want, but by THE JOLLY ANGLER. 11 name," for here are two* Wants, the more you know of them the better you'll like them. At this place you will find two miles of as good and well-preserved water as any I am acquainted with, not excepting the private waters belonging to many gentlemen, who make a great favour of their permission for a few hours' angling. It contains two water-falls, Carthagena and King's Weir. I only allude to the quantity and quality of the Jack, Chub, Roach, Perch, Dace, &c. ; the Trout here are good and large, but scarce; (there are no Trout streams of any note near London, but what are private, and generally speaking enclosed;) about 200 yards below King's Weir commences Mr. Weston's Subscription water, where there are some Trout, with plenty of large Jack, Chub, Dace, Eels, Perch, Roach, and Barbel; the latter fish I never saw caught either here or at Broxbourn, until last season, when some very large ones were taken : I know them to be abundant about King's Weir, and some other parts ; two miles below King's Weir, the water belonging to Government begins, and continues for some distance. The next place that I am acquainted with on the river is the King's Head Water, beginning at Enfield Lock, and ending at Hicks's Ford, about 1| miles long; it is private pro- perty, belonging to Messrs. Fluke and White; there is no public-house near it : after which comes FLANDER'S WEIR, LATE SHUREY CARPENTER'S, now rented by Mr. Towers, the miller of Chingford; it is open for Subscribers, and contains a fair quantity of Jack, Perch, Chub, Barbel, Roach, Dace, Bleak, &c. with plenty of fine Eels ; the distance from town enables you to go and return the same day, which you may do from September until February; the summer months you ought to fish from daylight till nine in the forenoon, and from five till dark in the evening. Next to Flanders Weir is * Tom Want and his Brother, as civil and attentive as any men can be, who will take care you shall have no other want, if they can help it. 12 THE JOLLY ANGLER. COOKS FERRY, a pleasant place enough, where the subscribers meet and enjoy the sport; the water here has the same sort of fish as the last mentioned. FORD'S, HUGHES'S, THE LEA BRIDGE, AND WHITE HOUSE WATERS. The latter mentioned places differ from those higher up, the fish being neither so numerous or large ; there are fewer Jack, and a Trout is a rarity indeed; the Gudgeons are more plentiful, but here you must exert your utmost skill, the fish being so shy from continual annoyances ; the distance from town rendering it easy of access, the water is thronged with anglers ; some of the best I know use the Lea Bridge water, where occasionally they take a good dish of fish, particularly Gudgeons : at these latter places, the young angler will see that attention paid to tackle, baits, depth, &c. that ought to be impressed on his mind as things of the first importance. I forgot to mention that in this river there are a few very fine Carp, and occasionally a Tench. I do not believe they breed here, but escape during floods from other waters. I never saw a small one caught either with a net or line, nor is there any part of the river in which I could recommend the young angler to attempt the arduous* task of catching them. I freely confess that I have tried several times, and never caught but one in the Lea. I took six or seven Salmon in the White House Water, about ten years since, at Christmas time ; the river was full of them that season, but they were unwholesome, being covered with red spots, and the means by which they were taken not sportsman- like, catching them foul with snatch hooks. A man of the name of Milner speared an immense number. I think they were stopped in their course to the northern rivers by the severity of the weather, or some other cause, as they never were seen here in such quantities before. Below the White House there is nothing worth recording. I shall conclude, by stating, that I consider the Lea one of the THE JOLLY ANGLER. 13 finest Rivers in England for the angler to try his skill in; here he meets with every comfort in the shape of good eating and drinking, at a reasonable price, as well as good company, and generally good sport. The style of fishing and great breadth of water qualifies him for any river in the kingdom, either with the fly, troll, or worm. I con- sider Mr. Cruikshanks, (who has in his time taken more Chub and Trout from this river than any man living,) one of the best fly anglers I ever saw. THE RIVER COLNE has a great abundance of Trout, Jack, Chub, Perch, Roach, Dace, Eels, Craw, or Cray Fish, &c. from its sources in the neighbourhood of St. Alban's, Park Street, Colney Street, &c. down to Otterspool, Watford, Two Waters, where the rivers join, Rickmansworth, Denham, Uxbridge, and Iver, where is a large piece of water pre- served for anglers, the subscription to which is high enough to keep it select. From Iver, down to Dray ton Mills, and on to Longford, you may still find some Trout, with plenty of Jack, Perch, Chub, large Dace, Roach, Gudgeons, &c. This River, from Uxbridge down, resem- bles the Lea in many parts; the season for, and manner of taking the fish is very similar, but higher up it is more of a Trout stream, having some good mill streams tributary to it. Some years back, I used to visit Old Parr, at the sign of the Trout, near Iver, in whose neighbourhood I have caught good Trout, Perch, Dace, Roach, and Chub, and have seen some excellent Jack taken. I should not be doing justice to this River without placing it next to the Lea for bottom fishing, and decidedly before it for fly fishing; the Trout being in some parts very numerous, and the Dace growing double the size they do in the Lea or Thames ; I never saw a Thames Dace weigh above eight ounces, nor until I do see it, will I believe that they are produced above that weight in that River ; I mean avoir- dupois, not " Fisherman's weight." B 14 THE JOLLY ANGLER. THE RIVER MOLE. This singular river gradually filters away until it loses itself, and runs some distance through the earth, when it again emerges by degrees, and forms a considerable river. About Leatherhead it has plenty of small Trout and large Dace, with a few Chub for the fly fisher, besides Roach, Perch, and Jack for the bottom angler; the river here is wide and shallow, but lower down, as it takes its course toward Moulsey, where it empties itself into the Thames, it has plenty of deep heavy swims, where you may take Roach, Dace, Chub, Bream, Pope, Perch, Jack, Gudgeons, Eels, &c. Leatherhead used to be a favorite spot of mine while the May-fly was on, which are here in great abundance. During this season, if the water is clear, and you get the wind at your back, you may have excellent sport. Though I never caught but one Trout over a pound here, I have made up for it in number; they seldom run above eight or ten ounces in weight. For a mile downwards from the Bridge is the best part for this amusement; there are fish to be caught at Reigate, Cobham, Dorking, &c. but I never tried much above Leatherhead, and there principally with the May-fly*. THE RIVER WEY. In this crooked little river, which empties itself into the Thames at Weybridge, I have taken some large Jack, with both live and dead bait; here are many fine Eels, as well as large Chub and Perch, but the water is often thick, the soil through which it runs being clay; there are many large Bream, as well as some Roach and Dace in this part, but the latter are not sufficiently numerous to be worth angling expressly for. the Thames being so near; this is the only river in which I have taken any quantity of the fish called Pope. A young angler may here catch Chub with an artificial fly, the river being full of bends, and in parts well shaded with trees and sedges; here are also good harbours for fish, many * After Epsom Races, which occur during the May-fly season, I used to go on to Leatherhead for a day or two's angling. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 15 trees and roots living in the water; it is not requisite to throw a long line, as the river is narrow, and you can keep out of sight. I have generally succeeded with the large red or black palmers, but whatever fly you use let it be large. THE RIVER WANDLE runs through Carshalton, Beddington Park, Hackbridge, Mitcham, Phipp's Bridge, Merton, and a little place called Summer's Town, down to Wandsworth, where it empties itself into the Thames. It abounds with fine Trout and Eels from its source down to Mitcham; the greatest quan- tity of Trout I ever saw were in that part of the river which runs through the Park of the late Mr. Hoare; the average weight of each was a pound, though many were larger ; lower down they get scarcer, and at Phipp's Bridge and Merton there are a few small Jack ; below Merton, at the Copper Mills, you still find a few Trout and some Perch, but the Roach and Dace become nu- merous; some of the Dace here, and in the rrver Colne are larger than in any other place I know of. The Trout in this river do not come in season so early as in most others, particularly in the upper parts; I have taken them at Carshalton the end of May, quite lank and black. As nearly the whole of this river is private property, en- closed, and the owners very tenacious of granting liberty to the angler, I shall simply address myself to the favored few who can get perrr~ion, by saying that they may in some parts of this river enjoy a day's Trout fishing equal to that of any other river in England, with a fine oppor- tunity of practising that pleasantest part of the art " Fly Fishing." May and June are the best months for the Wandle ; it is a singular thing, and worthy of re- mark, that the May-fly, so common on all other rivers, is never seen here. THE DARTFORD RIVER runs through Bexley and the Three Grays, in Kent ; most of it is private property, and has a good supply of Trout, Perch, Eels, &c. but I have never had permission to angle in any part, so cannot describe it from experience. B 2 16 THE JOLLY ANGLER. RAVENSBOURNE RIVER. This is a small rivulet that runs from Sydenham to Lewisham, by the back of the Church, below which I have never been. Here I have caught with a worm, and No. 7 hook, (see " strolling") some large Dace and small Trout; you may likewise use an artificial fly with a few yards of line, and a ten or twelve foot fly rod; but I cannot say much in praise of this river. THE NEW RIVER rises at Ware in Hertfordshire, whence it takes its course to London. This river contains some good Chub, with plenty of Roach, Dace, Perch, Gudgeons, Bull Heads, Loach, Minnows, &c. a few small Jack, and some ex- cellent Carp and Eels. There are a few Trout in it near its source, but I cannot recommend it to the angler*, it is so much netted in the public parts ; in the preserved parts about Southgate, Enfield, &c. if you can get per- mission, you may be well amused, but with the exception of Carp and Eels, which are scarce, the fish run small ; in short, the same trouble that takes you to the New River will take you to a more likely place, unless you are in its immediate vicinity, the Lea running almost parallel with it. u THE RIVER BRENT is during the Winter unworthy the name of a river, and in Summer almost dry, but about Finchley and Hendon, there are many holes that contain Chub, Jack, Eels, &c. but not sufficiently numerous to be worth angling for. In short, it would be drained entirely by the Haymakers laving out the holes, if it was not for three sheets of water near Hendon, that preserve the fish, which are * I mean to the practised angler; I do not deny its advantages to the young cockney Sportsman, as I am fully aware it introduces many to the Art, being within a few minutes walk of the north side of London; but to atch many fish in this river requires the most skilful angler, as well as the finest tackle, baits, &c. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 17 washed out into the other parts by the floods in winter. It empties itself into the Thames at Brentford Bridge. THE SERPENTINE. Here, as well as in the other Waters in the Parks, you will find large Carp, Tench, Perch, Roach, Dace, Rud, and Eels, (Roach and Eels, with now and then a Perch, and once a Tench, are all the fish I ever took here,) You must have permission of the Ranger to angle, but I can assure you 'tis not worth the trouble of obtaining*; the fish generally run small, the Carp and Tench seldom being caught here, except with a net, when they want to stock any other Ponds. The late Mr. Baker, the Deputy Park-keeper, told me he put seventy-two brace of Jack in here many years ago, but although he continually laid night lines and live bait trimmers for Eels, he never caught but one Pike ; there are plenty in the water, and large. DAGENHAM BREACH, a large pool of water in the Marshes, near the Thames, opposite the Half-way House to Gravesend, contains an immense quantity of Rud, Bream, large Perch, Jack, Carp, Tench, and Eels ; I here caught an Eel on a night line that had swallowed three hooks ; you cannot fail in catching fish, they are so plentiful, but muddy and un- wholesome. This water I believe now belongs to Mr, Webb, who has built a house on the spot. I once betted a friend our expences that I caught more fish than he did before twelve o'clock in the day. I caught 114, and lost by seven fish, so you may judge the quantity it contains; they were nearly all small Rud and Bream. Many of the Perch here are very large; a friend of mine caught four one morning that weighed 91bs. ; I have one of them stuffed that weighed 2|lbs., but I have since seen larger caught in the East India Docks. * Not that I mean to imply it is more difficult to obtain leave here than at any other place. I have seldom been refused permis- sion for a day's angling, when properly applied for, in any part, the AVandle excepted. B 3 18 THE JOLLY ANGLER. THE EAST INDIA*, WEST INDIA, COMMER- CIAL, AND SURREY CANAL DOCKS. In all these places you may catch Perch, Roach, Eels, Bream, sometimes Carp and Tench, with now and then a Jack. I never fished for Smelts, though there used to be some in these Docks, the three first of which are pri- vate ; the Surrey Canal Dock is open to Subscribers ; in the East India Dock, I have taken two or three large Perch. A youth by the side of me took two one morning that weighed six pounds, but the angling here is unplea- sant, the water being 25 feet deep at the edge. See " Dock Fishing." Surrey Canal; Grand Junction Canal: Regent's Canal; Bunker's Hill Pond, in the Hackney Road; Hampstead Ponds ; Clapham Common Ponds, with a few others^. These places I shall recommend to such anglers as wish to have their patience proved, not that I admit this to be a necessary qualification for an angler, though the bystander generally lets you know by his remarks on your patience, that his owrn ig most wofully exhausted ; like every other amusement it wants a taste for the sport to render it agreeable. I now proceed to give a description of the Fish treated of in this Work, as well as a slight account of their haunts, food, breeding time, &c. * You must get permission of the Dock Masters, or one of the Directors of the East India Dock Company, to angle here, when you will receive a ticket for the season or day, but it will note only per- mit you to fish in the Outward-bound Dock; here there are plenty of fish, and they bite freely, but the largest Perch are in the Home- ward-bound Dock, where they lately have (from what cause I dop't know) refused the liberty of angling. + There is a place at Shepherd's Bush called Porto Bello, where I believe you may catch Tench, Carp, &c.; but I have never tried it. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 19 CHAP. II. Description of Fish, fyc. fyc. THE PRICKLEBACK. THIS little fish being so universally known, I shall not waste my reader's time over it. It has a green back ap- proaching to black, with sharp prickles on it, though it varies in colour, some being of a fine pink and purple tinge about the head and shoulders, and seldom grows to above an inch in length ; it is useful to the angler, when he cannot get Minnows, as a bait for Perch and small Jack; it is found in cow ponds, new made ditches, gravel pits, &c. though I could never satisfactorily account to myself for their sudden appearance therein. You may catch him with a worm and thread, without a hook, as he will endeavour to swallow the worm whole, which enables you to pull him out before he can disgorge it from his voracious throat; in some parts they are sufficiently abundant to be used for manure. When used for a bait, some cut the prickles off. THE MINNOW, OR PINK. Nearly all the rivers round London, particularly about Lewisham, produce a great quantity of these lively little 20 THE JOLLY ANGLER. fish, seldom growing above two inches in length ; they rank high as a bait for Trout and Perch, (use the silvery bright ones in preference to the big-bellied yellow ones.) I have caught Jack with them, and frequently Chub, but I do not recommend them as a bait when angling for Chub or Jack, unless there are Perch or Trout in the river. To catch Minnows, use as many joints of your bag rod, with the fine top, as will reach the spot where they lie; then put on a single hair line, about two yards long, with a very small float, carrying only one or two small shot, with the smallest sized hook, and half a red worm, a blood worm, or one gentle for the bait ; put your float so as the bait may pass near or on the ground, then drop your bait in gently on the shallows near mill tails, or any other eddy where there is a gravelly bottom, and strike the moment they bite; put them in your kettle as soon as caught, by which means you may keep them alive till you want them for baits ; you may often catch Gudgeons when trying for Minnows. THE LOACH has wattles, or barbs to his jaws, and is something like a Barbel in miniature, both in form and habits; its colour similar to that of the Gudgeon, but not so bright; in size it rather exceeds the Minnow ; it is found in shallow places near the banks of rivers, generally keeping to one spot, lying close to the ground. The means used for catching them are the same as described for the Minnow, with this exception, your bait should be a small worm, and drag on the ground. They are not very plentiful, but are highly extolled for their virtues as a bait for Eels on night lines. An acquaintance of mine used to take great pains to catch them for that purpose. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 21 THE BULL-HEAD, OR MILLER'S THUMB. V This curious little fish in colour is darker than the Gud- geon, but in shape I can compare it to no animal in existence unless a Tadpole ; it grows to three or four inches in length, and is to be caught in the same manner, and in the same places as the Loach ; it is occasionally used as a bait for night lines. Salter says, " they are fine eating after the heads are cut off," but unfortunately for the epicure they are nearly all head. This fish, like the last, is hardly worth the trouble of describing, and is mostly caught when angling for other fish. The few that I have taken were among the rough stones, on the shallows near mill tails, &c. THE RUFF, OR POPE, is precisely the same shape as a small Perch, covered with similar hard scales, but differs much in colour, being of a light brown on the back, approaching to white on the belly, not having the black bars or red fins like a Perch, but has many irregular small dark spots on the back, tail, and back fin; it has also two rows of cavities under the jaws, different from any other fish I am acquainted with; they are found in some parts of the Mole, and I have taken many of them in the river Wey close to Weybridge. They lie in the same parts as Gudgeons, and are caught by the same means, but are not sufficiently numerous to be worth angling expressly for. I have also taken them in deep 22 THE JOLLY ANGLER. heavy water when Roach fishing; they seldom weigh above three or four ounces. The river Yare, in Norfolk, pro- duces a vast number of these fish. THE BLEAK is found in nearly all the rivers round London ; you may catch them in great quantities with a house fly on the top of the water, or a gentle on the same sort of tackle as described for Minnows, only put the float about a foot above the hook, and strike the moment they bite ; you will be sure of taking plenty of these fish, if you throw in close to your float a few carrion gentles, or any other ground bait that is light; they are excellent amusement for the young angler, and beget a habit of striking quickly, a thing of great use to the Roach fisherman. The Bleak is a good bait for Salmon, or large Trout, (and Jack, when the water is thick, or when you cannot get Gudgeons;) you may spin it the same as a Minnow, only your hooks must be larger. They are in season all the Summer months, and their haunts are always in the stream ; in shape, colour, and size they much resemble the Sprat, and are considered delicate and nutritious food. THE GUDGEON. This fish is a great favourite with some of the London THE JOLLY ANGLER. 23 anglers, and by them more esteemed than any other small fish ; they average, when full grown, about 1 1 ounces in weight, though some are larger ; the colour of its back is light brown, mottled with large spots of a darker tint, which get lighter on the sides as they approach the belly, which is of a dirty white, or purple tinge. They are caught in the Lea near London, and in the Thames, as fine as any where I know of ; here they are very abundant during the season, which commences in March, and ends towards the close of May, or beginning of June, though they will con- tinue to feed all the summer, but aie not so good after they have spawned, which they do in May and June. When angling expressly for Gudgeons, which you may do with a good chance of success in the Rivers Thames, Lea, Mole, Colne, (and the upper parts of the New River, though here they run small) use the following tackle; a bag rod with a light fine top, a cane one if you have it ; if in the New River the same tackle as described for Minnows, only the hook a trifle larger, say No. 11, fine wire, with one or two blood worms for the bait ; in the Lea, Colne, or Mole, a fine quill float that will carry about six or seven small shot, with a fine twisted hair line, the two bottom lengths single hair, the hook and bait the same as before, or a small red worm will do; if not a very small one, break it, and use part only, for if any part is off the hook you will not get the fish when he bites. When you angle for them in the Thames, use a No. 10 hook, and a larger float, the stream running too quick for a light one; I should prefer a tipped cap float, such as is used here for Roach and Dace ; the same tackle as recommended for that purpose will do, as you are apt sometimes to catch Perch or Barbel when you are trying for Gudgeons. Under these circumstances a single hair line is hazardous, even for an experienced angler, though, when the water is bright, an expert hand with hair will catch more fish than one equally clever can with fine gut. Having your tackle ready, proceed to some scour where the bottom is gravelly, and plumb your depth so that your bait may just drag on the ground, Gudgeons lying close to the bottom. Most Gudgeon fishers use an 24 THE JOLLY ANGLER. iron rake of this description*, attached to a pole about 20 feet long, with which they stir up the gravel at the bottom of the river where they intend to fish, as well as frequently during their stay, if they leave off biting. When you fish from the bank of a river, it is as well to change your stand occasionally, and try another ; by paying attention to these directions, you may take some hundreds in a day's angling during the season +, in the Thames about Richmond, Twickenham, Kingston, &c. The other means and baits for Gudgeons you will see under the head of Bottom Fishing for Roach, Dace, Chub, &c. Before leaving this subject, I must impress strongly on your mind the necessity of plumbing your depth, as the Gudgeon will not rise from the ground to take your bait. THE SMELT is a lively little fish of a light silvery colour, the back being of a very pale brownish cast. It is a fish of prey, with strong teeth in its mouth, though seldom growing above four ounces in weight; they are rarely taken near Londoiwnow, though they used to come up in large quan- * Some use them in the shape of a cross, but the shape is a mat- ter of indifference, if it will rake about the gravel at the bottom of the river. + Unfortunately the prohibited months are the best. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 25 titles as far as the different Docks *, &c. They are angled for with 8 or 10 hooks, about 10 or 12 inches above each other, on the line, in the paternoster fashion, as described in "Dock Fishing." They will take gentles, &c. or a piece of a small Eel, but the best way is to cut the first Smelt you take into small pieces, and bait with a bit of the fish ; you should strike the moment they bite. Observe in Smelt fishing your float will often rise and lie on the top when they bite; the Bream will occasionally produce the same effect. When Smelt fishing, use a moderately large bait, as they have large mouths ; the size of your hooks should be about No. 9. THE ROACH Is a broad, handsome- formed fish, with a dark green back inclining to brown, the belly of a bright silvery appear- ance, the under fins a fine red ; the tail is likewise tinged with the same colour ; it commonly grows to a pound + in weight, and is very prolific ; they are found in all the rivers in England, with few exceptions, consequently it will be necessary to give a minute description of the * A friend of mine remarks, and I think justly, that the Docks, have not near so many fish in them now, as they had soon after they were first made ; he accounts for it by the slime and other sediment collected at the bottom from the copper bottoms of the ships, bilge water, &c. I know the water in the homeward-bound East India Dock is as well preserved from netting as any water can be, and yet the fish get less numerous. I am convinced the putrefied water from the Gas Works killed or drove away all the fish from their vicinity. Why should not the bilge water have the same effect ? more par- ticularly so when it is enclosed, and cannot purify itself like the Thames. + In some rivers affected by the salt water, on the Kent and Essex coasts, they grow considerably larger. c 26 THE JOLLY ANGLER. manner of catching them, more particularly so as what is termed "Roach fishing" is likewise one of the best plans of catching Dace, Chub, Barbel, Gudgeons, and occasionally Perch or Trout, but the proper place to describe that will be under the head of " Bottom Fishing." He does not take the fly in rivers near town, except under water, where he will take the natural March brown House fly, or the May fly; the latter he will rise after during the season, as will every other fresh water fish, though I do not intend to recommend any fly as good bait for this fish. I have caught many Roach, Dace, Bleak, and small Chub, with a house fly or gentles, during the months of June and July, while the weeds are strong, by putting my float about* three feet above my bait, and trying up or down the river in between rows of weeds, behind banks, or any other place that protected me from the sight of the fish ; it is only at this season, when the weather is hot, and the water very bright, that they lie about and under tails of weeds, banks, &c. In the following months they go off towards the deeps, when the right season for Roach commences, and continues till March. During July and August, the best places for Roach, Dace, and Chub are in eddies, bends of the river, &c. where the water does not run above five feet deep, as they seldom retire into heavy water till the cold nights set in. They spawn in May, and some of them in June if a late spring; you meet this fish in another form, tinder the name of a RUDD, or POND ROACH ; they are of a beautiful vermilion colour on the fins, in other respects much like the Roach, but I perfectly agree with Salter'st statement regarding this fish, " That it is no other than a Roach re- duced to its present form from being confined in still * Tt is only during (hose months (he Roach swim at mid-water: at other times your bait being just on thj ground is of the first im- portance. + I knew a similar case to that which Salter alludos to at Earl's Court Brick Fields. About 20 years ago, a clay pit pond was stocked with Roach from (he Thames, which, when it was emptied ten years ago, contained nothing but Rudd and Eels. Some authors sp.y the Rudd is bred between tlr- Bream and Roach, but that must be wrong, as they are often found in ponds where there are no Ilrcam. Rudd are caught from May till October. THE JOLLY ANGLER. '27 water," though here they propagate very fast. I have caught one or two of them in rivers, but have no doubt they were washed out of ponds during floods, c. In Dagenham Breach, the Roach and Rudd are many of them so much alike, that it would be impossible to say to which class they belong. These fish are easily taken, (see Pond Fishing,) and will afford excellent amusement to the young angler, though as a " dish at table," they are very inferior to the healthy river fish. THE DACE Is a fine lively looking fish, of a bright silvery hue, covered with smaller scales than the Roach, and averages in weight from three to six ounces in the Rivers Lea and Thames, but in some Trout streams they will grow to a pound, and of proportionate strength; from which, and their general habits of getting in the sharpest parts of heavy rivers, I should imagine them to have been originally inhabi- tants of those streams and rivulets with which this country abounds; their habits are similar to the Trout, feeding during the spring and summer months on the shallows where the water runs sharp, as well as at mill tails, taking down flies, insects, &c. (see Fly Fishing for Dace.) The most amusing way of taking these fish at this season is with a fly rod and line, with two yards of fine gut (or single hair, if fishing where there are no large fish) between the running line and your hook, which should be No. 9 or 10, without shot, unless the stream is very strong, as you will find it difficult to get your bait to swim far enough down the stream without catching the ground if you have shot on the line ; the bait, a May fly if on the water, other- wise a March brown house fly, gentle, or red worm; Jet the bait go down with the current 10 or 15 yards, c 2 28 THE JOLLY ANGLER. and strike the moment you see or feel a bite, if baiting; with a gentle, but if with a rcorm orj?y, they will often gorge it, in which case it is as well to let them go down with it and then strike ; by which I do not mean that you are to wait till they gorge it, only to take advantage of the direc- tion the fish swims in with the fly or worm in his mouth, which is generally across or down the stream slowly, unlike the Trout, who turns sharp round upon seizing his prey, by which means he frequently hooks himself, if you are holding the rod tight. You will find this method further described under the head of " Strolling with a Bait;" * for the most usual manner of catching Dace, see " Bottom Fishing." They spawn in April, and do not feed much between October and February. THE BREAM. This fish has large scales, and is formed something like * Salter describes something of this sort under the head of trip- ping a bait; he recommends a cane rod for this purpose, but I have mostly used my fly rod, which has these advantages; first, the stream being sufficiently strong to take off your line when you want it to go further down the stream, by only drawing it off your winch and gently jerking your rod; secondly, it does not check the tish when they bite, like a stiff one ; and, thirdly, you may sometimes by looking at the top of the rod see the motion caused by a bite that you could not have otherwise seen or felt; but I must acknowledge that I have generally had recourse to this style of angling, after being unsuccessful with an artificial fly, so that I had only to take off my fly, put on a gut hook, and was ready equipped for the sport. In the Colne, otf the Weir nepr Iver, at Drayton Mills, and in the Mole, about Leatherhead, I have taken many Dace, as well as Trout and Perch, by these means. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 29 a Roach, only broader ; the fins are of a pale sandy colour, the back and tail inclining to a blueish cast ; the sides and belly of those under a pound in weight are whiter, but not so bright or silvery as the Dace ; when they grow large, (some reach seven or eight pounds,) the scales and colour resemble those of a Carp or large Chub. It has a large eye, the pupil of which is jet black ; the mouth is small, consequently you should bait accordingly. They spawn about the end of April, and you may fish for them early in the morning, and late in the evening, during the summer and autumn, (see " Pond Fishing.") I never angled for Bream in a river, though at Weybridge I have taken one or two about a pound each ; but the way I have seen other anglers try for them I will now describe. They use a bag rod with Roach top, winch, and running line ; the lower line of gut, fine towards the hook, which should be No. 8 or 9, strong wire, the float a light quill; (they will then gorge the bait if a worm, as the float offers little resist- ance ; . Bait with a well-scoured small marsh or red worm ; if you bait with gentles or paste, you must strike as soon as you perceive a bite, (the only large one I ever saw caught in a river, was taken with gentles, it weighed 4jlbs.) When fishing for Bream or Carp in rivers, some people let the bait lie on the ground, and the float flat on the water ; but I do not think that can be so good a me- thod as when the float lets it play about an inch from or just on the bottom. The only parts fit for Bream fishing are in still broad places, or the bends of rivers, in the eddies where there is little or no stream ; near where cattle go in the water they will harbour ; so will Perch. This description of Bream fishing will answer very well for Carp in rivers, with the addition of such baits as are de- scribed under that head. Now to catch Bream in ponds or still water is a task comparatively easy; you will find it described in " Pond Fishing." Throw in some carrion gentles occasionally, or other ground bait, (see " Ground Bait, Nos. 2 & 3.") It is as well where they run large to ground bait, and plumb your depth over night, if conve- nient, so as to visit the place quietly by day light in the morning, a thing of great consequence when trying for Carp, Tench, &c. You should likewise use ground bait c 3 30 THE JOLLY ANGLER. in river* fishing, such as bread and bran thrown in, in small pieces; a few worms chopped up, with greaves or any light food that will not disturb the water. When angling for Carp or Bream, keep your line loose on the winch, as they will frequently rush into the middle of the pond or river the moment they are hooked, if large, but Bream seldom grow so large in ponds as they do in rivers ; still water seems to encourage the breed too much, as their fecundity there is wonderful. THE CHUB, When small, strongly resembles the Dace, but as it grows larger, the head and mouth expand more in proportion than the body, by which it loses much of its beauty : they commonly grow to 3 or 4lbs. sometimes 7 or 8; the large ones are yellower than the small, and approach nearer the colour of a Carp. The Lea River has an immense num- ber of fine Chub, which afford good amusement to the angler, particularly in the winter and spring months ; they spawn the end of April+, after which they are not worth catching till the autumn, though as soon as their spawning time is over they are to be found under the banks, on the shallows, and under trees that overhang * The rivers Wey and Mole arc the only (wo near London at all likely (o repay you for Ihe pains necessary lo be taken to catch Bream. t When spawning, you will find them on the scours below weirs, mill tails, &c.; at this time they are full of a milky substance, and not worth catching, though they will bite at either a worm or fly. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 31 the water, looking after the flies and other insects now getting plentiful, (see " Dipping or Dibbing.") You may at this time exert yourself to some advantage with the artificial fly * (see " Fly Fishing.") Another way of catch- ing them at this season is with a worm (see "Strolling"); but the principal means, and by far the best used for the purpose of taking Chub during the winter months, is as follows : let your rod and line be the same as described for catching Bream in rivers, the float rather larger, a neat quill-tipped cap float is the best, that will carry 6 or 7 shot, or more+, according to the stream ; now having ready a quantity of bullock's brains, as well as some of the white pith out of the back bone, proceed to plumb your depth cautiously, or you will scare them, as they only feed well when the water is pretty clear; the proper places are deep still holes, about trees, eddies, and other quiet places. Having plumbed your depth, throw in a little of the brains, beat up with something to make it sink, and put a piece of the pith about the size of a filbert (they like a large bait) on your hook; strike directly they bite; if you do not soon catch one, try another place; if you take one or two, and they leave off biting, do the same, as they are easily frightened away, but they will soon return ; in this manner I have taken a great quan- tity of them. The best plan, if you are not over-deli- cate, is to chew the brains, and spit them out of your mouth into the water where you are angling; they will sink when well chewed.; if you know the likely places for Chub in the river you are fishing, (for where they once harbour they always return to), and can guess the depth, it is better to put your float near the mark without plumb- * Saltcr says, " the Lea affords no amusement to the FJy Fisher." I am of a different opinion; the water from King's Weir down for two or three miles, being as w<-II adapted for that purpose as any pi^ce of water can be, but requires a skilful hand to manage it ; the beds of weeds and trees in many parts render it necessary to throw the line to a great nicety. I have seen many good Trout brought from this water, but have never subscribed to it myself, though I would strongly recommend Mr. Weston'i water as the best piece on ilie river for Fly Fishing. + An increased quantity of small shot is preferable to n smaller number of largo on> j s; the line meets with !