STACK ANNEX 061 5^2 1>- ]t'!^^ J THE Modern Angler, i CONTAINING ^ THE MOST ESTEEMED METHODS OF ANGLING M FOR EVERY SPECIES OF SA I?(DPID Aim lEHTllE WmH^ h A description of gfj THE PROPER BAITS FOR EACH, | With the means of procuring them ; ^ AND ?W DIRECTIONS FOR THE CHOICE OF TACKLE; ^ Comprising also 28 <^ ORIGINAL AND INTERESTING INFORMATION IN ALL THE S^ PRINCIPAL BRANCHES OP THE ART. «S DERBY: PUBLISHED BY THOMAS RICHARDSON; SIMPK.IN, JIARSHALL, AND CO., LONDON ; S. HORSEV PORTSEA ; AND ALL OTHER KOOKSELLKRS. THE Modern Angler, CONTAINING THE MOST ESTEEMED METHODS OF ANGLING FOR EVERY SPECIES OF A description of THE PROPER BAITS FOR EACH, With the means of procuring them ; AND DIRECTIONS FOR THE CHOICE OF TACKLE; Comprising also ORIGINAL AND INTERESTING INFORMATION IN ALL THE PRINCIPAL BRANCHES OF THB ART. DERBY: PUBLISHED BY THOMAS RICHARDSON; 6IMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO., LONDON; 8. HORSEY FORTSEA ; AND ALL OTHER BOOKSELLERS, PRICE SIXPENCE. THE FISHES' PETITION. A MEETING was held in Sheppcrton stream, The Pike took tlie chair, his Vice was the Bream. From the Thames came the Smelt, aud also the Roach ; From the Lea came the Bleak, with the pert little Loach ; The Gudgeon so trim arriy'd from the Brent ; The Barbel appear'd as the lord of the Trent From the Ouse came the F,el with its wriggling gait; Tiie Minnow, though small, from the Dee came iu state ; The Carp was the deputy sent from the Mole ; From the Dove came the Perch, as tlie groom of the stole From the Tweed came the Salmon in glitt'ring pride. And with him arriv'd the Chub from the Clyde ; The silv'ry Dace from the Derweut appeai''d j Tlie Trout from the Stour its head uprear'd ; The Severn sent forth Doctor Tench so high j The Flounder came flound'ring straight from the Wye ; The Ruffe from the Wandel wander'd between The Grey ling and Shed just come from the Leen. The assembly met, the Pike arose with pride, Erect on tail, aud thus with boldness cry'd : — " Attend, ye natives of the pond and flood, " Ye, who so nobly have the art withstood " Of Walton's Club, and all the anglers vile, " Who with a bait our fmny tribe beguile ; " Hear mc, and sliake your tails and fins with woe, " Over your race impends a dreadful blow j " For tidings sad have reach'd our watery realm, " Which now my scaly breast with grief o'erwhelm. " A man, who lives in Derby's famous town, " You of the Derweut can speak of his renown " Iu vending books of great provincial fame, " Although my mouth will not pronounce his uame, " But much I wish a bone was in his gullet, *' Aud no one near at hand thence to pull it. " He, by the aid of one whose name's well known, " Has seut a book through every laud aud town. 2067011 THE FISHES* PETITION. " In which such rules are given for our caption, •' That, if pursu'd with common application, " Our finny race will soon be lost on earth : *' 'Tis not in shallows, deeps, nor weedy berth, " Can we be safe from all the wiles and arts " Which that same book so dexterously imparts. " Therefore, my brethren, have I call'd you here, " To lay before you this my pressing fear. *' True ! old Walton has some wisdom taught us, " No one can eat us till he has caught us j " But as the eating does not suit our taste, " Although we're often tempted with their paste, " I think 'tis better the catching to prevent." — " And £0 do I," said Barbel from the Trent ; The little Minnow cry'd, "And so do 1 !" *' And so do I !" exclaim'd the whole assembly. *' Now hear what I propose," said chairman Pike — " That we with one determiu'd spirit strike " At this dread book, fraught with such ruin dire " To all our tribes who in the deeps respire ; *' Straight a petition on the land we'll send ; " And further to your option 1 recommend, " It be address'd to all of Walton's Club, " And be deliver'd by our friend the Chub ; " That they their influence will in mercy use, *' For which we'll tender them our thanks profuse ; " That no young angler shall the book consult, " Nor study'd e'en by one who is adult ; " For well we know our lives must be the forfeit " Of all who by its rules resolve to profit j " No sense, no cunning, which by nature's ours, " Can save us, wretches, from its killing pow'rs ; " Caught we must be whoe'er its pages read— " Thanks to angling Iluish and his all-catching Creed! " Are ye all of one accord ?" the chairman cry'd. " We are ! We are !" sounded from ev'ry side. " Strike, then, strike all your tails and fins — strike ! strike ! ''Whilst I subscribe my name on your behalf, "JACK, alias PIKE." THE MODERN ANGLER. RODS. Angle rods should bp proportioned ia length aud strength to the different fish, which it is intended to be angled for. They ought to bend regularly, and taper gradually ; be light in hand, aud spring from the butt-end to tlie top. The great fault of most rods is, that the play of the rod is in the middle, owing to that part being too weak, aud like a wagoner's whip ; it is impossible with a rod of this kind to strike or command a fish of any size. Rods for Pike and Barbel ought to be sixteen feet long ; the butt end made of red deal, the mid- dle parts of ash, aud the top of hazel, the bark not to be taken off the hazels, as it weakens them considerably. Rods for Trout, Perch, Chub, Eels, Bream, and Flounders should be finer, and rings for the running-line will be necessary. The rods for Roach, Dace, Gudgeon, Ruffe, Bleake, and the smaller tribe offish, should not exceed eight or ten feet iu length. The rod for the artificial fly is made much lighter and of a different construction. It should be very elastic, and spring from the butt-end fo the top. The lower part of the rod should be made of any wood that is tough and straight, but in the formation of the upper part too much attention cannot be paid. Our own country produces a variety of wood that will make good tops, and they should be cut about Christ- mas, aud if placed iu the open air to season for twelve months, they will be the better for use. The best kinds are Elder, Holly, Mountain Ash, and Brier, but the American Hickory far excels them all, nor is it surpassed by any wood, with the exception of the Bamboo or hollow cane. It is a custom founded in error, of loading the tops of rods with eight or ten inches of whalebone ; a good top, too, should be light and elastic, whereas whalebone is dull, heavy, and much too flexible. It is necessary to guard against the influence of moisture on the rod as much as possible, although a shower of rain will not spoil it : unless the rod be protected by varnish, it will soon be deprived of its elasticity. Rods should not be kept in too dry a room ; the practice of steep- ing them in water is a bad one, and will soon spoil them. It is the practice of some anglers, when the season is over, to take the rod to pieces, and bind the joints to a straight pole, and to let them continue in that state until the fishing season returns. LINES. Fishing-lines are most generally composed of a mixture of silk and hair, and are spun of various lengths. For common Trout fishing in rivers, twenty to twenty -five yards arc sufficient ; for lakes, where the fish are large, and a boat is not used, forty to fifty yards maybe requir- ed. Single-handed-rod fishers prefer their reel-lines to ruu taper to 6 THE MODERN ANGLER.. the point, so that they may, by merely fixing their foot length of gut to the line, wind it up close to their hand ; and where the stream is narrow and bushes numerous, this is certainly a good plan, but for bold streams, the reel line should be of equal thickness throughout, and not too fine, in order that a taper hair line, of ten yards in length, may be attached thereto. The most important consideration in the making of lines is, the se- lection of the hair, which must be round, even, and free from scales. If plucked from the tail of a young horse or mare, it is not so good as that which is to be procured from a four-or five year-old gelding. Tiie best is to be had from the tail of a well-grown stallion. Black, although the strongest, is the least serviceable colour ; brown, gray, and white, arc to be preferred, and ought to be picked with care. Hair lines are proper for Roach, Dace, Bream, Gudgeons, Ruffe, and Bleake, aud may consist of six or nine hairs. The links of lines for the artificial fly should be softly twisted, as they fall much lighter on the water, and are greatly superior to lines of silk aud hair ; the two top links should consist of twelve hairs, the three next of nine, the four next of six, and the five bottom links of three hairs, which, with the addition of a yard of silk-worm gut, will make the line long enough, aud no other number of hairs will twist regularly or bed well together. Lines for Salmon, Pike, Barbel, Chub, and large Bream, are made of silk or hemp, and should not be too hardly twisted. The whip-cord lines sold in the country, are sized, rubbed even, and tied very tight in hanks ; in this state they look well, but have a very different ap- pearance after they have been in the water; and out of aline of sixty yards, it will be difficult to get twenty yards of one entire piece even aud good. Raw silk makes very good lines j the finer sort twisted to- gether for Salmon, Trout, Perch, Chub, and large Bream, and the coarser for Pike, Barbel, and Eels. These, as well as lines made of silk, when new, ought to be tied tight at both ends, and rubbed with elder or cabbage leaves, and afterwards trailed on the grass, which will render them soft and pliable. HOOKS. The excellence of hooks depends on their being properly tempered, cot too high to snap, or not sufiiciently that they may be bent with the fingers. In the choice of them, take care that the points are sharp, the beards of a good length, and the shanks not too long. As fish differ so much in size, a great deal must be left to the judgment of the angler in the choice of them ; a little experience will soon point out the proper size, but as some directions in a treatise on this sub- ject maybe expected, the following table is added for the information of young anglers, first premising that it is a guide only where single hooks are used. The figures denote the sizes of the various kinds of hooks. Barbel ,. , 1 Bleak 13 Bream 9 Carp 3 Chub 2 Dace 12 Eel 4 Flounders 5 Greyling ...... 10 .Gudgeon 12 Loach 13 Minnow 13 Perch 4 Roach II Ruife y Salmon 1 Tench 3 Trout 3 NeVer choose a hook, the point of which stands outward, as it will often scratch a fish without laying hold, consequently he will be lost ; for after being pricked, he will uot rise agaiu for two or three hours. THE MODERN ANGLER 7 BAITS. On Baits in General. WouMS are the most natural baits under water for almost every fish, instances having even occurred of Pike takins; them. They should be preserved and cleansed in moderately dry moss, in a cool place iu the summer, and out of the reach of frost in the winter. The greater the quantity of moss which is used, and tlie oftener it is clianged, the longer they will live, as they cannot bear being exposed to the air. The largest is The Lob, or Demworin, T?hich is found in old gardens, fallow fields, and early in the morning it may be taken upon the surface of grass fields. It is a good bait for Salmon, Trout, Perch, Chub, and Eels, particularly in muddy water. The Red Worin is found in all loamy soils, and may be gathered by following a plough, turning up garden soil, and under boards, bricks, slates, tiles, stones, &.C. that have lain undisturbed a short time. It is a good bait in clear water singly, but when the water is discoloured two are pre- ferable, particularly for Trout. When two worms are used, the hook should be thrust through the knot of that which is to remain upper- most, aud when forced through ouly only one third of its body, must be drawn to the top of the shank uutil the wire be covered, and it will then remain secure ; observing to reverse the end that you begin at, and the knot being held by the barb, they will remaiu sufficiently firm. The Brandling, or Gilt Tail, is a beautiful little worm, dark at the head, becoming gradually paler towards the tail, which is decorated with bright yellow circles, that dis- tinguish it from all other reptiles of this class. They are found in old dunghills, old hot-beds, especially where tanners' bark has been used, and often in tanners' bark alone, provided it has lain a sufficient time to rot. From the beginning of May to the middle of September, it is the best worm that can be used, and what few fish when on feed will refuse. To prepare the tackle for worm fishing in streams, a xmall piece of music-wire should be whipped to the upper end of the shank of the hook, in order to keep the bait in a proper position. No precise di- rections can be given for leading the line, as it depends so much on its length, the depth of the stream, aud the rapidity of the current : the bait should sink quickly, aud fish near the bottom. If the line be over-leaded, it will be found extremely troublesome, as the hook will frequently be entangled with whatever it meets at the bottom, such as stones, roots of trees, rushes, &.c. Cod-bait Fishing. It is a good bait about mid water, and near the bottom, in clear streams, on a hook No. 8, whipped to fine g\it, lightly shotted. Many anglers, in preparing their hooks for cod bait fishing, prefer the shanK being leaded to a shot on the line, but it is a method which we can- not approve, being but a tender bait, the lead renders it almost im- possible to be drawn neatly over the shank. When used in still wa- ter, a small float is necessary. The cod-bait, which is the most useful to the angler, is found in stony brooks or gravelly rivulets, closely 8 THE MODERN ANGLER. adhering to any solid substance it finds at the bottom. When taken out of the water, they may be preserved a month by putting them in a woollen bag, with or without moss, upon a cool floor. If the bag should become too dry, care must be taken not to use too much water to damp it again, as these insects cannot endure their native element, after they have been taken from it four days ', still they must not be exposed to the other extreme. Maggot Fishiitg commences as soon as the frost disappears in the spring, and is a good bait in open weather every month in the year. It is used for the same purposes as the cod-bait, aud is easily taken by all kinds of fish that take small baits. Maggots generated in October, will live through the winter, at whicli time Ciiub, Greyling, Carp, Tench, Perch, Roach, and Dace are in perfection, and may be enticed to any part of a pond to feed, by suspending a piece of carrion at the end of a pole over the spot that it is desired that the fishes should frequent. It is not unusual to bait particular places with worms, maggots, grains, stewed malt, clay balls, clotted blood, &c. but it is to be supposed, that the fish will become fonder of a spot where they can peaceably enjoy their food which is continually dropping to them, than where they are often disturbed by being fed at stated intervals. The method of baiting a hook with a maggot or gentle is as follows : Take one or two maggots, and put the hook into the second joint above the tail, then draw it forward upon the hook ; having performed this with one or two, put the hook into the second joint of the last maggot, and cover the beard of the hook with it, but let not the point appear in sight; if the hook be run too deep, the substance of the gentle will come out, and then it is good for nothing, therefore care must be taken to run it under the skin as gently, and as close to it, as possible. The Cow-dung Bait is found, from the beginning of June to the end of August, amongst the droppings from cattle in dry pastures ; and far excels both the codbait and maggot during its short stay, and must be used for the same purposes. In shape it resembles a maggot, but its colour is much brighter; it is extremely tough, consequently a lasting bait. Cabbage Worms are of different colours, some of them are green, some are gray, andl others speckled. They are useful baits in the hot months for Trout, Chub, Carp, Tench, Roach, and Dace, and are procured by shaking oak and ash trees, hazel bushes, and upon cabbage leaves. They must be used on the top upon streams, and mid water in pools. Being tender baits, they require some attention to fix them neatly on the hook. The Grasshopper is generally found about the mowing season, and continues until it is destroyed by frosty nights. It is eagerly taken by almost any fish in clear streams about mid water, on a hook No. 6, with fine gut, and one small shot'. Boiled ^Yhmt and Malt must be simmered in milk over a gentle fire in a saucepan, but it must nob be suffered to boil fast, as it will burst the corns ; or it may be set- In a gentle oven all night, and the outward husk taken off: either wheat or malt is an excellent bait for Roach, Dace, and White Bream. THE MODERN ANGLER. 