<** resistance from the water when you strike, and they do not chafe the gut or line. 32 THE JOLLY ANGLER. ing, and go cautiously, the same as described for Bream, as a great deal depends on their not seeing you; they do not always keep so close to the ground as Roach and many other fish, consequently the depth of your bait is not of that paramount consequence. The Lea and Colne are the best rivers I know of for brain-fishing; the best parts are about Iver in the Colne, and the Rye and Broxbourne in the Lea; for many other ways of taking Chub, see " Bottom Fishing, Minnow ditto, &c." Your tackle for Chub should be strong, as they always pull hard the first rush or two, after which a single hair would take them. The Chub is of little value at the table, being coarse and insipid; it is only during the winter months that it is worth cooking. Many years ago, I caught several Chub in the New River, under Hornsey Sluice-house, with a live Frog hooked under the back, the float carrying eight or nine shot ; I mean in the rough water under the arch on the lower side in the eddies; it was in the summer; the frogs, which were small, I caught in the meadow behind where you stand on the path to fish. In the winter, when you cannot procure brains, a piece of white fat bacon, paste made of bread and honey, or nice white greaves will do; the greaves should be well scalded for this purpose, as they look whiter. I have been thus explicit on the sub- ject here, as no other fish are angled for with brains; for the same reason I treated at large on Gudgeon Fishing, under the head of the Gudgeon. THE BARBEL. This Fish is very plentiful in the Thames and Lea; I THE JOLLY ANGLER. 33 havie never caught one in any other water, though I be- lieve most rivers immediately connected with the sea con- tain great numbers of them, particularly in the River Tagus ; there they do not grow so large as in this country, seldom weighing above 31bs. while here they grow four times the size ; they feed in great numbers together, rout- ing up the gravel with their noses like swine, and are generally found round piles, under banks of the river that project out, as well as at weirs, flood-gates, and the deeper parts of the river, though in hot weather you may see them basking in the sun on shallows where weeds grow ; there are immense numbers of them taken from punts in the Thames during the season, which lasts from June until the frosts set in, when they retire for the winter, during which they seldom feed. For the usual means of catching them, see " Ledger Fishing," and " Bottom Fishing." They are so tough about the mouth that it re- quires you to strike sharp, or the hook will not enter; but when once in it is sure to hold. In colour they resemble the Carp, and have four wattles under the jaw; the Carp has but two : they spawn about the end of April. There are more Barbel caught foul* than any other fish, for this reason: when you fish where Barbel are, your bait should drag two or three inches on the ground ; consequently the fish being continually grubbing up and turning over the ground bait, are apt to touch your bait with some part of their body, which affects your float similar to a bite, and causes you to strike, by which means you often catch them ; owing to their head, lower fins, and under part of the throat being soft and tough, it suffers your hook to enter, and hold better than it would in many other fish : when once hooked, you must look sharp after them, as they are wholesale dealers in Fishing-tackle. They are coarse eat- ing, something like the so-much-praised Carp; the roe is said to be unwholesome, but I have eaten it without any ill effects, though it may act differently on other people. In Barbel Fishing the ground bait should be thrown in plentifully, (see "Ground Bait, No. 1,") and made into * Foul, means when they are hooked by any other part than the mouth. 34 THE JOLLY ANGLER. large balls. The best baits for Barbel are greaves and gentles, but if the water is a little coloured, a small well- scoured marsh or red worm, is as good. These fish feed most towards evening; observe they always lie close to the ground when feeding, so that it is in vain to expect to catch one if your bait does not touch the bottom. THE CARP Is a handsome fish, of a golden hue, growing commonly to 6 or 81bs. some much larger ; it is a native of still waters, though they are occasionally caught in rivers, where they are carried by floods, or the breaking down of sluices, pond heads, &c. (as are some Tench and Rudd,) in which case they thrive well, and eat finer and fatter than the pond Carp, but do not breed. I never saw any of the small fry of Carp in rivers, unless deep slow weedy ones, that are in parts quite still; in fact, the large ones are so scarce that very few anglers think of angling expressly for them. I have given it over years back, though not without a fair trial ; none but a keen old sportsman can contend against the amazing vigilance of this " fresh- water fox ;" therefore I shall proceed at once to describe their habits, food, &c. under the circumstances in which they are usually met with, viz. in ponds and other still waters, where there is a better chance of succeeding with the rod and line: here you may fish for them during the months of May, June, July, August, and September, the former month being the best. They spawn in June, at which time they are to be taken by the following means : take a strong bamboo rod, with the stiff top, no winch ; the line 2 yards of strong gut ; a quill float to carry 7 or THE JOLLY ANGLER. 35 8 shot, which should be put only two inches above your hook ; then bring your float down within 2 or 3 inches of your shot ; bait with a caterpillar or well-scoured red worm : thus prepared, proceed to the places where the broad-leaved wild water-lily or candock weed grows, which is plentiful in most waters where Carp and Tench breed ; here they swim about close to the top of the water, suck- ing and making a noise that is plainly distinguished, fre- quently their back fins above the surface; I have at this season taken them out with my landing net, as well as shot them with a gun; (query, is that shooting or fishing?) but to return to the subject of angling for them with the rod and line just described; you must let your hook, which should be a strong No. 8, with the worm, fall in between the leaves where they grow thick, your shot will push down the bait; when a fish bites, he will take it straight down ; you must strike immediately, and weigh him out, or these weeds, which are very strong, will cause you to lose him ; by this plan you perceive that your bait is only four inches from the bottom of your float, but less will do, as they swim quite close to the top at this season of the year. By the same means I have taken a great many Tench, at all hours of the day, using a well-scoured marsh worm ; but the most common method of taking Carp and Tench you will find under the head of " Pond Fishing." The baits for Carp are red worms, the green caterpillar found on cabbages in May and June, paste made of new bread dipped in honey and well worked up, (see " Baits,") and gentles. My own method of catching Carp in ponds is to get two or three quarts of carrion gentles, throw in a quantity, (see " Ground baits," Nos. 2, 3, and 4,) and bait with two or three of the best; in this case, living near the water, I used to plumb my depth, and ground-bait one or two places over-night ; but I must acknowledge angling for Carp is often attended with disappointment ; you have a better chance of taking Tench, as they are not equally cunning with Carp; in short it is a fish so difficult to obtain a dish of by angling, and to my tasle so little worth when got, that I do not wonder at there being very fe\v persons attempt it- There is a species of this fish called Prussian Carp, very similar to the foregoing in shape and colour, (having no 36 THE JOLLY ANGLER. wattles,) but much smaller, generally under six ounces in weight, though in some ponds they grow as large as a pound. I once caught one on Wandsworth Common, that weighed one pound two ounces, which was the largest I ever saw. I have likewise caught a few fine Tench and some Perch in these ponds, which used to have more fish than those on Clapham Common. The Prussian Carp partakes of the nature of Gold and Silver Fish, and will like them live a sonsiderable time in a globe, with soft water; they are easily caught during the summer months, with a small red or blood worm; (in Carp fishing it is of the most essential consequence that your bait should cover the whole of the hook, and look clean, fresh, and tempt- ing, otherwise there is no chance of taking them ;) your line for these small fish should be single hair, and a No. 11 hook, with a light float. They will swim at all depths, though mostly at the bottom, so that I should recommend the bait to hang 3 or 4 inches from the ground ; you may call it Carp fishing in miniature. The Gold and Silver Fish is another of the Carp species, and is taken after the same manner as Prussian Carp; the bait a blood worm, or very small bit of paste, and the smallest sized hook ; some of the Gold fish will grow to a pound in weight, but are then unfit for a globe, and less handsome in form and colour; they are seldom met with except in such ponds as are enclosed for the purpose of ornamenting gardens, &c. I caught one on Wandsworth Common ; it was large, but only half red. TENCH. This fish is generally of a dark colour, approaching to THE JOLLY ANGLER. 37 black on the back, the sides and belly of a fine green and gold tinge, some much handsomer than others; those few taken from rivers, as well as those from large ponds with a clay or gravel bottom that have the wild water lily growing in them, are far preferable in look and taste to those coming from ponds with a muddy bottom. The Tench commonly reaches three or four pounds in weight, (Colonel Thornton mentions one three times the size,) and is much better eating than the Carp ; they are taken by the same means, (see " Carp," and likewise " Pond Fishing.") In some ponds these fish are so abundant and ill-fed that you may take a great number of them in the course of a day's angling. From May till August they feed from day-light till nine o'clock in the morning, and from five o'clock until dark in the evening, the same as Carp, with the same exception during the spawning season; this remark is applicable to the usual weather at this time of the year; if it is cool and cloudy, or light rain falling, then they will frequently bite all day. Tench generally spawn a little earlier than the Carp, though, unlike other fish, they do not all spawn together; the bait they like best is a well-scoured marsh worm, not too large, the hook No. 7 : this last remark is intended to apply to such ponds as contain Tench, Perch, or Eels, otherwise use the smaller hook and a red worm, or paste. This fish is quite useless as a bait for Jack or Eels, as they will neither of them touch a Tench, though they will both devour small Carp. THE PERCH Is a handsome, bold-looking fish, with a fine eye, high back, 38 THE JOLLY ANGLER. defended with two fins of a formidable make, being armed with a row of spikes, on a large one sufficient to defend him from the all-devouring jaws of the Pike ; the lower fins are of a bright vermilion ; the back has a row of five or six dark stripes running across it, dying away as they approach the belly, which in river fish is of a silvery whiteness ; they are gregarious, though they do not keep in such large shoals as many other fish ; their scales are small and hard. They are to be found in many ponds, as well as in most Docks, Rivers, &c., where they will grow to two or three pounds in weight. The common means of catching them are easily practised, as they are a bold- biting fish, and will, if you give them time, gorge the bait; your rod should be strong and light, with a gut line, a small cork float, and a No. 6 hook ; bait with a marsh or brandling worm, and fish in the most quiet and still parts, by flood-gates, about roots of trees, mill-heads, or where there is little or no stream, as they delight most in such places; the same tackle and baits will answer for ponds where the fish run small and numerous, which is usually the case ; your hook should be off the bottom a little, as Perch seldom lie on the grouud, like many other fish. Where there are large fish, you should have a winch and running line with a live Minnow for a bait, (a Loach, small Gudgeon, or a Prickleback, will do, if you cannot get Minnows); your hook should now be No. 5, tied to strong gut, or fine gimp is best; place your hook through the back of the fish, thus and when you have a bite, give time to gorge the bait; by these means you will like- wise take occasionally a Jack, Chub, or Trout; ob- serve, I never found any ad- vantage in ground-baiting for Perch. I believe the best plan is, not to stop many minutes in one place unless you have a bite; if you catch one, put in again as quiet as possible, for you mostly take two or three following. Sometimes I move my bait backwards or forwards a little, occasionally lifting it near the surface, by which means I have tempted fish to take the bait that otherwise THE JOLLY ANGLER. 39 would not have seen it. When fishing for Perch, you should have a kettle of this description to keep your baits in, and you should also change, their water occasionally. They will some- times take other baits, for which see " Bottom Fishing," " Strolling," " Dock Fishing," &c. ; the best time to angle for them is early in the morning, or late in the evening, but a warm, windy day is the time most favourable to the Perch fisher. I generally put a Perch line in the hands of a very young angler, if the part is suitable, as there is less difficulty (if he bites) in catching him than any other fish. In. rivers they spawn the latter end of February, if a fine spring, but in ponds something later ; they are in good order for eating nearly all the year round, and as sweet and nourishing as any the fresh water produces. THE JACK, OR PIKE, Resembles no other fish either in form or colour; the head on the top is flat and hard; the jaws large, and full of strong, sharp teeth, as are likewise the throat and tongue, which, inclining inwards, render it impracticable for any animal to escape from his hungry fangs ; the colour of the D2 40 THE JOLLY ANGLER. back and sides is grey, mottled with large spots, of a sandy green cast; the belly is lighter, approaching to white. They are numerous in many rivers, canals, lakes, ponds, &c. and are commonly caught up to 10 pounds in weight; some grow much larger, and have been known to reach 40 or 50 pounds ; when large they are called Pike. They frequent similar places to those mentioned for Perch, as well as among large beds of weeds, where they lie with their heads out, watching for their prey. Towards spring they run into ditches, ponds, and other shallow, still places, to spawn, which they do in March. The best season for Jack fishing is from October till the end of February, between nine o'clock in the morning, and three or four in the afternoon. It is a most voracious fish, and when on the feed bites eagerly, being seldom lost from any other cause than not allowing him sufficient time after he runs with the bait to gorge it ; for the different means of catch- ing this fish see " Trolling, Live Bait Fishing," and the other sorts of angling ; in his food he is no way delicate, as he will take any thing that moves, from a young duck down to a plummet*; when you take him from the line do not put your fingers in his mouth, or you may repent it. This is a firm-eating fish during the winter, and may be roasted or baked with a pudding in his belly. THE EEL Is a loathsome animal to the eye, of the snake kind, the shape, form, and colour of which is too well known to want a description here; it is sweet and nutritious food, and * I have known a Jack to take the plummet when plumbing the THE JOLLY ANGLER. 41 eats equally well fried, boiled, or, when large, roasted ; (the late Mrs. Scorer, at Broxbourne, used to send them up in good style.) The Eel is mostly under two pounds, but in some places they have been taken six times that weight. The bright silvery bellied ones are the most wholesome ; during the winter season they bury themselves in the mud, till the sun with its warmth again entices them forth ; they feed best in the course of the night, and in the hottest weather, during and after rain or thunder ; when heavy floods come they run down the stream, and are taken in great quantities at flood-gates, weirs, &c. where they have nets fixed on purpose to stop them; by these means I have known some hundreds weight taken in a night. The usual means of taking them with a rod and line is to let your shot and hook (which should be baited with a worm) lie upon the ground ; when they bite, do not strike at the first snatch, but wait till your float goes steadily off j then pull them on shore as quick as you can, and put your foot on them, or they will tie your line in knots, and otherwise entangle it ; if you cut them across the back of the head, they will lie quiet while you unhook them. I use a silk line, with a yard of strong gut at bot- tom; the hook about No. 7, with a quill float. If in a river, you can only fish for Eels in the stillest parts, unless with a ledger bait. The large ones, in the middle of the day during the months of June, July, and August, lie under great stones, roots of trees, large clumps of earth, as well as behind and between old boards, where the bank has been kept up, or any other place where they can get their bodies in, just below the surface of the water. If the river is very low, and bright, you may now take them by Sniggling, a simple plan, but not much followed ; you have only to get a tailor's needle, and fix it tight to the end of a piece of depth for Roach Fishing, and I caught one myself with a gentle'; they will also take flies occasionally ; but 1 fear these unnatural occurrences cause many works on angling to he filled with a variety of baits that seldom succeed. I might as well put in my list of baits for Jack " flies, gentles, and plummets," though I will readily admit that the same kinds of fish, in different waters, do not always give a preference to the like bait, as their food is often regulated by local circumstances. 42 THE JOLLY ANGLER. strong whipcord with good waxed silk, binding it firm half way down (see fig. 1), (your silk trolling line is better than whipcord for the purpose); then on it place a lively marsh or other worm; put the eye of the needle into that part where the line comes out, (see the cut,) and pass the whole of the needle down towards the .tail of the worm until the point is in ; then draw back the point towards the head of the worm, so far that the middle of the needle may be opposite the hole made in entering it, by which means your worm is sound, and neatly fixed, (see fig. 2); your rod for sniggling should be a bent piece of stiff copper wire, 18 inches long, with a point, the other end fastened to the two small joints of your bag-rod, or any other stick long enough, say six or seven feet, thus: you should have about three yards of your trolling line loose from your winch, which you may carry in your pocket ; now this rod is only for the purpose of holding your bait to the place where you expect to find an Eel, which you may sometimes discover by their blowing up bubbles of water; at other times they lie in small holes; nothing but experience will enable you to distinguish those containing an Eel: place the bait worm on the point of your rod, and after letting out sufficient loose line with your left hand, so as not to pull the bait off the point of your rod, with your right hand direct it to the hole you suspect the fish to lie in; if a fish is there, he will take the bait off the rod (which is now done with), and draw it into his hole; give him a loose line, and plenty of time lo gorge, when you may give a moderate jerk, which will stick the needle across his throat; hold the line tight, keeping a steady pull, and he will soon come forth; if not, THE JOLLY ANGLER. 