9 Wasp Grubs. In July, August, and September good baits may be provided from a wasp's nest, for every kind of fish that will take maggots and cod-bait. The grubs must be taken from the comb, and baked before a moderate fire, with a tin bonnet behind it, which makes the baits tough, and blackens their cuds. PASTES. Almost every experienced angler, who uses paste, has his peculiar method of making it ; the following recipes, however, may be consid- ered as the most approved, and most generally to be relied upon. Salmon Paste. Take oue pound of Salmon spawn, about September or October, boil it about fifteen minutes, beat it in a mortar until suflicieutly mixed, with an ounce of salt, and a quarter of an ounce of saltpetre; carefully pick out the membrane, as you find it disengaged. When it is beaten to a proper consistency, put it into cups or gallipots, over which tie a piece of bladder close, and it will keep many months Shrimp Paste is prepared precisely by the same method as Salmon paste, observing to separate the solid part from the shell, before it is put into the mor- tar. Paste to catch Chub and Carp in the Winter. Beat strong Cheshire cheese, mixed with cotton wool, to the con- sistence of paste. If it be too moist, temper it with wheateu flour ; if too dry, moisten it with honey. The bait should be formed about the size aud shape of an acorn. Paste to catch Pike, Mix four ounces of fine wheaten flour with a little cottou wool ; the whites of two eggs, and a very small quantity of vermilion or red-lead- This paste should not be made above one day before it is used. Sweet Paste for Carp, Tench, or Chub. Fake the crumb of white bread dipped in honey, aud work it with the fingers in the palm of the hand until it is of a proper consistency. When honey cannot be procured, lump sugar dissolved ia warm water will answer uearly as well. Paste for Barbel. Dip the crumb of white bread in water in which chandlers' greaves have been boiled, and knead it stiff. If a small quantity of the greaves be mixed with the bread, it will prove more enticing. Many authors recommend oil of aniseed, and a variety of other es- sential oils, to scent paste with ; these are communicated as secrets, and having an air of mystery, are eagerly sought after by the young angler. We have, however, tried a variety, but never had reason to suppose they were instrumental in taking a single fish, and believe them all to be a wasteful and ridiculous expense. A3 10 THE MODERN ANGLER. A DESCRIPTION OF THE FISHES. SALMON. The Salmon is a fish of much strength and delicacy, and claims the preference before all other fish. It delights in rivers which have Al- pine sources, preferring to all others a gravelly-pebbled bottom, where there are large stones, clear of every kind of slime. It is impatient of shade, unless in the very heat of summer, and dislikes to remain for any length of time in such parts of rivers where the banks are wooded, or near hanging rocks, that exclude the sun from the stream or pool. They always lie with their heads pointing up the river, and seldom or never swim down the stream, unless in their journeying to the sea, when disturbed by the hauling or shooting of nets, the prowling of the otter, or when exhausted by the fatiguing tackle of the angler. A salmon rod is generally proportioned to the size of the river which the angler frequents, but it ought not to be less than fifteen feet in length. The reel ought to be large enough to contain eighty or ninety yards, so as to admit of abundance of line being given out, when re- quired ; for many fish, when struck, run out to a great distance, and with such great rapidity, as to prevent the possibility of the angler's moving in the proper direction with snfiicient quickness. The best baits for salmon are the artificial tiy and the lob-worm ; it is of little consequence what colour the fly is, provided it be large and gaudy, ribbed with gold or silver twist. The best times for angling for Salmon are in the morning from nine to eleven, and in an evening from six to sunset, especially when there is a moderate breeze upon the water. The method of fishing with a lob-worm is as follows : Take a worm that has been well scoured, and run the hook through the middle, drawing it above the shank, then take another and bait the liook in the usual way, by putting it into the worm about an inch below the tail, drawing it on the hook about three fourths of the length, the head of the worm being at the point of the hook, then draw the first worm down to the other, for Salmon are partial to a large bait. It will be necessary to have a piece of lead, with a small hole through it, fasten- ed upon the line, about two feet above the hook, by which means the bait can be kept in any certain place ; when the bait has remained for a few minutes, draw it gently up the stream about a yard, and let the lead rest again at the bottom. This will excite the attention of the fish, and frequently tempts him to take the bait. Lines of silk or hemp are proper, and three silk- worm guts twisted together make an excel- lent bottom link. For the purpose choose three of equal strength, round, and free from flaws, and tying the root ends together, let them ?oak in water for twelve hours ; then make double knots on the loose ;nds, to hang on the hooks of the twisting-engine ; do not twist them too hard ; the angler ought to have several of these links for various sized hooks, and in cases of accident. In angling for Salmon with a bait, the line must be stronger than what is used with the artificial fly ; the top joint of the rod must also be stronger. If the lob-worm prove unsiiccesbful, a small live fish, a Gudgeon or Minnow, may be tried, and in all probability the Salmon will snap at him, for he is a fish of prey, and will feed upon those that are small. The Salmon flies are generally made according to fancy ; the six following will be found worthy of notice : 1. The body made of peacock's hurl, and a mealy grey cock's hac- kle over it. THE MODERN ANGLE P. 11 2. The body made of silver twist, and a small dun hackle. 3. The body of yellow camlet, ribbed with gold twist, and a ginger hackle over it. 4. The body made of equal quantities of the fur of a hare's neck and orange-coloured mohair, with the hackle from a grouse's back. 5. Gold twist body, and a dark red cock's hackle over it. 6. The body of peacock's harl, with the bright stained red hackle over it. When the Salmon rises at the fly, give a gentle jerk, for the pur- pose of hooking him, which being accomplished, humour bim in letting him run which ever way he will. Do not check him, lest he should break the line from the rod, and wind it up as fast as he returns, otherwise he will entangle and break the tackle. Keep him so tight, that he may bend the rod considerably, for if he be allowed to straiten the rod, he will soon make his escape. As he swims away follow him gently, but do not come within sight of him. He will be apt to spring or leap out of the water, at such time allow him line enough, and when it is perceived that he lies at the bottom, have patience for a time, and be not surprised if he repeats the stratagem, for he will strive to break from the hook. Having waited for the space of six or seven minutes, draw the line rather tight, and if he runs, then give him the same liberty as before. When he is thoroughly tired, draw him gently to the shore, where you see the most convenient place for landing him. The facetious author of the Maxims for an Angler says, " Never mind what 'they of the old school say about 'playing him till he is tired.' Much valuable time and many a good fish may tie lost by this antiquated proceeding. Put him into your basket as suon as you can. Every thing depends upon the manner in which you commence your acquaiutance with him. If you can at first prevail upon him to walk a little way down the stream with you, you will have no diiBculty af- terwards in persuading him to let you have the pleasure of seeing him at dinner." TROUT. There are few fish that afford the angler greater diversion than the Trout ; they are at all times exceedingly circumspect, and for which reason it is in vain to angle when tiie water is low, as they then retire under the banks and roots, refusing every kind of bait On a cloudy day after a gentle shower, they will freely take "*! i.hidws, worms and flies of all kinds in their proper season. In Maieh or April, angle for them with the worm in tlie forenoon, and with a fly or Minnow, ac- cording to the state of the water, the remainder of the day. The na- tural flies best adapted are the May Fly or Yellow Cadow, the Grey Brake, the Orl, and the Canon or Downhill Fly, all of which are to be found in bushes near to the river side in the months of May and June. Angle in the swiftest and sharpest currents, provided the day be clear and bright, and in the deeps early and late, but if the water be discoloured, or very thick, angle in the gravelly shallows ne ir the sides and tails of streams with a worm only, to run on the bottom, one large shot, a foot at least from it. The Minnow is the best of all baits for the Trout, the whitest and middle-sized ones should be chosen. Angle with the point of the rod down the stream, drawing the Minnow up the stream by degrees near the top of the water. When the Trout sees the bait, he will dart most fiercely at it, but be careful not to snatch it away, and never strike with until he has turned with the bait.' Trout fishing requires a strong rod, although not quite so stiff as 12 THE MODERN ANGLER. what is used for Pike fishing ; the longer it is the better, provided it be not heavy. The line should be about a foot longer thai\ the rod, and about eighteen inches of strong gut, or Indian weed, should be put to the end of it, twisted threefold, with a swivel to fix the bottom link upon, with four or five duck shot split and fastened on it. The hook should be 5 or G. In ground angling the bait should be a large lobworm, or two marsh or dew worms, well scoured and very lively ; the bait being cast in, let it gently drag on the bottom ; when a fish begins to bite, do not strike the first time you feel the tug, but rather slacken the line ; when you feel two or three sharp tugs then strike smartly, and if a heary fish give him line, and be not in too great haste to land him. To prepare the tackle for Trout fishing in a stream, a small piece of music-wire should be whipped to the upper end of the shank of the hook, for the purpose of keeping the bait in a proper position. No precise directions can be given for leading the line, as it depends so much on its length, the depth of the stream, and the rapidity of the current : the bait should sink quickly, and fish near the bottom. If the line be over-leaded it will be found extremely troublesome, as the hook will frequently be entangled with whatever it meets at the bottom, such as stones, roots of trees, rushes, &c. The following method of taking Trout is highly recommended by some experienced anglers. Make a pair of wings of the feather of a Landrail, and on the bend of the hook put one or two Cadis, the heads of the Cadis being kept close to the wings. Angle with a rod about fire yards long, the line three, and the hook No. 3 or 4. Let the bait float down the stream just below the surface, then gently draw it up again a little irregularly, by shaking the rod, and if there be a fish in the place, it will be sure to take it. If two Cadis be used with the wings, put the hook in at the head or out of the neck of the first, and quite through the other from head to tail. Two Brandlings, or small Red Worms, may be fished with in the same vray. PIKE. The Pike is a bold voracious fish, and may be fished for during the whole of the year, but the most favourable months are September and October. His general resort is near flags, bulrushes, and water docks. ' As the season grows colder he retires into the deeps, aud is to be found under clay banks and bushes that hang over the water, stumps and roots of trees, and piles of bridges. There are five methods of catch- ing Pike, two of which belong only to the angler, the remainder to the poacher ; the former are by trolling and snapping. In trolling the rod ought to be fourteen feet long, with rings for the running-line ; the line should be at least thirty yards long, of either silk or hemp. The best baits are Gudgeons aud Dace of a middling size, but in de- fault of these. Roach, Bleak, small Trout, or SaUnou fry. In order to bait the hook, the fish-needle must be put In at the mouth of the bait, and out at the middle of the tail, drawiug the gimp and hook &fter it, fixing the point of the hook near the eye. Drop the bait gently in near the river-side, where it is moderately deep, and where Pike are likely at that season to resort ; let it sink to tiie bottom, and draw it gently up, imitating in the motion a fish hurt or dying ; after trying two or three times to the right and left, throw the bait further in. When a Pike seizes the bait, it will be easily perceived by the line being drawn tight and some resistance being displayed ; give him more line, and let him go whither he will, until he has reached his harbour, which will be known by his not drawiug any more line ; laj THE MODEnN ANGLER/ 13 down the rod, and give him more time to gorge the bait, which he will generally do in five minutes, then draw the line gently till the fish be seen ; if the bait be seen across his mouth give him more time, but if he has gorged the bait govern him witli a gentle hand, keeping him from roots and stumps. He must not by any means be lifted out of the water with the rod and line only ; for altliough, to ail appearance, the fish maybe tired, yet the moment he quits the \?ater, he will open his mouth, and, by tearing his stomach with his own weight, get quit of the hook, and the fish will not only be lost, but he will die in the water. The method of fishing with a live bait, or what is called the live Snap, is very different from trolling. The line and rod must be stronger, and the hooks much larger. They consist of two hooks joined back to back, with a smaller hook in the middle of their shanks j the bait is hooked by the small hook, just under the back fin, the point and beard coming out on the other side, and is fastened by a strong thread or silk doubled. Roach, Dace, or Gudgeons are the best baits ; a cork float will be necessary about the size of a common Burgundy pear, with a small pistol bullet or two, not only to poise it, but to keep the bait at a proper depth. As a live bait many anglers prefer the Perch, it being the longest lived on the hook, first cutting off the fin on his back. The frog is the next good bait for Pike, but particular care must be taken to select the water frog, which breeds in ditches, and choose the yellowest, which the Pike likes best. All other frogs are considered venomous. The following method should be adopted to keep the frog alive on the liook as long as possible. Put the hook tluougij his mouth, that is, pass the arming-wire into his mouth and out at the gills ; with a fine needle and silk, sew the upper part of his leg with a single stitch to the arming-wire of the hook, or tie the frog's leg above the upper joint to the arming-wire. This will be found an excellent bait as a leiger bait. PERCH. The Perch affords the angler great dlversiom, and not only are the baits various but the modes of using them. Of worms the best kinds are small lob-worms, which have not any knot, brandlings, red dung- hills, or those found in rotten tan, all well scoured. The hook may be Taried from 2 to 6, being well whipped to a strong silk-worm gut, with a shot or two a foot from it. Use a small cork float, to keep the bait at six or twelve inches from the bottom, or sometimes about mid water; in angling near the bottom raise the bait very frequently almost to the surface, letting it gradually fall again. Two or three rods may be employed, as the time they require to gorge is sufficient to allow the angler to be prepared to strike them. Try not long in one spot; when a fish bites slacken the line, and give time before striking ; tiiis often succeeds in bad weather, when all other methods fail, but more espe- cially in a rough southerly or westerly wind. The other baits for Perch are Roaches, Sticklebacks, with the spines cut off. Miller's Thumbs, horse-beans boiled, cad-bait, bobs, and gen- tles ; but the best and most enticing bait for a Perch is a live Minnow. Place a small reel on the rod, with about twenty or thirty yards of In- dian twist, and a hook. No. 5, fastened to a link of gimp. Fix the hook through the back fin of the Minnow, and it will be found a most killing bait. Although generally termed a bold biter, the Perch is extremely ab- stemious in winter, and scarcely ever bites at that season, but in the middle of a wttrm sudd; day ; he bites best in the latter part of the 14 THE MODERN ANGLER. spring, from seven till eleven in the forenoon, except in hot and bright weather, and from two till six in the afternoon, except in hot and bright weather, and then from sun-rise till six in the morning, and in the eve from six to sun-set. In clear water sometimes a dozen or more of Perch have been observed in a deep hole sheltered by trees or bushes ; by using fine tackle and a well-scoured worm, the angler may see them strive which shall first seize it, until the whole shoal have been caught. The Perch may be angled for and taken until the end of September, but the preferable season is from the beginning of May to the middle of July. Perch are to be found in clear, swift rivers with pebbly gravelly bot- toms, they also frequent holes by the sides of or near to gentle streams where there is an eddy, the hollows under banks, among weeds and roots of trees, piles of bridges, or in ditches and the back streams that have communication with the larger river. GREYLING. The Greyliiig is generally found in clear and quick streams with clayey bottoms. It spawns in April, and sometimes as late as the middle of May. It is a rare fish in E'.ngland, and has never been found in Scotland or Ireland. Tlie most approved baits for Greyling are lob-worms, gentles, flag-worms, wasp-grubs, cow-dung bobs, cadis- worms, marsh-worms, and brandlings, it may be fished for at all seasons of the year, particularly in cool cloudy weather. There is not any method more killing for large Greyling, than applying a grasshopper to