43 they are troublesome to get out, without digging or cutting away the parts from which they get their purchase; this method of taking Eels will answer in the Lea, and some other parts, but not in the Thames, near London ; here you will find Bobbing by far the best plan that I can recom- mend for taking a quantity, which are generally much smaller than those taken by Sniggling; you may use your bobbing-pole by night as well as day, and observe the flood tide (and not the ebb, as some authors affirm) is the like- liest time ; the best parts for Bobbing are opposite Viscount Cremorne's house, just above Battersea Bridge, and all along that side of the river, till you get in front of Wands- worth, and again opposite the late Margravine of Ans- pach's, at Hammersmith, as well as at the mouths of creeks ; the following will explain the plan to pursue. Get an ash pole, seven feet long, tapering from an inch and a half in diameter down to half an inch or less at the small end, where there is a strong ring fixed thus, for the cord to run through, which should be about five yards long, and strong enough; (a piece of good trolling- line is the best;) one end of this line is fixed to the pole, where a peg is fastened to wind the spare line round, in order that you may always have the necessary quantity out; the other end is fastened through the bobbing-lead, (a conical piece of lead, hollow inside, with holes perforated for the string to come through, where you tie your worms in- side, as well as one at top to fasten your line to). Your bait must be prepared in the fol- lowing manner : get a knitting needle, and with some fine silk fasten it to about two yards of strong worsted (it is only the teeth of the Eel that get fixed in the worsted) ; then pass the needle through each worm from the tail to the head, till you have your worsted full (marsh worms are best); now coil 44 THE JOLLY ANGLER. them round your hand, and tie them tight with about a foot of strong string, so that no links may hang loose ; they will then be ready for use. This bait should be about as big as your fist, and causes some trouble in the preparation, but will last well a whole tide; moor your boat firm, in about four foot water, by sticking a staff tight in the ground, to which you fix the head, and another for the stern; lay the sculls across for a seat; then let out just so much line, close to your boat, as will let your lead touch the ground at the same time as the top of the pole touches the water ; then rise your lead about two inches from the bottom, which you can see by the length of line you have out of water; but it is as well every minute to move it gently up and down, by which means you ascertain your depth, and encourage the Eels to bite ; when the tide rises a foot or two, go nearer the shore, and proceed as before; the last two hours of the flood tide is best; (you may catch a few at the ebb). The bite of an Eel is easily felt, if "you keep the boat quite still, a thing of so much consequence in Bobbing, that I can catch more by myself than with one to help me; when you have a bite, draw your bait steadily, without jerking, increasing your speed as you approach the top of the water sufficient to swing the lead into the boat, where they will drop off; you will often take two or three at one pull-out. Many people lay night > or chain- lines for Eels, made of whipcord, thus about six or eight yards long, and the hooks about half a yard apart, baited with loach, minnows, worms, &c. and a brick at each end, or a peg at one end and a brick at the other, to sink them, (these last should be longer than the before-mentioned, say twelve yards,) and laid slanting across the stream ; they often take other fish. Eel-hooks for this purpose are sold at all the Fishing tackle shops. Many Eels are also taken with an Eel spear, (which can also be bought at the same places,) fixed on the end of a long pole, by means of which they strike it into the mud THE JOLLY ANGLER. 45 among weeds, &c. When I come to a likely place I strike the spear twice, in the shape of a cross, thus by which means I have N * often speared one the ^ ^ second time, from the ^'x direction the Eel has lain S N in; for, observe, when * ^ laid up in mud they lie straight, at full length. Another method of taking large Eels is by the Ledger (see " Ledger Fish- ing")} your hook for this purpose should be the common wire or gimp Eel hook, baited with a small fish, exactly similar to the gorge hook, (see " Trolling,") only no lead on the shank ; the best baits for this purpose are small gudgeon, bleak, loach, or a small piece of lam- prey, which is a fish I cannot describe the method of catching, never having seen one taken, though I believe there are some in the Thames. THE GRAYLING, OR UMBER. It is not the London angler's good fortune to meet with any of these lively fish without travelling far from home; but taken in either point of view, as sport for the angler, or food for the epicure, the Grayling is no contemptible companion. Its habits are similar to the Trout, delighting in sharps, scours, and mill-tails, feeding upon flies, gentles, small worms, &c. and are taken with a well-scoured red worm (see "Strolling"), and flies (see " Fly fishing"). They are of a bright silvery colour, and, when in season, 46 THE JOLLY ANGLER. marked with black spots, running parallel to each other from head to tail; in shape it differs from the Trout only in the head, which more resembles the Chub, and back fin, which is armed something like the Perch. The largest which I have seen weighed about a pound, but they occa- sionally grow to double that size. THE TROUT Is the handsomest of the fresh-water tribe ; the delicate tinge of his colour, diversified all over with fine crimson spots, the beautiful symmetry of form, rapid motion, and delicacy of his flesh, cause him to be much prized. He frequents the sharpest rivers, waterfalls, mill-tails, &c. and there feeds upon insects, worms, flies, or small fish ; he follows them with such a rapidity of motion as renders it almost impossible for them to escape. The Trout is found in most parts of the United Kingdom, but I think those in the Wandle as handsome as any; for observe, in some rivers they are white or yellow, but in the Wandle, and^many others, when in season, are of a pink cast, and the large ones when boiled cut and taste much like the Salmon. In the west of England they are in season from the end of February till June, but in some rivers they are not in season till April, and spawn in October. Few fish vary more in size than the Trout: in Devonshire and some other places they run small, seldom weighing a pound; in Hampshire much larger; but the Thames and Lea produce as large as any in England, sometimes reaching more than THE JOLLY ANGLER. 47 ten pounds. For the different methods of taking Trout, see "Fly Fishing," " Minnow Fishing," "Strolling," &c. To the fly fisher the Trout affords a noble treat; all other systems of catching fish fall far short of this, either for exercise, cleanliness, or variety; the dimpled brook, rapid fall, or more expansive stream, all contribute to the fly fisher's sport; no ground bait, worms, or other filth, to carry ; with his angle and his flies, he sallies forth in quest of game, v caring little about favourite holes, and swims, and piles of bridges; all the river is his field, and the rising of the finny native of this liquid element draws his atten- tion to where he artful plies his feathery impostor, and draws forth the powerful " monarch of the stream*," the spangled Trout, the lively Dace, or more ignoble Chub. THE SALMON, Like the Grayling, visits none of the southern or eastern parts, but in those rivers where they breed, in the west and north of England, are found in great abundance. They delight in waterfalls, and the roughest parts of the stream, overcoming every obstacle in their way to the upper parts of the river, by leaping, &c. after which they return to the sea to cleanse themselves. They feed on worms, flies, and small fish, and are caught by precisely the same means as Trout, (see "Fly Fishing," " Strolling," &c.) only your rod, line, gut lengthener, and baits, should be on a larger * The Salmon, called by many writers "the King of fresh-water fish." 48 THE JOLLY ANGLER. scale, both in strength and size ; and fish farther out in the stream. The season for catching Salmon is during the spring and summer months; they spawn late in the au- tumn, after which they are covered with spots of a livid hue, and altogether unfit for human food ; during this season an excrescence, or bone, forms on the upper part of the point of the lower jaw of the male, about as big round 'as your finger's-end; this sometimes grows nearly through the upper jaw, and prevents the mouth from shutting close. The Salmon commonly grows to 251bs. in weight, and sometimes much larger. Many years ago the Thames Salmon were high in estimation, so much so that I sup- pose they caught them all for I could never see them anywhere but in those books that treat on the subject. Salter says, "They are fished for in the Thames with a muscle." Where, and when! I think that would be a fine representation of " Patience in a punt." For my own part I must confess I have never taken any except by such disreputable means as described in the early part of this work (see *' River Lea"), and consequently will not at- tempt to teach others what I do not understand; but will remain content with describing the most approved sort of tackle for the purpose, under the head of "Fly Fishing;" they likewise spin a Bleak, the same as described under the head of "Spinning a Minnow," with this exception the hooks large in proportion to the bait, and the traces of twisted gut instead of single. When they try a worm, they use a No. 2 hook, and one or two large marsh or lob- worms ; this bait succeeds best when the water is coloured after a little rain. Should any of my readers take a trip to the North of England, I would recommend them to purchase the "Driffield Angler;" that is generally allowed to be the best practical work on Salmon-fishing. Having now described all the fish treated of in this work, to refresh the reader's memory, I will give a Calendar, that he may refer to before he starts on a fishing excur- sion, by which means he will be better able to judge how to equip himself in the most suitable way, according to the season, and the circumstances in which he may be placed. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 49 REMARKS ON THE DIFFERENT MONTHS OF THE YEAR. JANUARY Is one of the best months in the year for catching Jack, Chub, or Roach; but there are few days on which an angler can depend on finding the water in order. If the wind is away from the north or east, the water clear, and no snow has fallen for a few days, then he may expect good sport, from nine o'clock in the morning till half-past two or three in the afternoon. The fish are now in the deepest and most quiet parts. FEBRUARY The same as last month, with the ad- dition of Perch, if warm for the season. Jack are on the decline at the latter end of this month, going into ponds and ditches to spawn. Some fish are now to be found on the scowers, and in shallower parts than during the early part of winter. MARCH Leave off Jack-fishing, as they are going out of season. This is not a favourable month for angling, except for Trout, in many parts of England, though in some places you may still take Roach and Chub; but the last-named fish are best during the winter months. In the Northern rivers they now commence Salmon-fishing, which lasts all the summer. Perch, Dace, and Gudgeons, begin to feed towards the latter end. AFR.IL The artificial fly at this time occupies the attention of the angler. The Trout move from their winter haunts, and sport on the shallows after the early flies; as well as Dace, and some Chub; but you may, after this month, bid farewell to the latter fish till July or August, when they again afford good sport till the following season. This is a good time for Perch in rivers, and likewise for Perch, Carp, and Tench in ponds, if the day is warm ; but I think May and June are the best months for Carp and Tench in ponds. ETAY Near London this is the best month in the year for Trout, as it is likewise for Pond-fishing; but, with the exception of Perch and Eels, you may leave off Bottom- 50 THE JOLLY ANGLER. fishing till the end of July, though Gudgeons are much fished for in the Lea. Towards the end of this month the May-fly comes in, and lasts till the middle of June, during which time you may catch many fish in nearly all parts of England. There are no May -flies on the River Wandle. JUNE AMT> Jui-sr The Trout in the River Wandle are now in their prime, but in the early rivers they fall off. Trout and Salmon spawn in the fall of the year, all other fresh- water fish in the spring (Gudgeon, Carp, and Tench, the latest.) This is the season for Pond-fishing. I should not recommend the Bottom-fisher to attempt angling for either Chub, Pike, Roach, Gudgeons, or Barbel, during these months in rivers ; they are out of season, and hardly worth catching but as they seldom feed now, the last part of the advice is thrown away. These are good months for Dace, Eels, Carp, Tench, Perch, Trout (and Gudgeons, in the Thames). AUGUST Here the Bottom-angler's season may be said to commence; but you must be at the water-side by daylight in the morning, as well as late in the evening; the fish will not feed during the middle of the day, unless cloudy and cool, or a little rain will sometimes set them biting. The fish now in season are Roach, Dace, Perch, Barbel, with some Jack and Chub; the latter are still poor. You may fish for Bream, Carp, Perch, Roach, and Tench, in ponds, during this and the next month, after which I would not recommend Pond-fishing, though they will feed occasionally; but I could never succeed in still waters during the winter, except for Jack. SEPTEMBER All river-fish feed well during this month, (Trout and Salmon excepted,) though the Jack is not yet full of flesh. You must still fish early and late, as the days are hot, and the water in general very clear. OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER. These two months are very favourable for Bottom-fishing in the rivers round London, (fly-fishing is over.) The weeds getting rotten, all the fish leave the shallower parts, and get into deep holes for theirwinter-quarters, where you may now expect sport. Barbel do not feed during the cold months ; neither do Dace well. The Jack is now in good order. Is a good month for Jack, Roach, and THE JOLLY ANGLER. 51 Chub, but, like January, is subject to floods, snow, ice, &c. On a fine day you may generally catch fish, if the water is in good order. Having acquainted the young Angler* with the most esteemed places for angling near London, the fish they contain, as well as the right time to angle for them, I will now proceed to describe the Tackle and Baits necessary for that purpose. CH4P. III. Description of Tackle, Sfc. THE ROD. IN Bottom-fishing the most useful Rod is that sold under the denomination of a Bag Rod, and is made of either bamboo or cane +, the former being most generally useful; the latter is only fit for Roach-fishing, it being lighter, but not so strong, (which is a great drawback where you use it for Trolling, as well as Perch, Carp, Tench, Barbel, Chub, &c.) This Rod usually consists of nine joints, about 2 feet 4 inches long, eight of which form a Roach Rod, about 17 or 18 feet long, fit for all the purposes for which the Bag Rod is mentioned ; the other joint is a strong top, that fits into the sixth joint, and forms a Trolling Rod, about 15 feet, which is quite long enough for that purpose, though you will find a great advan- tage in having a whalebone top, about 10 inches long, to fit in the small joint, (instead of the Roach top,) to use * Although I do not pretend to instruct those who have had the same experience as myself, still I flatter myself they will find the rules here laid down perfectly in accordance with the practice of the best anglers, and at least some additional information. + The Cane Rod is preferable for Roach-fishing, as it is both light and stiff, but not strong enough to use for the general purposes above named. E 2 52 THE JOLLY ANGLER. for Perch, or occasionally for spinning a Minnow; this top makes your Rod stiffer than the Roach top. (Now m.nd, when I speak of a Perch top, Roach top, or Troll- ing top, I mean this Rod, with those respective tops on.) For Trolling you should not use the small rings attached to the Rod, but have five larger ones, of this shape, made to fit one on the ferule of each joint, the jack top having the large rings, and the butt, or large joint, not requiring one; these you fix one on each joint as you put the Rod together, taking care the rings stand in a row along the Rod, (a thing you must always have regard to); for fixing the winch on the Rod some use tape, but two brass ferules, which are placed on the Rod by any tackle-maker for a trifling amount, answer the purpose much better. The next article I shall describe is the Fly Rod; this is generally made of hiccory, with a top joint of several pieces joined together, cut out of the solid part of the large bamboo; the butt is sometimes made of ash*. For small rivers, trout streams, &c. 1 should recommend a single-handed Rod of three joints, about 13 feet long, as that Rod will bend regular, and is lighter than one loaded with ferules every two or three feet, (these ferules never bend with the Rod); for convenience of carriage, a larger number of short joints have a decided advantage. In large rivers, where you use both hands to hold your Rod when throwing your line, it should then be made of a greater length, say from 16 to 18 feet; this sort of Rod may be used in the Lea, Colne, and many other rivers, though for Salmon they are sometimes used larger and stronger ; but for general use, I think a Fly Rod of about 15 or 16 feet the best length. Have the rings pretty close together, if * I am writing on Angling, not Fishing-tackle Making, begin- ning, as many authors do, with, " When to cut your sticks," &c. ; all 1 know on that subject is, that Bamboo, Hiccory, and Carolina Cane make the b st Rods, and 1 have no time to go to America or the Indies to cut my sticks. Near London the angler need neither learn to make rods nor lines; he cnn purchase them at an easier rate (unless he has nothing els;- to do) ; as far as remedying any accident that the angler is liable to, in breaking a joint of his rod, &c. or tying a hook, 1 will give, as I go on, such information as lies in my power. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 53 you have a Rod made for you, as it will keep the line close, and prevent the Rod from having more stress on one part than another; your winch should fasten on as before described. In Fly-fishing always fix your joints tight together, and wind a bit of silk round the hitches which are placed there for that purpose, or you will be apt to throw part of your Rod in the water; some use screw joints; I do not approve of them, for this reason when the Rod has been screwed tight together several times it will turn a little further round than it did at first, which takes the rings with it, and of course they no longer are in a straight line. As the fine joint of your Rod is very liable to accident in Fly-fishing, always have a spare top in the butt, which is hollow * for that purpose ; many anglers have a short iron spear to fit in it, so that they may stick it in the ground when they want to change their fly. &c. ; the thing of the first importance in a Fly Rod is, that it should play or bend regularly all the way down to the hand, and not appear weaker in one part than an- other; you may have two spare tops if you like, one stiff for Minnow-fishing; but I know from experience that the fine top is best, when you use a worm. There are common Rods, made of hazel or bamboo, that, come cheaper, and answer very well for common purposes, but as I seldom use the snap-hook for Jack, (which requires a very strong Rod,) the only ones I keep are the Bag and Fly Rod, with one that shuts up in imita- tion of a walking-stick, for occasional use near town. THE WINCH, which should be a multiplying one, as it winds up the line three times as fast as a common one, a thing of consequence when a fish runs in towards you, as well as in Fly-fishing, where you are apt to have 16 or 20 yards of line out when you hook your prize. These Winches should be capable of holding about 30 yards for the Fly Rod, (or the Bag Rod, when * Boring the butt prevents its playing quite down to the hand, as it should do, and will only answer with a short-jointed Rod. E 3 54 THE JOLLY ANGLER. Bottom-fishing,) and the other (which may be a common Winch, if the difference of cost is an object,) should hold about 40 yards of silk line for Trolling, or Ledger-fishing. For Salmon your mohair line should be 70 yards long, and Winch in proportion. THE RUNNING LINE should be, for Fly-fishing, taper from the middle down- wards, and made of good horse and mohair wove together ; this is much lighter, finer, and stronger, than any other substance used for that purpose, at the end of which have a loop about half an inch long, to fasten your gut length- ener to, which should be about two yards and a half long, taper, and strong in proportion to the fish you expect to catch ; at each end of the lengthener you must have a loop, one to slip your running line through, and then put the other through the loop in the running line, draw the gut all through, and it will be fast; do the same with your fly to the bottom loop when you want to use it, though I like a knot better, as the loop causes a motion in the water, and sometimes a fish rises at that instead of the fly. The Trolling Line should be made of plaited silk, which is better and more durable than any other; some use a sort of twisted silk, called China twist; this is subject to curl up, and soon gets rotten; the cord line is also used for "economy " a word that is more applicable (o the plaited silk in this case; the loop to your silk line should be full two inches long, to let your bait and float pass through, when Jack-fishing, though here again a neat knot is pre- ferable. After fixing your winch on the rod, lake hold of the loop of your line, and mind you pass it through every ring, particularly when using the small rings, as without it the rod cannot play well, particularly the Fly Rod. The next requisite for Fly or Bottom-fishing is a LANDING NET, to lift the fish out of the water when it is heavier than you can trust your line with; if you have a companion, he is the best to use the Net, while you draw the fish towards him. These Nets are attached to a ring that folds up, so that it will lie in your pocket; this ring screws into a stick of about 4 feet long, (see the Vignette in the title- THE JOLLY ANGLER. 55 page); you should have a large hook, also, to fix in the stick, for Pike, they being awkward fish to get into a net; some have a telescope handle for the Landing Hook, (see the cut of Fishing Implements, page 58,) which packs up in one-third the compass. For Fly-fishing I should re- commend the Pannier, (see Vignette in the title-page); it is light, hangs at your back out of the way, and preserves the fish in good order, much better than a soft basket. THE FLOAT. This is an instrument of the first consequence to the Roach-fisher; they are of different kinds. Where the stream runs moderate, and not very deep, a porcupine's quill, with a cap at each end, answers as well as any (see No. 1 ); it should be short, and as thick in the middle as you can get it; they are so formed by nature that they offer no resistance to the water when a fish bites ; they are of no use where the water is deep or rapid. If fishing for Roach, Dace, &c. you must always use as fine a tipped cap float (No. 2) as the stream will suffer to pass steadily along. These floats have been greatly improved of late years by means of heating the quills, and rendering them much more taper than they grow naturally; I should recom- mend a tipped cap float, either of quills or reeds, for all purposes, except Live-bait-fishing for Jack. Then, a large cork float (No. 3) is necessary, so that the bait may not be able to swim away with it. In the Thames at Putney, when the tide runs fast, or THE JOLLY ANGLER. in the Docks, you may use a tipped cap float on a larger scale, or the cork float No. 4. Observe, in placing the shot on your line, put one or two within six inches of the bait, the rest (as many as will load your float until about half an inch only swims above water) not nearer than fourteen; this plan will let your bait touch the ground occasionally, without pulling down your float. THE PLTJOTOTET. This is indispensable when fishing for Roach, Dace, Barbel, &c. Here are two kinds of Plummets; the first, a small roll of flat lead, which is used by unfolding about an inch of the lead, and placing the hook in the fold, with the point outside, and then folding it up again ; the second, a piece of lead, cast with a ring at the top, and some cork to stick the point of the hook in the bottom; the latter one I prefer, if made with a large ring, as you can then put your hook through, and stick it in the cork, without disfiguring the bait, and it is not so likely to stick or hang against weeds, Sec. as the rolling one; but in deference to the opinion of some other persons, who like the rolling one, I have described them both * ; now as it is as well to have a spare one, in case of a loss, you may try the two. In plumbing your depth, place your float on your line so * I find one great fault in Salter; he not only treats of such baits as are likely to kill, but enters into a long description of some others that at the close he t^lls you ' No angler would recommend you to use," with which latter remark all good anglers would readily agree then why deocribe them? But, with all its faults, it is the best treatise on Angling for Bottom-fishers and Trollers. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 57 that when your plumb touches the bottom, the top of your float may be an inch above the water, in the middle of the swim ; now, as you ought always to choose a place where the end of your swim is shallower than the middle, your bait towards the end will just drag on the ground, which is the right depth; when you have found that, press your caps tight on the float, to prevent its slipping down the line when you strike, which it will sometimes do; if you suspect that, always plumb again; if you do not fish at the right depth, all I can say on the subject of Bottom -fishing will be thrown away. With regard to THE HOOK, that should always be in proportion to the size of the bait, and the mouth of the fish you are endeavouring to catch. If where Barbel and Chub are found among the Roach, have the hook (No. 9) of stronger wire than if fishing for Roach or Gudgeons only. Remember, a small hook will catch, and generally hold, a large fish*, but a large hook cannot take a small one. For Roach-fishing use a short- shanked hook, and not one long enough to dress a fly on. THE IiINE for Bottom-fishing, should be about three feet longer than the water is deep, in order that you may not be incum- bered with too much line between the top of your rod and the float, for when this is the case, you cannot strike so quick as is necessary in Roach-fishing, I should recom- mend a fine gut line, about three and a half yards long, though I am myself in the habit (whenever I can) of using single hair; but there is more skill and attention necessary in managing it, than generally falls to the lot of an inex- perienced angler ; and observe, when fishing with gut, let the top of your line be stouter than the bottom; and when * Before tying on your hooks always pull them between yoar finger and thumb to see if they break, or straighten, in which case they are either too hard, or too soft, a circumstance that often occurs to some among the best of hooks, in the tempering, through their not all being at the same temperature; the Kirby shape is the best. 58 THE JOLLY ANGLER. you have plumbed your depth, lay your rod down, with the plumb and line in the water, while you make or throw in some ground bait; by this plan the folds of your line will disappear, and render it less liable to break; in hot weather occasionally wet that part of your line that is out of water, as the sun will make it brittle. The following articles will be found useful and necessary to the Bottom-fisher: some cut shot, large and small; a clearing ring, which opens and shuts, for the purpose of placing it on the rod above the winch; to this ring is at- tached about ten yards of stout string; now this is used for the purpose of saving your line or hook when you get it fast to anything under water; after you have put the ring on, and got the other end of the string fast in your hand, let the point of the rod slant downwards, and the ring will slip down it, over the float, and so on to the bot- tom; now hold your rod and line tight in a different di- rection to that which you pull the string, (which you must do pretty hard,) and it will clear the hook, or, at all events, cause you to lose but little line (see No. 2.). The */* ' . ' ; 'I "* '. '. ' J next thing is a Disgorger, (No. 3); now this is for the purpose of getting your hook from the throat of a fish that has gorged the bait," as Jack, Perch, Carp, Tench, and Eels generally do; you must press the notch against the hook, holding the gut tight, which will soon disengage it; you should likewise have a Box to put your gentles in, (No. 4); a Bag, with damp moss in it, for worms, (No. 5); a few spare caps, in case of accident; a Drum Net, (No. 7) to THE JOLLY ANGLER. 59 keep, the fish alive while you are angling ; as well as an extra line or two, complete, with a sufficient quantity of spare hooks tied on; and a skein of fine and coarse silk, with some wax, in a piece of leather,; these last are your resource in case of a misfortune befalling any part of your tackle. A Pocket-book (No. 6) may be purchased at any Tackle-shop, fitted up for the purpose of holding all the smaller articles in a compact form; also one to hold your Flies and Fly-tackle complete. CHAP. IV. Of Baits. IN treating of Baits, I must impress on my reader's mind the necessity of their being fresh, and placed on the line so as to shew as little of the hook as possible, your success depending so much on the tempting appearance of the bait. The first I shall allude to are Gentles; of these the bright yellow well scoured ones from a bullock's liver are esteemed the best, but / give the preference to the carrion gentles, (where you use them for ground bait,) only pick the biggest and whitest for the hook ; these are to be bought at most of the Tackle-shops; two or three quarts are sufficient for a day's Roach-fishing. The next bait for the before-mentioned fish is Paste, which should be made of a piece of crumb of bread dipped in water, and well worked up into a dough or paste with clean hands ; a piece about the size of a pea is placed so as to hide the hook; observe, this is a tender bait, and must be used with caution, otherwise you will jerk it off. There is another sort of Paste, made by dipping a piece of new bread in honey, and working as before; this is used (in larger pieces) for Carp. Many people recommend Oils, Scents, &c.; 1 have 60 THE JOLLY ANGLER. tried them without success. I do not think fish either smell or hear, except in a very slight degree, water not being a conductor of sound, which you may easily prove; let a heavy chain in the water with a rope attached to it, and you will then hear it fall faintly on the bottom; the rope conducts the sound ; take the rope off, and drop it- you will then find that the organs of hearing would be uso less to the inhabitants of the deep: the same, in some measure, by smell ; water may be impregnated with it, but it does not readily conduct it; for instance, a dead dog floating along in a putrid state, how offensive! take a stick, and hold him but one inch under water, and there the nuisance ends, as far as the olfactory nerves are con- cerned. The principle upon which I should recommend you to act is, to have your baits fresh and clean, and to keep yourself as much out of the sight of your prey as possible ; observe, they are delicately sensible of any con- cussion of the bank, or other motion therefore avoid moving about where you are angling. The next bait I shall treat of is Greaves; these should be broken in pieces, and soaked all night in warm water; if you are in a hurry, let the water be boiling, and they will do immediately, but are not in such good order as if done the former way; then pick out the best and whitest pieces for your hook, which you should put on two or three times doubled, in size according to the fish you are trying for ; this is the best bait for Barbel, but inferior to the Gentle for the other named fish. The last I shall describe under the head of " Baits for Bottom-fishing" are Worms; every fish, from a Prickle- back up to a Salmon, is, at seasons, partial to them; they ought to be put in a pan, with some wet rncss, or a piece of very coarse cloth dipped in water and wrung out, for them to crawl through and scour themselves, which will make them tough, lively, and more tempting to the fish ; (a Trout will not take a dead worm". The largest, or Lob worm, is used for Eels, and sometimes for Salmon, but the small lively Marsh, or flat-tailed worm, is the most gene- rally successful for Trout, Eels, Tench, Carp, Perch, Barbel. Chub, and sometimes Bream. The next in favour is the Red worm; this is nearly as gocd, putting the order THE JOLLY ANGLER. 61 of fish thus Bream, Grayling, small Perch, Dace, Gud- geon, Carp, Tench, Trout, Chub, Barbel, Pope, Rudd, and Eels. The Blood worm is likewise a good bait for Gudgeons, Prussian Carp, and other small fish. The Brandling worm, with stripes round the body, which is found in old dung- hills, is only good for Perch. In baiting with a large worm, put the hook in near the head, pass it through the ring of the worm (which is the strongest part,) bring it out, and slide the worm up the line a little; then again enter it nearer the tail, and pass it on till you have drawn the worm round the bend of it; you may now bring the point of the hook through the worm, and slide the head of it down the line, and it will appear as in No. 2. No. 1 represents two smaller worms on the hook, which is sometimes preferable. Though I have made the point of the hook shew in No. 2, it does not appear when in use, as drawing the worm through the water causes the head part to press down with sufficient force to keep the tail tight against the barb of the hook. In baiting with a worm, take care you have not too much of it hang- ing loose, as that will allow the fish to pull it off without your being able to hook them ; about half an inch of the head or tail of a marsh worm, or much less than that of a smaller one, is quite sufficient by its motion to tempt the fish. There are other baits, such as wasp-grubs, cads, bobs, &c. but I shall leave them for such of their brother Bobs as like to use them. Ground Baits. No. 1. Greaves, bran, and worms, cut in pieces, mixed up with clay into large balls ; this answers well for Barbel, when ledger fishing, or with a float. No. 2. A quartern stale loaf, without the crust, soaked through in a pail of water, then squeezed between your hands to get the water out, and mixed with as much bran F 62 THE JOLLY ANGLER. as will hold together, after well working ; this is the best ground bait for Roach, Dace, Chub, and Barbel, when bottom fishing. If you use this where the stream runs fast, you must put a stone in each ball to sink it. If the water is nearly still, or you are pond fishing, for Rudd, Bream, &c. throw it in in small pieces, and it will sink of itself. Note, always throw your ground bait in at the top of the swim, as the stream will wash it down fast enough ; one advantage of having the bottom of your swim shallower than the top is, that the ground bait stops on the hill, and keeps the fish together. You may mix this bait before you start, but it will not keep above a day. No. 3. Carrion gentles; these are used with clay in rivers. Take a ball of clay, work it flat in your hand, then put a handful of these gentles in the middle, and enclose them as you would an apple dumpling ; when thrown in the water the clay softens, and they soon come forth. If you are pond fishing, throw them in loose, a few at a time, if fishing for Bream, Rudd, &c. but if for Carp, first plumb your depth, throw a good quantity in, and leave the place (trying somewhere else for an hour); then come back, and place your line in (baited with two or three of the same) as sly as possible, so as not to disturb the fish, and strike as soon as you see a bite; nearly all the Carp I ever took was in this manner: I have taken Tench by the same means. No. 4. A quantity of fresh grains and bullock's blood, thrown in overnight, answers well for Tench, Carp, Bream, and Eels ; if the grains are sour, or your ground bait mouldy, it will drive the fish away instead of encouraging them. Observe, an angler who uses plenty of ground bait, and fishes on the bottom, will catch three times as many as one who does not. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 63 CHAP. V. Bottom Fishing I shall here treat of in its limited sense, that is, the portion of it where a float is used (Live-bait fishing excepted, which will form a portion of a chapter on Trolling). Now having all things prepared, as before described in Chapter III, first plumb your depth, throw in some ground bait, and proceed by letting your bait and then your float fall gently in the upper part of the swim, keeping the top of your rod over it as it passes by you; when it gets as far as you can conveniently reach, strike gently, and proceed as before. When you get a bite, which you will see by the float being shook or snatched under, immediately strike, which is to be done by a smart stroke, raising the point of your rod perpendicularly over the float; if you hook the fish, and he offers little resistance, you may proceed to lift him on shore, or into the boat, but if a large one, and he rushes forward upon feeling the hook, you must let him have more line, until he suffers himself to be turned by less force; you must then keep him tight, pulling him towards you when opportunity offers, and when he again plunges, easing your hand towards him, that he may not break the tackle ; by following this plan you may soon tire him out; then do not attempt to lift him with your line, but use your landing net. Occasionally a Barbel will lie like a stone when hooked for some time, and then go direct away, consequently you should always be prepared, having the running line grasped in your hand with the rod, so that you may regulate the strength of pull that will draw it off your winch, by pressing it harder against the butt. Having unhooked your fish, take off the old bait, and put on a fresh one, (which you should always do if at any time it is in the least disfigured,) then throw in at the top of the swim another ball or two of ground-bait, and proceed as before. I will here tell you of a ledger bait that I saw a F 2 f>4 THE JOLLY ANGLER. gentleman catch two Barbel with at Putney, and that was a ball of ground-bait fixed round the shot of his line, so that when he felt a bite, and struck, it hooked the fish, and left the ground-bait behind. This plan you can tr\ for a change, without any trouble in taking your float off, or changing your line. When you use single hair you must be cautious in proportion, both in striking and managing the fish when hooked, or disappointment will follow. For the best method of catching Gudgeons see " the Gudgeon," as also for catching Chub with brains see "the Chub." When Bottom-fishing, you may sometimes be annoyed by a Pike coming among the ground-bait, which you may discover by the fish leaving off biting, as well as by the small fry jumping out of water; you may then bait a bank trimmer, and lay in for him (see " Ledger-fishing.") For Bleak -fishing see " the Bleak ;" for catching bait, see " the Prickleback," "Minnow," "Loach," &c. The foregoing description supposes you to have the Roach-rod, win'ch, running line, gut or hair bottom, and as fine a float as the stream will allow, for which see those articles, treated of under their separate names. I shall now describe . Pond Fishing, in which description you must suppose the same tackle in every jespect, except such alterations as I shall here de- scribe. The principal causes of success are ground-bait (over-night, if you can see " Ground-Bait,'' Nos. 2, 3, and 4), a fine gut bottom, and a clean, lively bait (if sweet paste for Carp or Tench, use a bit as big as a small nut), and do not disturb the water. Your hook for Carp should be No. 7 or 8; for Tench, Eels, or Perch, No. 6 ; for Bream, No. 8 or 9, stout wire ; but if you are angling with a red worm, and there are Bream, Rudd, and many other fish in the pond, use a strong No. 9 or 10, such as recom- mended where Roach and larger fish are angled for at the same time. For taking Carp and Tench in spawning time see " the Carp;" for taking Perch in ponds where they run small, see " the Perch." Where the pond has many small Rudd, THE JOLLY ANGLER. 