the point of a leaded hook, the lead and shank of which are covered with green and yellow silk, to imitate the body of the insect. In the winter Greyling rise for an hour or two in bright and tolerably warm weather, and at this time the smallest imitation of black or pale gnats that can be made on the smallest sized hook, succeed best in taking them. In August the red and black ant fly may be considered as a very killing bait. In cold weather the depth from the ground should be about three inches, in hot weather about mid water. In fishing with gentles two or three hooks may be used, and angle with them as with the artifi- cial fly. The Greyling is a very simple fish, and will rise repeatedly at the bait should he chance to miss it. The tackle should be of the finest description ; the bottom to be at least two yards of gut, lead- ed with two shot about a foot from the hook. It must be observed, that very slender transparent gut, of the colour of the water, is one of the most important causes of success in Greyling fishing. A small goose-quill float must be used ; if worms be the bait, the hook should be No. 5 or 6, if maggots, No. 8 or 9. Great caution must be ob- served in landing the Greyling, as it is very tender-mouthed. Cotton stigmatises the Greyling as one of the deadest-hearted fishes in the world, and the bigger he is the more easily is he taken. The Greyling may be frequently caught with cabbage-grubs, cod- baits, and grasshoppers, either natural or artificial ; the method of angling in this manner is, to allow the bait to sink by degrees to the bottom, and to draw it up again about two feet, with rather a sudden motion. When fishing with maggot this plan may also be adopted, but the line requires to be heavier leaded. On these occasions the rod and line must be of equal length, the hook No, 5 or 6, and lead- ed upon the shank. THE MODERN ANGLER. 15 RUFFE. Tliis fisli is found in several of our rivers, but the river Yore in Norfulk affords the greatest number. It is a gregarious fish, assem- bling in large shoals, and keeping in the deepest parts of the water. It somewhat resembles a Perch, although the former is more slender, and the length rarely exceeds six inches. The principal spawning time is the beginning of April, but some are said to spawn again iu October. In tlie Elements of Natural History a Ruffe is said to de- posit 75,000 eggs. To the young angler the Ruft'e yields good sport. lis haunts arc in recluse places, where the water is deep, and runs quietly, with a loamy or muddy bottom. The tackle should be fine ; the hook No. 7, and a quill float ; the bait a small well-scoured red worm, and it must just run on the ground. Tlirow in some clay balls with worms, as directed for Perch, or if the water be clear, use common mud balls to colour it. Three rods may be easily managed, the baits touching the bottom. When there is a bite strike directly, for they gorge so hastily that the knife must be frequently used to get out the hook. Both in the spring and summer they will bite all day with a brisk warm wind, and will sometimes in cold weather take the bait very freely. The Ruffe, for the delicacy and richness of its flavour, as well as for its being considered very nourishing, is more admired than the Perch. CARP. The time for angling for Carp is very early in the morning, and late in the evening, but they will bite at noon if disturbed by a sud- den flush of water. They prefer deep holes with a very gentle stream, and their favourite places of resort are the stumps and roots of trees. They spawn generally in May, June, or July, especially the river Carp, according to the different nature of the water which they frequent, and the quality of the soil. ' The best baits are the marsh and flag worms; but too much eager- ness must not be shown in striking him when he bites, for he will nibble some time before he will take the bait into his mouth, and then the line should be eased about ten or a dozen inches. The following paste is particularly recommended for carp : Take the flesh of a rabbit, and bean flour sifted very finely, mix them with honey, and incorporate them in a mortar, or they may be worked by the hand into small balls ; the whole must be tempered to a substance sufliciently stiff, so as to prevent it being washed off the hook. If virgin-wax or clarified honey be mixed with it, it will keep all the year. When angling for Carp in ponds, it will be necessary to rise at break of day, and the best bait that can be then used is the red-worm, well scoured and dipt in tar. The carp being a very shy fish, it will not be advisable to approach too near to the edge of the pond or river, for which reason the rod and line should be long, as the bait should be thrown in as far as possible from the shore. The fish, however, may be attracted nearer by baiting the place, or by casting the worms in by handfuls ; for as- the water is still in ponds, the worms cannot be carried to any considerable distance from the place where it is intended to fish. In angling with paste, the better to beguile the Carp, some pellets should be thrown into the water some hours before fishing is com- menced, and if some be thrown in a day or two before, the greater will be the chance of success. If the pond be of great extent, throw 16 THE MODERN ANGLER.' into one particular place either grains or blood mixed with cow-dung, or bran mixed with the cnist of white bread after having been well soaked in water, and made up into the consistency of paste. Whilst angling with paste, whether in a pond or river, chew a little white or brown bread, and cast it about the place where the float lies. Crumbs of white bread mixed with honey and worked up into a paste, will be found an enticing bait for Carp, } The month of February, and the inten-eniug ones to June, are the most favourable for Carp fishing. If the weather be mild, they will bite more freely than at any other time of the season, and if there be a slight shower of rain falling, the angler will experience good sport at any time of the day. It must, however, be observed, that in cold weather the Carp will not bite at all. A long light rod should be used, with a reel-line of the first description, the bottom of which must be at least two yards of gut. Smaller hooks should be used than for other fish ; for worms the hook should be No. 5 or 6 ; for wasp grubs No. 7 ; and for maggots No. 8 or 9 ; the line should be lightly leaded with small shot a few inches from the hook, using a very small goose-quill float. If a large Carp be hooked, he will make an obstinate resistance ; the line should, therefore, be given it cautiously, drawing and letting it go alternately, until the fish be exhausted. The Carp is a most cunning fish, and will use every endeavour to entangle the line amongst the weeds and roots. A Carp will seldom take a bait in a pond until the beginning of May. TENCH, The directions given for angling for Carp, are, in a great measure, applicable to that for Tench. Their habits and localities are nearly similar ; for there are few ponds or rivers in which, if Carp be found. Tench are not to be found also. The Tench is a still-water fish, and delights in ponds more than in rivers ; like the Barbel he is a leather-mouthed fish ; but as the lat- ter chooses gravel or sand, so the former delights and thrives in mud. One Tench that is taken in a river, is worth six taken in a pond. There are, however, some members of the Walton-and-Cotton Club, whose epicurean taste is particularly gratified with the flavour which mud imparts to the Tench j but this preference cannot be said to be in any way general. In angling for Tench you must repair to the fishing-place by dawn of day. June, July, and August are the only months in which any sport can be expected with Tench. The tackle must be strong, as they delight greatly in being amongst the weeds. Little sport is to be expected after the sun has risen, but it may be renewed about six in the afternoon ; and let the ground-bait be the same as directed for Carp. In river angling choose the deepest and most silent water, which ought to be so still, and the surface so smooth, that not the least mo- tion be imparted to the float. Be not too eager in striking when the fish bites ; for as he delights in sucking the bait, allow him time, and he will not quit it. The best and most enticing bait is the red- worm dipt in tar ; or take the black clotted blood out of the heart of a sheep, some fine flour and honey, temper them finely together, make them of the consistency of an unguent, and anoint the red- worm with it. No other bait is to be compared to either of them. The fishing-place should be baited with lob-worms and boiled malt. Fish very near the ground, and use a strong gut ftnd a goose-quill THE MODERN ANGLER. 17 float. In other particulars follow the directious as laid down for Carp. BREAM. The Bream grows to a very largo size, sometimeg to five or six pounds. The larger ones are called Carp Bream, as they arc yellow, resembling the Carp in colour, and arc supposed to be a distinct species from the White Bream. They frequent the broadest parts of the river, where it is deep, and the stream gentle. They are also to be found in mill-poads, in the vicinity of weeds, and in clayey or muddy bottoms. The best mouths for angling are August and September, very early in the morning or after sunset. The lob-worm is the best bait for the larger Bream, and the place ought to be baited with them for some time previously. The following may also be considered as good baits. Flag-worms, gentles, wasp-grubs, marsit-worms, and brand- lings, paste, green-flies, and the grasshopper with his legs cut off. A good paste for Bream is made of white new bread worked iu the hand to a proper consistency, and coloured with vermilion, or sheep's blood, to give it the requisite colour. White Bream are caught by using boiled malt alone as a ground-bait, baiting the hook with gen- tles or well-scoured worms ; a running-line must be used, and a plumb, as directed for Barbel. The hook, however, must be smaller. No. 2 or 3 will be the proper size. The Bream bites best when there is a slight breeze, but when the water is rough the bait must be placed near the bottom. They bite very slowly, and the larger they are the slower they bite. The bait should be laid in softly in the middle of the ground-bait, but let not the lead be above two feet under water. When the fish bites he will throw up the float, and when it is perceived to lie flat upon the sur- face of the water, it may then be concluded that the fish has gorged the bait ; strike it gently, and hold the rod at abend for a short time, for if you both pull the fish may be lost, if not also the hook and line. The Bream atFords noble sport, but is a fish very shy to be landed. His favourite harbour is the water-dock; but having once hooked him, care must be taken to keep him from that quarter, for he will strive to get thither, in order that the line may be entangled about the stalks of the dock, which being by nature very tough, it will be im- possible to disengage him from them. It is not advisable to angle more than three or four days for Bream in the same place, for the fish become shy and wary, and then afford very little sport. The angler should cautiously avoid standing close to the wafer's edge, after he has deposited the line. Two or three rods and lines may be used at the same time of fishing in still water. BARBEL. The Barbel Is of a fine cast, and handsome shape. He can live )u the strongest streams, but prefers shallows ; sharp ones in the summer: sometimes he takes to the deep and swift water about bridges and flood-gates, reposing amongst piles or in hollow places, where he will take such hold of the weeds that the swiftest streams cannot dislodge him. The most favourable season to augle for Barbel is August and Sep- tember, and the best time from day-break to ten in the morning, and from six in the afternoon to sun-set. The baits should be clean and sweet, and the worms well scoured. The best of all baits is a well- 18 THE MODERN ANGLER. scoured lob-worm, especially if the place has been well baited the night before. The best ground-bait is made with soaked greaves and clay, mixed together iu pellets about the size of an egg. Having indented the pellets, put some gentles into the holes, close them tightly, and the gentles will work out gradually when at the bottom of the river. This ground-bait must, however, only be used in still holes. The Barbel will bite at gentles, and the green ones are a delicious bait lor tiim. The rod must be very strong, with a running-line made either of silk or hemp, the bottom link being made of gut. Use a plumb about two feet above the hook, of sufficient weight to resist the action of a great depth of water. Let the plumb sink gently to the bottom about two yards from the side, draw the line tight till the plumb be felt at the bottom, by which the top of the rod will be bent a little, and the bite then, of even the smallest fish, will be felt. There is one caution necessary to be observed in angling for Barbel, never to throw in fur- ther than can be effected by a gentle cast of the rod, letting the plumb fall into the water with as little violence as possible. The Barbel is a leather-mouthed fish, and when he is hooked he must be governed with a tight line, not only to keep him from stumps and harbour, but to prevent him throwing himself across the line, which he will endeavour to do, his back fin being very sharp, and in- dented like a saw, which will cut the line, or at least damage it very considerably. To the angler the Barbel presents great attraction, being a game fish affording excellent sport ; when of a large size he is exceedingly crafty, sulky, and strong, struggling a long time after he is hooked, often lying motionless at the bottom many minutes, and so cunning is he, that he will suck or nibble off the worm close to the hook, and after that it is indeed a difficult task to hook him. If once hooked he seldom escapes from a good sportsman. The Barbel spawn in April, at which time they are out of season. The flesh is considered unwholesome, the spawn and liver almost poi- sonous. It is adviseable to bait the places three or four times before you begin to angle, which may be done with a number of worms cut in pieces, or clay balls in which either worms or gentles are placed. Greaves, also, are a good ground-bait for Barbel. According to Wal- ton, it is scarcely possible to bait too highly for Barbel, at all events there is little sport to be expected where the ground has not been pre- viously baited. ROACH. The Roach is a handsome fish, inhabiting many of our deep still rivers, and delighting, like others of its genus, in the most quiet waters. It is so silly a fish, that it has acquired the name of the Water-sheep. In summer it often frequents shallows near the tail of fords, or lies under banks among weeds, or under the shade of boughs. The best Roach are generally found at or opposite the mouth of a rivulet or brook that empties itself into a large river. The tackle for Roach must be fine and strong ; a rod not exceed- ing six feet, a line rather shorter of six hairs, and about two feet of gut for the bottom links, a swan-quill float, and hooks No. 11 or 12. The baits are gentles, red paste, boiled wheat or malt. Great atten- tention must be paid to strike quick. In autumn Roach will take white paste on a hook No. 9 ; in summer snails and flies under wa- ter, for they never rise at a fly like the Dace. In April cadis worms, oak-worms, and small red-worms, the latter especially in windy wea^ THE MODERN ANGLER. 19 ther. When boiled wheat or malt is used, choose those corns that are plump and soft, one being sufficient for a bait ; put the hook into it, so that the point may be where it is burst, and where the white ap- pears ; the fish will thereby be hooked more readily. Ou commencinR fishing throw a good handful of boiled malt into the hole, and continue to throw some in during fishing, but it must be done sparingly. A sharp eye must be kept on the float, and the least nibble is the signal for striking. If a full sized Roach be hooked, he should be played, for it is a fish that struggles much ; and al- though many anglers accustom themselves to a single-hair line, yet when the fish nin large it is not always to be depended upon. Should the water not be clear, two hooks may be used, by neatly looping a piece of gut two or three inches long, with a hook to it, close above the single shot, so that it may stand out from the line. Bait it with gentles, and the lower hook with paste or Salmon roe, and, if the fish be shy, with a gentle slipped into the beard of the hook, and a grain of the roe or paste upon the point. It is easy to distinguish whether a Roach be in season : if the scales on the back be rough to the touch, it is out of season ; if they lie flat and smooth, the reverse. The most killing bait for Roach is a small white worm with a red head, about the size of two maggots. It is to be found after the plough upon heath or sandy ground. It must, however, be observed, that when this bait is used, 'stewed malt or fresh grains should be strewed in the place where it is intended to angle. DACE. The haunts of Dace are gravelly, sandy, and clayey bottoms ; deep holes that are shaded j water-lily leaves, and under the foam caused by an eddy. In hot weather they are to be found in the shallows, and are then most easily taken with an artificial fly, the most proper of which are the ant-fly, and the black and dun flies. They bite best from three in the morning till nine, and from four in the afternoon till night. The tackle