65 and no larger fish, you may use a single hair line, or a fine gut, with two or three hooks, as they swim at all depths ; throw in some loose gentles, and bait with a gentle, or small worm. Note, a Bream will often lift up your shot, and let your float lie on the top of the water, in which case wait till it sails off or goes down ; then you may reckon on hooking them. Where Perch run large use a small fish (see " the Perch"); for Prussian Carp,' and Gold Fish, see " the Carp." Where fresh water runs into a pond is always a good place to angle. For catching Eels with a worm, see " the Eel;" and observe that Jack are the only fish that feed well in ponds during winter, for the manner of catching which see " Trolling." I shall now describe a different sort of still -water fishing, and that is, Ron to Angle, in the Docks. Here the water is from 20 to 30 feet deep, and the tackle, baits, &c. differ from any other place that I have been used to. Use your bag-rod, winch, running line, arid tip capped or cork float. The bottom part of your line should be about four yards of gut, fitted up as follows- the bottom hook No. 7, strong wire, baited with a live shrimp, which you may here catch, or buy at Billingsgate ; two feet above this have another hook, No. 6, baited with a live minnow, and again, two feet higher, another, which you may bait with a worm if a large hook, or gentles if a small one; now these upper hooks should be tied to a hog's bristle, the thick end of which must be made fast round a little ivory or leaden tube*, of the shape shewn in the cut; under this should be a shot pinched tight on, to keep it from slipping down the line; these bristles being stiff, keep the bait from hanging against the line, and when fitted will appear thus You may use any of the above baits; I have sup- posed you to have three or four sorts; if not, act accordingly; the best in the _____ Homeward or Outward-bound East India ^ Docks is shrimps for large Perch, (which you may keep alive in wet straw); some- times you will find them bite near the * These, as well as every other implement here mentioned, are to be bought at the tackle shops. F 3 DO THE JOLLY ANGLER. wall, at others near the ships, Perch seldom stopping long in one place. But if you bait the bottom hook with gentles (which in this case should be No. 9, with a lighter float, see " Floats." No. 2,) and throw in some ground-bait (see " Ground Bait," No. 2 or 3), you may take many Bream and Roach, as well as sometimes a Perch. Here you should plumb your depth, and let the bottom hook touch the ground, or nearly so. Strolling. This is a pleasant way of bottom fishing. All that is requisite is the Fly-rod, (or you may make shift with the Roach-rod,) the winch, and line with gut bottom, as de- scribed for Fly-fishing ; the hook No. 5 or 6 ; the bait one large marsh worm, or two smaller ones (see "Baits.") Now to use this, you have only to let your bait swim before you down the stream, letting out at the same time eight, ten, fifteen, or twenty yards of line, so that it may reach the place where you suspect the fish to lie. By this plan you may take Trout, Grayling, Chub, and sometimes Perch or Dace (see " the Dace.") It answers well at mill tails, weirs, &c. If the stream is very sharp, put one or two shot on the line, to cause your bait to sink. This plan is followed on a large scale for Salmon. The before-mentioned tackle (without the shot) an-swers for Dibbing. Here you put a May fly, humble bee, wasp, cockchafer, grub, or caterpillar, on your hook, No. 8, with a short line, letting your bait swim on or near the top of the water, under bushes, behind weeds, or any other place where the fish cannot see you. This is the " most killing " bait of a summer's evening for Chub that I know of. If you see a clear spot between any two, among a row of trees that overhang the water, go cautiously, and drop your bait in ; if they see you, and sink down, which is often the case when the water is clear, then put on a worm, hold the point of the rod down, near the top of the water, and draw a yard of running line off your winch, the stream will THE JOLLY ANGLER. 67 draw it through the rings, then another yard, and so on, till your bait has got out of your sight under the trees ; they will then bite freely enough. When they snatch your line, hold the point of the rod nearer to them, so that they may not feel the hook, and at the second tug you must strike, (against the stream,) holding your rod low, or you will hook the boughs. You may follow this method with many other baits, such as a large moth, blue-bottle, slug, or a bunch of gentles. When you use a real fly, and have the wind at your back, you may let it blow the bait as far from you as it will, then lower the point of your rod, so that it may float down without interruption. When you see a fish take it, wait while you might moderately count four or five, and then strike. If you hook the fish, endeavour to prevent his getting among weeds, &c.; he has very little chance of escaping any other way, as a fly- rod is almost sure to kill a fish of any size, if the hook holds, which it will generally do in the mouth of a Dace or Chub, but the mouth of a Trout is more likely to suffer the hook to escape, as it is more bony, and what flesh there is is less tough. When using a worm for Trout, always try these means in pre- ference to a float, which is, generally speaking, labour in vain. I shall now describe another excellent method of taking large Trout, and many other fish, and that is, Spinning a Minnow, for which purpose you use the bag-rod with the Perch top, though you may make shift with the other rod, if you have a stiff top to it, but being shorter, it will not command so much water as the first. The winch and running line the same as last mentioned, at the bottom of which you must have tackle of the following description, in the room of the former gut lengthener (unless it was a very strong one, when you may join this to it); the lower length of very strong gut, fastened tight to a No. 1 hook, with a long shank ; about three inches above this you must attach a short piece of gut, with a No. 7 hook tied on, so that it may hang even with the top of the shank of the large one ; you then .add to these two lengths of strong (some add 68 THE JOLLY ANGLER. twisted) gut, joined together by means of two small box swivels, with one or two shots to sink it; or some use a conical hollow piece of lead to slip down over the nose of the bait, which I think is better. To bait the above, pass the large hook down the throat, through the whole length of the body, and bring it out at the tail of the minnow, then put the small hook through the jaws of the fish, slide down the lead, f^see the cut,) and it is now ready to put to your line. When you make shift without the small hook, put the large one through the lower and upper jaw, drawing three or four inches of gut with it, and then pass it as before described, draw the gut tight, and it is ready. This is a very inferior way; I should not have mentioned it, had it not been that you can use it when you have not the other tackle fitted up. Spinning a minnow is performed as follows: cast your bait across or down the stream; then draw it towards you for a yard or two, either against or across the current, and it will spin round ; then let it sink a little, and repeat it, until it wants throwing forth again. The most likely places are currents, water-falls, mill-tails, weirs, &c. When at a place where you stand on an eminence, first try close to you, then let out four or five yards of line, and try again, and so on, till you have let it down the stream as far as your line will permit, which is the most likely way of taking them, as they will not bite when they see you. Some anglers use a small Bleak, but I think it inferior to the Minnow, except for Salmon or Jack. I have taken Chub, Jack, and Perch, by these means. For using a live Minnow, see "the Perch." Observe, in spinning the Minnow, the fish (if a Trout) will mostly hook himself, but it is as well to strike the moment you feel or see a bite. There is an artificial bait much in fashion of late years, commonly called a Devil, which is to be bought at any of THE JOLLY ANGLER. 69 the tackle-shops. This is manufactured of silk, tinsel, and other gaudy materials, in the shape of a Minnow, with a bright tin tail. It is used in the same manner, and with the same tackle as described for spinning the Minnow, with the exception of the hooks which hang by the side of it, in nearly as many different ways as there are anglers who use it, each having a whim of his own ; the way they are fitted up by some is as here represented : the hooks, three double ones on each side, some hanging behind the tail, with a slight bit of silk bound round the body, just to keep them attached to the bait. In deep, sharp water this will sometimes take Trout or Jack, but will not answer as well as the real Minnow. Ledger Fishing. This is a successful way of catching Barbel, Jack, or Eels. To practise it, use your Perch or Trolling-top, winch, and silk running line, with a yard of strong gut at bottom ; the hook, if baited with a worm, should be No. 7, but if with greaves, which (when the water is clear ) is sometimes preferable, then use a No. 8 hook, strong wire; no float is necessary, but at the bottom of the line, a foot above the hook, you have a Barbel lead of this description ; the shot is placed there to prevent the lead slipping any lower down the line. Now to fish in the Thames, you should throw your bait in down the stream, having no more line out than will remain straight from the top of the rod to the lead. When there is a bite, the fish will draw the line through the lead, 70 THE JOLLY ANGLER. and cause a motion in the point of the rod, easily seen or felt; then you must strike firm, or the hook will not enter the mouth of the fish, which is very tough. By throwing in plenty of ground bait (see " Ground Bait, No. 1,"), and following these directions, I have no doubt of your taking plenty of fine Barbel from July till October. (The same tackle is used with gimp instead of gut for Eels.) You may often take Perch, Chub, &c. on these lines in the Lea and other parts, by night or day. When you lay in a ledger for Jack, (which you may do when Roach-fishing,) have a bank trimmer, of the following description : a peg, ten inches long, to fix in the ground, with a rf el on the top to hold the line ; this may be cord or silk, the bottom of which should be fitted up with gimp below the ledger lead, (for how to bait which see " Live- bait Gorge-hook," "Trolling"); a foot above the bait fix a cork of a bottle. I generally let the line go through the centre of the cork, and two feet above that put a large shot tight on the line, to prevent the ledger lead sliding towards the cork, so that the line may run through it without dragging the lead after it; the cork will cause the bait to swim about a foot or more from the ground, as this section of the river will best explain: then fix the line lightly in the notch of the reel, so that when a Jack takes it he may easily pull it out, and then the line will let him run without checking him. The ledger is used sometimes with two or three hooks for Eels, baited with dead fish, lamprey, worms, &c. These are the only things I can recommend it for. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 71 Cross Fishing. This method is not practised near London. It is fol- lowed in the North by means of two poles about six or eight feet long, with a strong line running through a hole in the top of each, to which is attached one, two, or three gut lines, of about two yards each. They are mostly used when the May-fly is on. One person on each side of the water holds up the poles, and when a fish rises, they drop the fly just above, and let it swim over him; when the fish is hooked, the nearest person draws him in, while the other lets more line through the hole in his pole. This is a poaching, destructive method, and unworthy of the honest Angler, as are also Cross-fishing for Jack, Snaring, Hal- tering, Scratching for Barbel, Groping or Tickling for Trout, and many other plans that I will not propagate by describing in this work. CHAP. VI. Trolling. THIS, near London, is one of the most favoured branches of the art, as Fly-fishing is in many other parts; it is also followed with most success during those months when all other but Roach and Chub fishing are useless. The most common, easy, and successful method is with the gorge- hook, which I will here explain. This is formed of twisted brass wire, with a double Eel-hook at the end, round which is cast some lead of this form 12 THE JOLLY ANGLER. for the purpose of sinking the bait; here is generally more lead than is necessary left on the hook, in order that the angler may scrape as much off as suits the water he angles in (where there are many weeds, it is wanted heavier than in clear water). To bait this you must have a baiting- needle (see the cut), which enter at the mouth of the bait, pass it straight through the body, and bring it out at the tail, dragging the gimp and hooks through after it, placing the points of them upwards, so as not to project beyond the fish ; tie some fine thread or silk tight round the tail, to prevent its slipping down or tearing when it catches the weeds, &c.; now add this to your gimp, which is attached by a swivel to your line, and all is ready. I shall here remark again that a Gudgeon is the best bait; but as you may occasionally, either through choice or necessity, use other as well as larger baits, I would recommend the hook always to be in proportion to your bait, or you will catch more weeds than fish ; a small Tench is of no use (see " the Tench.") Having your bait prepared*, proceed to cast it forth into such places as you think likely to contain a fish, letting it dive to the bottom, then drawing it up gently, so as just to cause it to twirl round as it rises, then let it sink again, and proceed as before, till the line is close to you ; then cast forth again, the best way to do which is, to draw as much line off your winch as will reach the place you intend to throw to, holding it loose in your left hand, to keep it from catching the bank when it is going forth ; I always bait three or four hooks before I start, and put them in a tin box with bran, as that saves my time after having taken a fish, which then seems precious. Some anglers cut off the fins of the bait; I never do, unless the water is more than usually weedy, because it disfigures the fish. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 73 then holding the rod in the right hand, nearly two feet from the butt, which should rest against the lower part of your right side, swing the bait forth, at the same time letting the line run through your left hand, which you can gently close if you see it going too far, by which means you can regulate to a nicety the spot your bait will fall in ; try first up the stream, then down, and if no success, move on. When you get a bite (here called a run), which you will perceive by the bait being suddenly pulled, held fast, or sometimes only shook; immediately hold the point of your rod down, and with the left hand keep two or three yards of loose line ready, that he may not be checked when he runs, which he will do ; in that case keep pulling the line off the winch, and likewise let the rod point the way he runs until he stops. Then, if he lies still two or three minutes, shakes the line, and runs again, you may pull or wind in the loose line, and strike. If a large fish, he will generally keep near the bottom. Do not endeavour to land him too soon. When he rises to the top of the water, with his head towards you, do not pull hard, as I have by that means pulled the bait out from the throat (after having been gorged) through the fish plunging. While he suffers himself to be guided quietly, lead him to a suitable spot, and land him, either with a landing-hook, or lift the fish out by grasping him in your hands; never trust to the line, as the sudden motion of the fish when you are lifting him out will sometimes clear him from the hook. In fishing with a gorge-hook for Jack, when you have a run, unless he acts as here described, I would advise you to give him at least seven or eight minutes after taking the bait before you strike; for observe, when a Pike is on the feed, you can hardly lose him by any other means than not giving him time enough. In Jack-fishing, you may if you please affix the gimp of the hooks to the silk troll- ing line, without any swivel or extra gimp; but observe, whatever you fasten your gimp to, if looped, the loop ought to be large enough to let the bait pass through. Your disgorger for Jack ought to be on a larger scale than the one you use for Perch. If the water is high or thick, it is useless trying in the middle, or deep water, as during this time they lie close 74 THE JOLLY ANGLER. in-shore, among sedges, under trees, on shallows where there is little stream, &c. For laying bank trimmers for Pike, and baiting them, see "Ledger," and " Live-bait Fishing." If you bait your ledger-line with a gudgeon and a single hook, you may hook the bait through the back, the same as described with a minnow for Perch. (See " Perch.") After the dead bait gorge-hook, the next in order of priority is The Live Bait, of which there are many ; but I shall content myself with describing the best, as it is useless giving you a description of a style of angling I cannot recommend you to practise. The most approved live bait is used as follows : to about a foot of gimp, not too coarse, fix a double or two single hooks, No. 5, at the other end of which make a small loop ; then take your baiting needle (see "Dead Gorge"), which for this purpose cannot be too fine, and enter it on the upper part of the side of the bait fish, near the gills, and bring it out past the back fin, taking care your needle does not enter the fish deep enough to prevent him swimming well; when the needle is through, hang the loop of your gimp on it, and draw it all through, till the hooks lie close to the bait, as here shewn: Your float (see " Floats," No. 3) should be placed on your silk line, as should your shots or bullet to keep the fish down, before you affix the bait. This, like the last, is a gorge hook; so that when you have a bite, which you will know by your float being suddenly snatched under, THE JOLLY ANGLES.. 