must be fine and strong ; the rod not exceed- ing six feet, the line somewhat shorter of six hairs, and about two feet of silk worm gut for the bottom links; a swan quill float, and small hooks about No. II or 12, though they should be of stronger wire than that usually sold of those sizes. The most suitable baits for Dace are the oak-worm, red-worm, brandlings, gentles, flag-worms, and cadis-worms ; greaves are also a good bait for Dace. Red paste is an excellent bait ; but it will be advisable to take more than one kind of paste, as the Dace is a capricious fish, and in the course of a morning and evening will shun the bait which they had just taken before, and after a short time return to it with great avidity, reject- ing every other. The ground-bait for Dace should be prepared of bran, a crust of white bread soaked, and worked up into balls, with little stones in the middle. In choosing a place, let it be under the wind, where the wa- ter is smooth ; plumb the depth, and let the lead be about eight in- ches from the bottom. The ground-bait must be thrown in about four yards above the fishing station, and the bait must be placed exactly over the ground bait. Boiled malt is also a very good ground-bait, but it must be used sparingly. A small landing-net will be found very serviceable in lauding the larger fish ; draw the fish a yard or two below the fishing station, as less disturbance will be thereby occasioned in the hole. The Dace does not bite much later than October, and March may be considered as the earliest period. $0 THE MODERN ANGLER. CHUB. The Chub spawns about the months of April and May, but he may be said to be in perfection in the winter. He frequents sharp streams, aud deep holes, that are much shaded, with clayey or gravelly bot- toit 5. The larger ones bite best very early iu the morning, and are to be caught by dibbing with a black beetle, humble-bee, or any large , fly, but the best bait for the Chub is the brown beetle or cockchafer' In ground-fishing the most approved baits are worms, maggots, snails, and ox brains ; the preference is generally given to the latter. The rod and line must be strong, and it will be convenient to use a run* ning-line, the better to enable you to fish under bushes ; the bottom should be of strong gut about two yards long, and the hook, if angled with brains, No. 6 or 7, if with gentles or grubs, a size smaller. The angler should be at the river's side by day-break, and having baited the hook with the beetle or cockchafer, wave it two or three times over the surface, as if in the act of flying, then let it drop softly on the water, and shake the rod gently, which will give it the appearance of struggling to escape ; this will attract the attention of the fish, and two or three will rise at a time, for they are remarkably fond of the cockchafer. His resistance when hooked is great at first, but he is soon subdued ; his weight, however, will make the landiug-net neces- sary and useful, as the most likely places for Chub are those where j'ou cannot get to the water-side to land him with the hands. It is necessary to bait the places in which you angle with whatever bait is used. Should you fish with worms, gentles, wasp-grubs, or snails, the bait should be upon the ground, but if with brains, a little below mid-water, being careful to strike the instant the fish bites, as the bait is so very tender, BLEAK. The Bleak is a small, fat, pleasant fish, called by some the fresh- water Sprat, and by others the river Swallow, on account of its conti- nual motion. It will rise, like the Dace, at a common house-fly upon the surface of the water, or it will take a geutle, or white paste, about a foot and a half under water. The smallest hooks are the most pro- per for them, and a paternoster line, that is, a single-hair line, with six or seven hooks, each three or four inches above the other, baited with genthes, or cadis, well scoured. The paste recommended for Bream, forms a good bait for the Bleak. It frequents deep rivers, sandy bottoms, iu eddies, aud at the steru of ships. The Bleak may be caught with a very fine artificial fly, of a sad brown colour, and very small, and the hook of a proportionate size. In angling for Bleak in the Thames, the bait must be laid in deeper than in other rivers ; aud it is to be observed, that generally in rivers the Bleak continues souud and healthful during the whole of the sum- mer. There is not any better sport than whipping for Bleaks in a boat or on a bank in swift waters on a summer's evening, with a hazle top about five or six inches long, and a line twice the length of the rod. The Bleak is an excellent fish to initiate a young angler in fly fishiug. It forms a capital bait for Pike, GUDGEON. The Gudgeon spawns twice or three times in the course of 'the year, and is in season from March to October. In the summer it delights in shallow streams, the bottoms of which are sandy and gra- velly. They will frequently bite during the whole of the day from THE MODERN ANOLER.' 21 an hour after sunrise till within an hour of sun-set, without an)' par- ticular consideration as to tlie state of the weathei-. In autumn, when the weeds begiu to rot, they retire into tlie deep waters. The customary method of angling for Gudgeou, is to rake up the sand or gravel, and by that means render the water thick and foul, which will make them bite the fastei'. Or another plan may be adopted, of throwiug dried earth or dust into the river; but if tlie water be made thick with rain they will not bite. They will take gentles or the cow-dung worm, but the small red-worm is the most killing bait for them. The Gudgeon is not a shy fish, on the contrary, if they be driven from their customary places of resort, they will im- mediately return to them. A single-hair line, a fiue taper rod, a float and a small hook, must be used, and the bait must drag upon the ground. In fishing for Gudgeons a rake is indispensable, with which the bottom of the river must be raked every quarter of an hour, and the fish will flock to the place in shoals. The Gudgeon will never rise at the fly. It is a fish in some re- quest, both for its flavour and the sport it affords to the inexperienced angler. It is very simple, and is allured by almost any kind of bait. EEL. It has been long a matter of dispute in what manner Eels are ge- nerated, Lacepede, the eminent French naturalist, decides, in the most unqualified terms, that they are viviporous ; whilst, on the other hand. Sir Humphrey Davy, in his Salmonia, considers them to be oviparous. Sir Everard Home regards them as hermaphrodites. Leav- ing this dispute, howevei', to be settled by naturalists, we have only to instruct the angler in what manner they are to be caught. The favourite haunts of Eels are still waters amongst weeds, under the roots of trees and large stones, and in the clefts of the banks of rivers. The habits of the Eel are nocturnal, and the finest and largest are usually caught with night-lines. The best bait for angling is the lob- worm, the hook small, about No. 3 or 4, and it is proper to use a small plumb or pistol-bullet. They bite best in dark cloudy weather, after showers attended with thuuder and lightning. There are two ways of fishing for Eels, peculiar to that fish alone ; the first is called sniggling, which is performed as follows : Take a short strong rod, and a line exceedingly strong with a small hook, which must be baited with a lob-worm well scoured ; the end of the hook must be placed slightly in the cleft of a stick, in order that it may easily slip out. With the stick and the hook thus baited, search for holes under stones, timber, roots, or about flood-gates. If an Eel be there he will certainly bite ; but let him tire himself by tugging, before any attempt be made to pull him out, or otherwise the line will be broken. The second method is called bobbing, which is thus : Take the largest garden worms, scour them well, and with a needle run a very strong thread or silk through them from end to end, as many as will lightly wrap a dozen times round your hand ; then tie them fast with the other two ends of the thread or silk, in order that they may hang in so many long hanks ; then fasten all to a strong cord, and about three inches above the worms fasten a piece of lead of about three quarters of a pound, making the cord fast to a long and strong pole. With the worms thus arranged, you will find the Eels tug strongly at them, and when it is supposed that they have swallowed the bait as far as they can, draw the worms_ and the Eels gently up, but 22 THE MODERN ANGLER. when they are at the top of the water, then pull tliem up with all your strength suddenly, and laud the fish as speedily as possible. The fbllowiug is the most approved method of fixing the uight-Iiaes for Eels. Having made a sufficient number of links of twelve