75 loosen the line, and act in every way the same as described for the dead bait gorge. There is another method of taking Jack, both with a lire and dead bait, termed Snap Fishing. Out of about twenty different sorts of snap hooks, I am puzzled to find more than three worth recording, which I will endeavour to describe sufficiently clear for an inex- perienced hand to act by. The first in merit is made after this fashion; take four No. 4 hooks, tie them to two pieces of fine twisted wire, each about three inches long, one at each end ; then double them in the centre ; now take a foot of gimp, to one end make a loop, the other you must put through the two bent wires, as well as through a gut loop, to which a No. 6 hook is tied; turn it up, and bind it fast round ; when done it will appear thus : To bait this put the small hook through the back of the fish, just under the fin; let two of the hooks hang down on each side, one pointing towards the head, the other towards the tail ; it is used in every other respect the same as the last, except in this case you strike immediately a fish bites, and get him on shore as quick as possible. Your bag rod is not strong enough for this purpose ; some people who fish with a snap hook have a rod made on purpose, strong enough to lift a fish out the moment he is hooked. The next snap I shall describe is used with a dead bait, and without a float, similar to the first gorge hook. Here you take a piece of gimp about a foot long, with a loop at one end ; at the other tie a No. 4 hook; two inches higher up fix to the same gimp another hook, No. 2; that done, o 2 76 THE JOLLY ANGLER. take another piece of gimp, four inches long, tie a small loop at one end, and to the other two hooks, the same as just described. To bait this, put the loop of the short gimp in at the gill and out of the mouth of the bait; then put the loop of the long gimp in at the other gill and out of the mouth, passing it through the loop of the short one, which you may drawback into-the mouth of the fish, by laying hold of the hooks attached to the short gimp, while you pull the other length through; now slip a bead or chain lead (which is a bit of lead fixed to a short chain) down the gimp, and into the mouth of the fish, which you must sew up tight, and it is complete. For fear of a mistake, this cut will explain : The one shows the tackle out of the bait, the other in. It is as well to stick the points of your hooks in the sides of the bait, to prevent their catching the weeds; the last Pike I saw taken with this snap, had three hooks out of the four fast in his jaws. A good common dead snap may be made as follows: tie two No. 3 hooks, and one No. 6, back to back, on a piece of gimp, the small hook level with the top of the shanks of the large ones, thus: THE JOLLY ANGLER. 77 then enter the baiting needle in the vent and out of the mouth of the bait, drawing the three hooks close to the vent, just behind which, hook the small one tight in; this will keep the other two in their places ; then slip a chain lead down the gimp, place it in the mouth of the fish, which you must sew up (see the cut) ; some tie a small hook, to stick in the bait, at the back of a good large double Eel hook, which answers nearly as well. There are many other snaps, but so inferior to those described, that I should have no faith in them if those before men- tioned fail. Observe, in Snap-fishing, your bait should be larger than for the gorge hooks, and when you use a live bait, put it on carefully the moment you are going to use it, as so much depends on it being fresh and lively ; you must carry them in a kettle made for that purpose (see p. 39), and change their water occasionally. Here is a spring snap-hook, that opens when you hook a fish, but does not answer so well as the first snap treated of. It was formerly much used, but is now, I think justly, falling into disrepute. I have men- tioned it out of respect to the opinion of a few old Anglers, who still use them. The next and last plan of taking Pike that I shall here treat of, is Trimmer Fishing. Here you have a round piece of cork, above an inch thick, with a very deep groove cut round the edge for the cord line to be wound on ; through the centre of the flat side there is a stick or peg fixed, with a notch in it, to hang the line in (this is called the man-of-rcar Trim- mer} : one side of the cork is red, the other white. Now to bait this, use the same means as described for Live-bait Fishing. A foot above this have a lead or bullet, with a hole through it, to keep the bait down; this lead should have a large shot pinched tight on the line, to keep it o 3 78 THE JOLLY ANGLER. from slipping down to the fish: when baited it would appear thus: \y These are only used in large ponds, lakes, &c. where, occasionally, many fine Pike are taken with them. When a quantity of these are started, the white sides are up- wards; if a fish takes the bait, he immediately turns the red side up, before the line comes out of the notch, by which means the trimmer turns round, and lets off as much line as is necessary to let him gorge it ; when watching these from a boat, the colour will tell you which has had a run. Here you may occasionally bait with a frog, but I have never, in a river, caught any fish but Perch and Chub with them. In Trimmer, as well as all other Live-bait fishing for Jack, let your bait swim about a foot from the bottom, unless the weeds compel you to fish shallower; and (if you can get them) bait with Gudgeons; they are sweeter, more fleshy, and will live longer on the hook than most other small fish, though I have often had good sport with small Roach, Bleak, Dace, &c. In some waters they bait with a small Jack; in the River Wey I saw a Pike taken, about six pounds weight, on a trimmer that had a Jack of about ten ounces on for a bait. Some persons use bul- locks' -bladders, quart-bottles, &c. with a live bait, and about two yards of line attached ; but the line being so short, the fish running among weeds, would draw the trimmer under water, and you would lose altogether, 1 THE JOLLY ANGLER. 79 have likewise read of Ducks or Geese being used for the purpose, which I think would afford better sport, with a much better chance of getting your fish. For the Bank- trimmer, see " Ledger Fishing." Remarks on Trolling. When you use the gorge, first treated of, have the hook nearly the length of the bait, so that when you tie the tail down, a turn of your thread may pass through the twisted wire to which your gimp is hooked, and do not let the hooks be larger than will lie close to the side of the head. In January, February, and March, the Jack are in pairs; at which time, if you take one, put on a fresh bait, and try close by for the other. During these months they feed eagerly ; now use either of the gorge hooks ; in summer the snap, as, at that time, they are more apt to play with the bait than swallow it. If you get any dirt or weeds to the bait, take them off; a Jack will seldom take it when disfigured ; if much soaked, or the scales half off, put on a fresh bait ; and mark this, when a Jack takes a bait it is across his mouth, thus, generally by the body, and always swallows it head first. 1 think that is the reason they so seldom leave the dead gorge, there being no obstruction, the line coming from the tail of the fish. Now, though windy weather (if from the west or south) suits both Jack and Perch, they like the quietest parts ; consequently, have the wind at your back, if possible, the bank protecting that side more than the opposite, or leeward shore. When you have hooked your fish, and he is nearly exhausted, draw him quietly to the side, put your landing hook under his jaws and lift him out. Some persons use a thumb-reel for trolling, instead of a winch, but it is not near so handy. When trolling for 80 THE JOLLY ANGLER. Jack, always take your bait out of the water slowly and with care, as it is a very common occurrence for a fish to seize it at that moment. I do not pretend to say there are not other methods of taking fish, both by bottom-fishing and trolling, but have in this work only given a description of such as I conceive to be the best and simplest. If you are fearful of obtaining baits for Jack where you are going to, you may purchase them at Turpin's, near Sadler's Wells, or of Jacobs, Duke Street, Aldgate. There are many artificial baits for Jack sold at the tackle-shops, manufactured of pearl, silk, leather, &c.; but however natural they maybe made, the eye of the fish is so keen, and the deception so easily discovered in the mouth, that you must strike the moment the fish touches them ; I have never succeeded with them. Fly Fishing. This branch of the art is so captivating, that few bot- tom-fishers return to their old system of angling after once succeeding with the fly (the winter season excepted). For my own part, I feel more pleasure in taking two or three brace of Trout or Chub, with a light fly-rod, than I do by taking three times the quantity by any other means. There is no department of the science upon which so much has been written, and to so little purpose. Salter very ingenuously says, " Bowlker,. of Shrewsbury, is the best instructor in the art of fly -making." I agree with him so far * ; but a little farther on, where, after telling you to " take the rod in one hand while you hold the fly in the other," he says, " when you have attained the art of throwing a fly thirty yards ! you may use line ad libitum." Here I think he has been imposed upon by some person who could throw a long line. At all events, it shows him to have been ignorant of the subject he was then dis- cussing. I should say, when you can manage 10 or 12 yards of line ?DeZ/(with a single-handed fly-rod), you might then use more line at pleasure, and limit your desires to throwing something short of 30 when you become an * I believe Bowlker to be the best book of reference for the fly- maker who has had a. little instruction in the art; though some of his flies are now expunged from the modern angler's pocket-book. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 81 adept in the art. Very few anglers can manage above 25 yards well with a long double-handed rod, unless the wind backs them in the effort. A light rod, with from 16 to 20 yards of line thrown straight forth, and lightly on the water, will be more likely to succeed than a greater quantity managed with less skill. With regard to fly- making, I cannot go out of the beaten track. Bowlker and others have explained the thing as far as words can go. If I was to attempt any thing farther, it would extend the number of cuts as well as the length and price of this work beyond the limits I have prescribed. The late Mr. Salter was not a fly-fisherman ; he was a thorough-bred bottom-angler. I question whether a fly- book formed part of his angling apparatus. I have been much in his company, and have had good cause to admire the extreme neatness of his tackle ; but he never brought forth any thing relating to the artificial fly. He certainly does say, when treating of dipping with real flies, " I have had much success (particularly in the river Lea) in whipping with a humble bee, both with the natural and artificial." This is the only instance in which he insinuates that he has attempted any thing with an artificial fly. All the advice I can give on the subject, is to get by the side of a good fly-nmker, and you will learn more in one minute than I could here explain (satisfactorily to myself or you) in one hour. As Moses Browne says " When artful flies the angler would prepare, This task of all deserves hia utmost care : Nor verse or prose can ever teach him veil. What masters only know, and practice tell; Yet this at large I venture to support, Nature best follow'd, best secures the sport. Of flies the kinds, their seasons, and their breed, Their shapes, their hue, with nice observance heed: Which most the Trout admires, and where obtain'd, Experience best will teach you, or some friend." Best, who was an expert hand, gives you a long list of flies (in his work on angling), some " killing, 1 ' others " great killers;" but he wisely lays his foundation on the Palmers (and May-fly, when in season); these, he truly says, seldom fail. This I can say in their favour, that however much the other sorts may fluctuate in estimation, O* THE JOLLY ANGLER. these always obtain easy access into the pocket. book of every experienced angler in the kingdom. With regard to salmon-flies, the two most favoured ones are the " Peacock" and " Jay." In short, the salmon will take any large gaudy fly. Your tackle must be strong, and the line from 60 to 80 yards in length ; the gut used for this purpose is generally twisted. (See "the Salmon.") If I was to attempt any thing further, on the subject of salmon-fishing, I should be obliged to have recourse to the unfair means of pilfering from " theDriffield Angler," a north-country work on the subject, to which I have re- ferred those who travel that road. In THROWING A FLY, the most common fault of a young beginner is in not waiting while Ihe line takes its sweep round after drawing it off the water ; he mostly returns it too quick, which causes it (if he has much out) either to smack like a whip and lose his fly, or else fall in the water all of a heap. The best thing he can do is to observe one who has had experience in the art (which he may easily do by the river he intends to angle in) ; let him then take a light rod, and let out eight or nine yards of line, and, with a small black or red Palmer, throw across or down the stream, until he can feel some con- fidence in the direction and distance his fly will fall, taking care, at the same time, that as little line as possible falls on the water with it; when he can manage this well, he may let out another yard or two of line, and so on, till he can command sufficient for the stream he frequents. When taking your first lessons, always get the wind at your back, as it will much assist you ; though this is a circumstance that you should on all occasions take advan- tage of if possible. If you whip off many flies, try without one, till the line leaves off smacking ; then put on a fly again, and you will in all probability keep it there ; for it is only by perseverance that you can acquire the knack of throwing clean. When you get a bite (which is here called a rise), if a Dace, you will see it by the curls on the water where your fly is ; and strike quick, but not hard, as the least motion of the hand will hook him ; but if a Trout, you may both see and feel him, as they often take it quick enough to hook themselves. The slowest fish is a THE JOLLY ANGLER. 83 Chub. I remember once, fishing in the Wey, when throwing my fly over the river to where some willows grew, I saw a motion in the water (similar to that caused by a fish when he comes at a fly), and struck, but felt nothing. I then threw again, with like success, two or three times (for at that time I had only practised for Trout) ; at last I held my hand still for a moment, when I saw them coming; they then took my fly, and I caught a basket full of them. I have also succeeded by drawing my fly quick through the water, and suddenly stopping, when the fear of losing it has tempted them to take it eagerly. When you hook a fish with the fly-rod, get him clear of any weeds or other obstructions, and keep a tight line ; the play of the rod will be quite sufficient to kill him. When he appears exhausted, draw him to the shore, and use your landing net. Never lift him out with your rod, as raising one pound that way will strain it more than killing a fish of seven. The most likely places to succeed with a fly, are mill-tails, weirs, scours, where two rivers join, or at the edge of a bed of weeds where the water runs fast. I here allude to Salmon, Trout, Grayling, or Dace ; but Chub delight in deep still holes under trees, where they catch the caterpillars, moths, cockchaffers, &c. that fall therefrom. I must here repeat the caution of keeping out of sight. I have taken many fish by standing back, and throwing on my own side of the river, then downwards or upwards, under the banks, and at last out in the stream, or across. When you are fishing for Dace you may use two or even three flies at once, about a yard apart. Sometimes they put a gentle on the hook with the flies. This is a good plan to follow, if fishing for Skeggers. (See " The Thames ; as also, for Grayling, see " The Grayling.") When you use more than one fly, the farthest is called the stretcher ; the others are called drop-flies ; but it is in most cases advisable to use but one. I will give you a list of the articles necessary for, as well as directions how to make an artificial fly (though lam fully aware the theory of the thing is useless). Those who can make a fly will understand me ; those who can- not, I fear, will profit little by what I can here advance. 84 THE JOLLY ANGLER. With regard to dyeing the gut, it is of no avail ; the na- tural colour is by far the best. Articles necessary to keep for Fly Making. Mohairs, of all colours and shades. Sheep's wool, ditto. The furs from a squirrel, hare, mole, water-rat, &c. Camlets, of all colours. Feathers wild drake (the back) cock pheasant (the breast and tail) golden, ditto (the breast) starling (the wing) peacock (the tail and fibres thereof) landrail, thrush, blackbird, and jay (the wings of each) plover (the top-knot) ostrich (the strippings of the black) the feathers of a blue, dun-coloured hen (which are not very common). The hackles from the neck and saddle of a cock ; these you must have every variety of colour to be met with ; those of a dark game-cock are the most generally useful. Silks of all colours flat gold and silver wire white and dark wax a sharp pen-knife and a pair of small scissors, that will cut well down to the points, which should be sharp. In short, there are numberless things that may be used for the purpose; but the above are most in request. Now, having these materials, I shall suppose you are going to make a Palmer-fly, as it is termed. Look out your gut ; hooks, No. 6 ; some red silk, waxed with bees- wax ; some strippings of black ostrich feather, with a few fine red hackles ; then take the hook, by the bend, be- tween the fore-finger and thumb of your left hand, with the shank towards your right hand, the point and beard of the hook; not under your fingers, but nearly parallel with the tops of them ; afterwards, take the silk, thus : _ hold it likewise about the middle of it, with your hook, one part lying along the inside of it to your left hand, the other to the right; then take that part of the silk which lies towards your right hand, between the fore- finger and thumb of that hand, and holding that part to- THE JOLLY ANGLER. 