hairs, double them, and tie a small strong hook to each link, having an equal number of strong whip-cord lines, about twelve or fifteen yards eacli, which have been used, aud are soft, such as old troUiug or Bar- bel lines ; fasten one end to a small stake of ash or hazel about a foot long and pointed at one end, making a noose at the other end of each line large enough to admit a Dace or a Gudgeon ; fasten a bullet about a foot from the noose ; take the links aud bait them with Gudgeons, Minnows, or lob worms (the former are to be prefer- red) by making an incision with the point of the baiting-needle at the shoulder, running it under tlie skin, aud out at the middle of the tail, drawing the link after it. The point of the hook should be up- right towards the back, and it matters not how proud, as the Eel is a most voracious fish. Take the lines to the pond or river iu the evening, and unwinding a line from the stake, peg it fast to the ground near the side. Take one of the links baited, put the noose of the link upon the line, and drop the bait through the noose upon the line. Throw the bait in a good way, but not to the extent of the line, as Eels will run a little before they gorge. A hundred of these lines may be laid iu a short time. MINNOW. The Minnow is in season from March to Michaelmas, except imme- diately after spawning time. It is not inferior to any fish for the excellence of its taste. It begins to bite about au hour after sunrise, and is taken at mid-water, or close to the bottom. The best bait is the smallest red-worm. Use a float, and the same small-sized hooks as are used for Bleak. After Michaelmas the Minnow betakes itself to the mud, or weedy places in rivers, as a preservative against floods, aud a security against its becoming a prey to other fish. The Minnow is more sought after as a bait than an article of food, although Waltou recommends the Minnow tansies as " a dainty dish of meat." To the young sportsman the Minnow yields plenty of amusement. In hot weather they will bite eagerly all day, aud are frequently drawn out of the water from their adhering to the end of the worm. The best and easiest method of catching them is, to have three or four hooks baited with the least red-worm, or the piece of one, aud a crow quill float; fish deeper than mid-water, or near the ground, iu shallow places, in eddies, and at the sides of small streams. Minnows are excellent baits for many fish j when caught they should be kept in bran, which dries up the moisture, aud although stitF at first, and, consequently, will not spin so well, from the bran sticking fast to them, yet after a short time it will wash oflT, and they , will be sufliicicutly pliable. LOACH. The Loach is an inhabitant of clear rivulets, and commonly resides at the bottom among stones aud gravel, and is on that account some- times called by the name of Groundling ; it is generally about three inches long ; is of a dirty yellow colour on the back, and somewhat spotted, and white on the belly. In point of delicacy it is said to be equal, if not superior, to most other fishes, and is cultivated with much care in some places as an article of diet, 'i'he Loach is ob- served to spawn iu March, and is very prolific. It is fre(i«ently ta- ken when angliug for Miauows. THE MODERN ANGLER. 23 BULLHEAD. The Bullhead, or Millei's-thiimb, is to be found in almost all ri- vers ; it rarely exceeds the length of three inches ; its general colour is yellowish olive, much deeper on the head, and upper parts of the back ; and the whole body is more or less clouded with small dusky specks ; the fius are large and yellowish, and likewise speckled ; the head is large and flat, and broader than auy part of the body. This fish occasionally swims with great strength and rapidity, when in pur- suit of its prey, though its general habit is that of lying on the gravel, or under stones, in an apparent!}' inert state. Notwithstanding its disagreeable appearance, it is considered as an eatable fish, and is even regarded as delicate ; the flesh turns of a red or Salmon-colour on boiling. The Bullhead usually spawns in March and April. This fish, also, is frequently caught when angling for Minn'iws. STICKLEBACK. Tliis fish is an almost universal inhabitant of rivers, ponds, and marshes, and when in its full perfection of colour is highly beautiful ; the back being of a fine olive green, the sides silvery, and the fins and belly of a bright red ; the colours fade in a great degree as the sea- son advances. The general length of this minute species is about two inches ; on each side and on the back are placed several strong jag- ged spines, from whence it derives its name. It is a fish of an extremely active and vigorous nature, swimming rapidly, and preying upon the smaller kind of water-insects and worms, ns well as on the spawn of other fislies ; and is, from this cir- cumstance, considered higlily prejudicial to fish-ponds; its only use is to be trolled with for Trout, previously cutting oflF the spines. Having now brought our instructions to a close, we, in our ima- gination, have looked at the tiny angler with " his crooked pin for his hook," and "his osier rod," and we have followed him through all the gradations of the art, until we behold him an accomplished angler, with " his flies and palmers" struggling with the Greyling and the Trout. " He best can paint them, who has felt them most." We subjoin the following lines, and we predict that there is scarcely an angler who will not find a sentiment in them, which, like an har- monious chord, meets with its responsive sound in his own breast, which cairies him back from his first juvenile efforts to his last great effort, when he might almost say, His rod was made of a sturdy oak. His line a cable which in storms ne'er broke, His hook was baited with a dragon's tail. And sat upon a rock and bobb'd for whale. 24 THE MODERN ANGLER. THE ANGLER'S PROGRESS. When I was a mere school-boy, ere yet I'd learn'd my book, I felt a wish for angling in every little brook ; With osier rod, some thread for line, a crooked pin for hook ; Of Sticklebacks and Minnows each day I caught a store. With store Loaches and Miller's-thumbs, those brooks afford no more. Then next I bought some farthing hooks, and eke a horse-hair line, A hazel rod with whalebone top, my playmates to outshine. With which I soon aspir'd to angle with a float ; Then Roach, and Dace, and Bleak I took, and Gudgeons without end, And now and then a Perch I'd hook, which made my rod to bend : And thus the little angler, pleas'd with bis line and hook. Would shun each noisy wrangler to fish the murm'riug brook. Bream, Chub, and Barbel next I sought, their %'arious haunts I try'd With scour'd worms, cheese, paste, and greaves, and various baits beside, With hooks of many size, well chose, and gut that's round and fine. So by gradations then I rose to fish with rnnning-line ; A multiplying-winch I bought, wherewith my skill to try. And so expert myself I thought, few with me now could vie : And thus the little angler, with rod, and line, and hook. Would shmi each noisy wrangler to fish th.e murm'ring brook. My mind on trolling now intent with live or dead snap hook. And seldom to the river went, but Pike or Jack I took; Near banks of bulrush, sedge, and reed (a dark and windy day), And if the Pike were on the feed I rarely miss'd my pr«y ; If baits are fresh and proper size, no matter what's the sort. At Gudgeons, Roach, or Dace (they'll rise at all by turns) I've sport: So now a dext'rous angler with rod, and line, and hook,_ I shun each noisy wranglei' to fish the muitn'ring brook. And now to cast a fly-line well became my chiefest wish, I sti'ove each sportsman to excel, and cheat the nimble fish ; Now Trout and Greyling I could kill, if gloomy was the day. And Salmon also, at my will, became an easy prey ; Now flies and palmers I would dress, aquatic insects too. And all their various seasons guess, their uses well I knew : 80 now the perfect angler with rod, and line, and hook, I shua each noisy wrangler to fish the murm'riug brook. Printed by Thomas Richardson, Derby. 5? RICHARDSON'S LIST OF i i PAMPHLETS, With beautiful coloured fold- ing frontispieces 1 Gd. each. Art of Legerdemain. Bamfylde Moore Carew. Baron Muncliausen'sTravels. Buonaparte's Book of Fate. Comical Budget of Fun and Frolic. Cook, the Murderer. Doctor Faustus. Domestic Cookery, or tlie Housewife's Sure Guide. Dream-book. Dutchess of C . Gentleman's Valentine AVri- ter. George Barnwell. Hoggart, the Murderer. Jane Shore. Lady's Valentine Writer. Mary, the Maid of the Inn. Nixon's Prophecies. Norwood Gipsy. True Lover's Own General Valentine Writer. Turjnn, the Highwayman. SONG BOOKS. PAMPHLET SONG BOOKS, With beautiful coloured fold' ing frontispieces, Gd. each. 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