85 wards your left, tight, along the surface of the hook, whip that to the right three or four times round the shank of the hook towards the right hand ; after which take the gut, and lay the end along the inside of the shank of the hook till it reaches the bend ; thus: then hold the hook, silk, and gut tight between the fore-finger and thumb of your left hand, and afterwards give that part of the silk to your right hand, three or four whips more over the hook and gut, till it comes nearly to the end of the shank ; make a loop and fasten it tight ; then whip it neatly again over silk, gut, and hook, till it comes near the bend of it ; after which make another loop, and fasten it again ; thus: then, if the gut reach farther than the bend, cut it off, and your hook will be whipped on, and the parts of the silk will hang from the bend of it; then wax the longest end of the silk again, and take three or four strands of an ostrich feather, and holding them and the hook, as in the first position, the feathers to the left hand, and the roots of them in the bend of the hook, as is here shown, with the silk you waxed last, whip them three or four times round; make a loop and fasten them tight; then, turning the strands to the right hand, and twisting them and the silk together, with the fore-finger and thumb of the right hand, wind them round the shank of the hook till you come to the place where you first fastened ; then make a loop, and fasten them again. If the strands should not be long enough to wind as far as is necessary round the shank, when the silk gets bare you must twist more on it; after which, take your scissors, and cut the Palmer's body to an oval form, taking care not to cut away too much of the dubbing. Both ends of the silk being separated, wax the one next the bend again ; then take the hackle, hold the small end between the fore-finger and thumb of your 86 THE JOLLY ANGLER. left hand, and stroke the fibres of it with your right, contrarywise to which they are formed thus: keep your hold, as in the first x - N ?ss: vw position, and place the point of the hackle in its bend, with that side which grows nearest the cock upwards ; then whip it tight to the hook. In fastening it, avoid tying in the fibres as much as possible ; the hackle being fastened thus, , . . . _ , 9 take it by the large end, and, keeping the side nearest the cock to the left hand, begin with your right hand to wind it up the shank upon the dubbing, stopping every second turn, and holding what you have wound tight with your left fingers, whilst, with a needle, you pick what fibres may have been taken in ; proceed in this manner until you come to the place where you first fastened, and where an end of the silk is ; then clip those fibres off the hackle which you hold between your fore-finger and thumb, close to the stem, and hold the stem close to the hook ; after- wards take the silk in your right hand, and whip the stem quite fast to it; then make a loop, and fasten it tight. Take a sharp knife, and if that part of the stem next the shank of the hook be as long as the part of the hook which is bare, pare it fine ; wax your silk, and bind neatly over the bare part of the hook ; then fasten the silk tight, and spread shoemaker's wax lightly on the last binding * ; then clip off the remaining silk at the shank and bend of the hook, and also any fibres that may stand amiss." This is Bowlker's description, with a slight alteration of my own. I have endeavoured also to make it more clear, by illustrating, with a cut, each stage of the fly. Of course you are aware that the quantity of ostrich, as well as the size of the hackle, must depend upon the size of the hook you dress. If you want a ribbed body, tie your gold twist in with the ostrich fibre; wind the ostrich up the * If the silk was sufficiently waxed, just wetting the tips of your thumb and finger, and wiping it smooth, would be preferable. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 87 shank first, and then the gold twist after, making them both fast together, thus : By follow- * ing this description, you may make a ""'' great variety of Palmers ; and take my word for it, from the Land's End to John o' Groats, there are few rivers where a Palmer does not bear the palm. I keep them of all colours and sizes, and use them early and late, in preference to any other, the May-fly*, in season, not always excepted. If ever the winged flies supersede the Palmer, it is in clear water during the middle of the day. The white moth is a likely one towards dusk ; but even here, a large white, rough Palmer answers every purpose. I will now give you Bowlker's description how to make a Winged Fly. First, hold your hook fast between the fore finger and thumb of your left hand, with the back of the shank upwards, and the point towards your right hand; then take a strong, small silk, of the colour most predominant in the fly you intend to make; wax it well with wax of the same colour, and draw it between your finger and thumb to the end of the shank ; then whip it twice or thrice about the bare hook, which prevents its slipping, and the shank of the hook from cutting the gut ; which being done, take your gut, and draw it likewise between your finger and thumb, holding the hook so fast as only to suffer it to pass by, till the end of the gut is near the middle of the shank of the hook, on the inside of it ; then whip the silk twice or thrice about both gut and hook, as firm as the strength of the silk will permit; after that take the wings, which, before you began to make the fly, you had stripped of the stem for its wings ; and proportional to it, and which lay with your other materials by you+ (as you always should before you begin), and place that side downwards, which grew upper- most before, upon the back of the hook, leaving so much only, to serve for the length of the wings, of the point of * I have then had good sport with a rough-bodied, pale, yellow Palmer, on a No. 6 hook. t Before you commence a fly, get ready as many pair of wings (with one or two to spare) as you are going to make flies, as well as other materials in proportion, lay them by your side, and it will save time as well as prevent mistakes. H 2 88 THE JOLLY ANGLER. the plume, laying it, reversed, from the end of the shank upwards ; then whip your silk twice or thrice about the end root of the feather, gut, and hook ; which being done, chip off the root -end of the feather close by the arming*, and then whip the silk fast and firm about the hook and gut till you come to the bend of it; and then, if the gut goes beyond the bend of the hook, cut it off, and make all fast ; take then the dubbing, which is to make the body of your fly, as much as you think will do, and, holding it lightly with your hook, between the finger and thumb of your left hand, take the silk with your right hand, and, twisting it between the finger and thumb of that hand, the dubbing will spin itself about the silk; thus: which, when it has done, whip it about the armed hook till you come to the setting on of the wing ; afterwards take the fea- ther for the wings, divide it into two equal parts, and turn them back towards the bend of the hook, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side of the shank, holding them fast in that posture, between the fore-finger and thumb of your left hand ; which being done, warp them so down as to stand, and slope towards the bend of the hook ; and, having warped up to the end of the shank, hold the fly fast between the finger and thumb of your left hand, and then take the silk between those of your right, and where the warping ends, and pinch or nip it with your thumb-nail against your finger, and strip away the remainder of your dubbing from the silk, which wax again ; and then, with the silk newly waxed and bare, whip it once or twice about, crossing backwards and forwards from one wing to the other, till you make the wings stand properly ; then fasten, and cut it off ; after which, with the point of a needle, raise up the dubbing gently from the warp, twitch off the loose hairs, trim the wings both of one size (or your Fly will not swim true), and the whole is completed. * The arming is that part described at the bottom of the next page. THE JOLLY ANGLER. Red Spinner. Ant Fly. 89 Gnat. This plan will answer- for all winged Flies ; the only difference consists in the size of the hook and material used. Sometimes a piece of hackle or feather is bound near the head of the fly, under the wings, to imitate the legs, as is here shown in the White Moth. There are many other ways of making the Winged Fly, as well as the Palmers ; but it would be useless to describe them. You must see a few made, and then your own ingenuity will prompt you the readiest means to take to imitate the fly on the water. It is only to the gentleman, or country angler, having no convenient market to purchase his tackle, that this part of the work can be of any service. To such I shall give a list of the usual flies, with the materials used for making them ; and from that list I will select, for the general reader, such as / have been most successful with. But, observe, some parts of England produce flies not found in others ; consequently, it would not be advisable to condemn any fly because it is no favourite of mine. Upon that prin- ciple, I might say the May-fly was useless, because it does not take Trout in the Wandle. In tying a hook, you must follow the directions given in page 84, down to line 8, page 85, in making a Palmer. Then wind your silk round the end of the shank of the hook (taking the gut in with it) two or three times, then twice round the gut without the hook, so as the silk may lie between the gut and extremity of the inside of the shank of the hook, to prevent its cutting the gut ; this is called the arming; it will now appear thus : 90 THE JOLLY ANGLER. then wind your waxed silk* firm and close up the shank f of your hook till you come near the bend thus, as is here exemplified, on a large scale, for the sake of perspicuity: then cut off the first end of the silk, and the small piece of gut or hair projecting from where you have now bound up to, and bind one or two turns more; then lay the end of the silk under the last turn, leaving a loop sufficiently large to let the bend of the hook pass through each time you turn it round the shank. After you have passed it about three or four times, thus, you may drawj the end of the silk till the loop disappear ; cut the end off close, and it will be all fast ; then wet your finger and thumb, pass the waxed part tight through them, and it will appear smooth and neat. When you have an accident with your rod, cut the broken parts smooth, in a slanting _ direction, so as to fit each other, ij thus: then, with some waxed silk, thread, or fine twine, bind it, slanting along the whole length towards your right hand, as is here shown; then bind it over this, regular and close together, all the way . j^H^Tw^: -?/L-=^_- back, till you get past the join; ^/ ___) then take the other end of the silk, lay it so as to form a * Fine silk doubled (before it is waxed) is better tlian coarse silk for tying a hook ; if dressing a fly, it must be very Jine, and single. f Break a piece off the shank of (he hook (and rub it smooth, to prevent its chafing the gut), as they are generally made long enough to dress a fly on. J If it sticks when you endeavour to draw the loop, put it close to your mouth, and breathe on it, which will warm the wax and prevent the silk breaking; this remark applies to all waxed silk bindings. THE JOLLY ANGLER. 91 loop, and bind the former one four or five times further; put it through the loop, thus and draw the loop end tight, which will hold all fast. There is another way of fastening off, but this is easier, and answers very well for a temporary purpose. The same plan may be followed, in miniature, for binding caps, for floats, &c. When you put the joints of your rod together, or take them asunder, always lay hold of them near the ferules, as that does not strain the joints ; if you cannot part them easily, hold them over a lighted candle, turning them round the while, aiyl they will men part. The Silver-ribbed Jay Salmon Fly. A List of such Flies as are known to many Anglers, with the Months they are generally produced in. The dark brown The whirling dun The black gnat The blue dun In March. The black and red palmers The bright brown The red fly The late bright brown THE JOLLY ANGLER. Spider fly Brown fly or dun drake Granam fly Blue dun Red fly The May fly The palmers Cow dung fly Small May fly Little iron blue fly Yellow sally fly March brown Oak or downhill fly Yellow sally fly Shorn fly Large red ant fly Do. black do. Brown palmer Humble bee Shorn fly Sky-coloured blue Blue gnat Large red ant fly Large black ant fly Brown moth Palmers Welchman's button Little whirling blue Little pale blue April. Palmers Yellow dun Violet fly Little whirling dun Horse flesh fly May. Stone fly Dun cut Camlet fly Coachman Humble bee Oak or downhill fly June. Oil fly Sky coloured blue Cadis fly Blue gnat Small black gnat Red spinner Peacock palmer Moths July. Welchman's button Orange fly Wasp fly Humble bee Black palmer, with silver twist Large blue dun August. Small red and black ant flies Fern fly Harry long legs Brown moth THE JOLLY ANGLER. 93 September. Small red and black ant flies Willow fl y Little pale blue Peacock hackle MY LIST. May flies Red Spinners Red, Black, Peacock, White, Red and Black Ant flies and other Palmers Blue Dun Stone fly Harding's fly, or Coachman Humble Bee Black Gnats Brown and White Moths Pale Blue Willow fly March Brown For Salmon, any large, gaudy fly The Peacock Salmon Fly. THE FOLLOWING HINTS WILL BE FOUND USE- FUL TO THE YOUNG FLY FISHER. Throw your fly as light as possible on the water ; which, having done, immediately raise the point of your rod, watching, with attentive eye, the direction your fly takes, that you may strike the moment a fish rises : occasionally you must, as the practical poet says " Upon the curling surface let it glide, With nat'ral motion from your hand supplied; Against the stream now gently let it play, Now in the rapid eddy float away." THE JOLLY ANGLER. Always let it have the motion of the living insect as near as possible. When you are angling for Chub in deep water, where there is little stream, throw to the op- posite side, where shaded with trees, or close under the bank, then draw it gently forth ; and when a ripple fol- lows it, wait till the water forms a ring, then strike, and the fish becomes an easy prey. The most favourable times for Fly Fishing are, early and late ; or, if a moderate breeze from the south or west, with a cloudy sky, you may reckon on having sport at any hour of the day ; the ripple on the water, caused by the wind, deceives the fish in his sight, both with regard to you and the fly. When the water is a little coloured after rain, they will take the fly freely ; it is well to notice the spot where a fish rises, then cast your fly about a yard beyond him, and as much above as you see necessary, so that the stream will let you draw it across the place, then, in all probability, he will take it. By carrying a few well-scoured marsh worms with you, it will enable you often to take a brace or two offish that you would not otherwise have caught; for in- stance when they are cutting weeds, or letting go a flood- gate, hook a worm on (on your fly if in haste), as at these times they rush eagerly forward to devour what may be washed down ; the top of the water being foul, you would not be able to use your fly at this time. When the water is bright, - use a lighter fly than when it is coloured; though this holds good as a general rule, you must not always depend on it; if fishing for Chub, your fly ought to be large ; the humble-bee is the standard favourite during the day, and the large white and grey moths of an evening ; in short, the Chub will take almost any large fly. I usually have them tied on No. 4, or No. 5 hooks, unless the water is very low and bright ; then I act as be- fore stated. GENERAL REMARKS. The-first thing of importance to an angler is, where are the most likely places to meet with the fish he in- tends to angle for. Now observe the following rules. In winter you will find them in deep holes, near piles of THE JOLLY ANGLER. bridges, &c., if the water be deep and steady, but if rough, such as it is at mill-tails, weirs, &c. I have seldom found much sport, except in warm weather ; the only exception to this that I have noticed is, after much rain has fallen, then you will find them (Jack in particular) near the banks in about two or three feet depth of water. I have taken some large Pike among the sedges in shallower water than that. If the flood is caused by the thawing of snow, it would be labour in vain to attempt to catch fish, as they do not feed at this time. In spring, the fish are all in shallower and sharper streams, in the act of spawning ; at this time they do not feed well, at least I have never had much success from the beginning of April till July (Fly Fishing for Trout, &c., and Pond Fishing excepted). August and September are the pleasantest months in the year for Bottom Fishing, when the fish first begin to retire to the deeps. I have no doubt the fish feed on either the young weeds or insects found therein, as they never leave them from their first springing forth in April, till they get rotten and bitter in August, or later. You must also pay great attention to the following re- marks. You should have fine tackle ; for example, single hair for Roach, Dace, and all such fish as the strength will admit of; fine gut for the fly, and not less than two yards and a half of it between that and the extremity of the fly-line (unless for Salmon, then some use twisted gut); clean and fresh baits; keep yourself as much out of sight of the fish as possible ; if using a float, have as light a one as the stream will admit of; it causes less re- sistance when a fish bites ; if fishing with gentles or paste, you must strike the moment they bite. Pay attention to these rules, and you will generally meet with such success as will repay you for the trouble of perusing this little work. Having taken the liberty of expressing my opinion of Mr. Sailer's knowledge, or want of knowledge, of the art of Fly Fishing, I will now give you a paragraph from " Best," on Bottom Fishing, in speaking of which he says, " The best places for pitching a boat to angle in the Thames, are about 150 yards from York Stairs, the Sa- voy, Somerset House, Dorset Stairs, Blackfriar's Stairs, 96 THE JOLLY ANGLER. the Dung Wharf, near Water Lane, Trig Stairs, and Essex Stairs; on the Surrey side, Falcon Stairs, the Barge Houses, Cuper's, vulgo Cupid's Stairs, the Wind Mill, and Lambeth!" Again, he says, '' You will very often meet with Trout and Carp at Brentford!" (query, did he mean on a market -day \] These extracts are from his revised and corrected edition, published in 1814; and yet in that work you may profit much under the head of Fly Fish- ing; as you may, also, by reading " Bainbridge" and "Williamson;" or, for Salmon Fishing*, the Driffield Angler, the author of which evidently describes what he has practised. Salter does the same in Bottom Fishim ; but, as works of general amusement, they all fall far short of Walton and Cotton's Angler, that has become a uni- versal favourite, and will remain so while the fields retiin their wonted verdure ; but divested of its poetical, rustic beauty, it would fall far short of many modern work in point of information on the subject of angling. The first half-sheet of this work having been printed two years ago, accounts for the allusion, at page 10, to Mrs. Scorer (since dead) ; as also for the date to the Intro- duction. Business of another nature has prevented me from completing my design earlier. * If /here attempted to teach what I do not understand (Sal- mon Fishing, to wit), I should in all probability fall into the same e*ror Mr. Best does on Thames Fishing. Every kind of angling described in this work, I have a practical knowledge of, unless otherwise expressed ; consequently, I can only apologize for inac- curacies in language, never having hitherto written any thing for the press. FINIS. Printed by J. Read, St. Mary-Axe. - > :T A 000 039 558 2 BEf ,