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 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
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BOWLKER'S AET OF ANaLINa. 
 
1B0WL'J^1M,3 MlT 0yM^WlsTR9. 
 
ART OF ANGLING, 
 
 CONTAINING DIRECTIONS FOR 
 
 FLY-FISHING, TEOLLING, 
 MAKma AETIPICIAL FLIES, &c. 
 
 WITH A LIST OF THE MOST CELEBRATED FISHING 
 STATIONS IN NORTH WALES. 
 
 ' Celate cibis uncos fallacibus hamos." 
 
 Ovid. 
 
 A NEW EDITION, EEYISED. 
 
 LUDL W: 
 
 FEINTED A^D SOLD BY B. JONES, BROAD STEEET. 
 LONDON: LONGMAN, BEOWN, & CO. 
 
 1854. 
 
 <^ 
 
. Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://wwvv.archive.org/details/bowlkersartofangOObowlrich 
 

 issf 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE FRONTISPIECE. 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 Red Fly. 
 
 2. 
 
 Blue Dun. 
 
 3. 
 
 March Brown. 
 
 4. 
 
 Cowdung Fly. 
 
 5. 
 
 Stone Fly. 
 
 6. 
 
 Granam, or Green Tail. 
 
 7. 
 
 Spider Fly. 
 
 8. 
 
 Black Gnat. 
 
 9. 
 
 Black Caterpillar. 
 
 10. 
 
 Little Iron Blue. 
 
 11. 
 
 Yellow Sally. 
 
 12. 
 
 Canon, or Down Hill Fly. 
 
 13. 
 
 Shorn Fly, or Marlow Buzz. 
 
 14. 
 
 Yellow May Fly, or Cadow. 
 
 15. 
 
 Grey Drake. 
 
 16. 
 
 Orl Fly. 
 
 17. 
 
 Sky Blue. 
 
 18. 
 
 Cadis Fly. 
 
 19. 
 
 Fern Fly, 
 
 20. 
 
 Red Spinner. 
 
 21. 
 
 Blue Gnat. 
 
 22 & 23. Large Red and Black Ants. 
 
 24. 
 
 Hazel Fly, or Welshman's Button. 
 
 25. 
 
 Little Red and Black Ants. 
 
 26. 
 
 Whirling Blue. 
 
 27, 
 
 Little Pale Blue. 
 
 28. 
 
 Willow Fly. 
 
 29. 
 
 White Moth. 
 
 30. 
 
 Red Palmer. 
 
 i^USSll 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 ALPINE Trout or Gilt Charr, remarks on, page 36. 
 Barbel, remarks on, 79 ; baits for, 80. 
 
 Barometer, rules for judging of the, 151. 
 
 Bleak, remarks on, 89. 
 
 Bream, remarks on, 77 ; baits for, 78. 
 
 Bullhead, remarks on, 100. 
 
 Cabbage-grub fishing, 147. 
 
 Carp, remarks on, 65 ; baits for, 68 ; observations on breeding 
 the, 70. 
 
 Chub, remarks on, 86 ; Walton's receipt how to dress, 87 ; 
 baits for, 88. 
 
 Cod-bait fishing, 145. 
 
 Dace or Dare, remarks on, 84. 
 
 Eel; remarks on, 93 ; haunts of, 95 ; baits for, 96 ; sniggling 
 for, ib. ; night lines for, 97. 
 
 Fishing Stations in North Wales, 154. 
 
 Flies, materials for making Artificial, 115 ; directions fur 
 making, tying, or dressing a fly, UG; a description of all 
 the flies used throughout the year, 118 to 137. 
 
 Flounder, remarks on, 92 ; baits for, ib. 
 
 Fly fishmg, 102 ; extract from Col. Hawker on, 103 ; tackle 
 described, 104; throwing a fly, 107; killing your fish, 110; 
 remarks for the consideration of an angler as to his move- 
 ments, 113; Captain Hazard's' observations on, 139. 
 
 Grasshopper fishing, 146. 
 
 Gravel Last Spring, remarks on, 21. 
 
 Grey Salmon, remarks on, 21. 
 
 Greyling, remarks on, 38 ; haunts and baits for, 40, 
 
 Gudgeon, remarks on, 90 ; baits for, 91, 
 
 Gwiniad, remarks on, 36. 
 
 Introduction, iii. 
 
 Loach, remarks on, 99. 
 
 Maggot fishing, 143. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Maggots, to preserve in winter, 144. 
 
 Minnow, remarks on, 98. 
 
 Moths, white and brown, for night angling, 135. 
 
 Pahner worms, 138. 
 
 Pastes, various, 147. 
 
 Perch, remarks on, 61 ; haunts, feedmg times, and baits, 62. 
 
 Pike, remarks on, 42 ; anecdotes of, 43 ; haunts and baits for, 
 
 46 ; to troll for, 47 ; the troller's day, 48 ; the trimmer, 56 i 
 
 the leiger, 58 ; spring snap, 59 ; snaring or haltering, 60. 
 Rivers, several described, 9. 
 Roach, remarks on, 82 ; baits for, 83. 
 Rud, or Bastard Bream, remarks on, 81. 
 Kufte, or Ruffe Perch, remarks on, 64. 
 Salmon, remarks on, 13 ; tackle described, 17 ; baits for, 18. 
 Salmon Fry, or Samlets, 20. 
 Salmon Trout, remarks on, 21. 
 Salmon flies, 136, 137. 
 Salmon spa-vMi, how to preserve, 148. 
 Signs of rain by Dr. Jenner, 152. 
 Skegger Trout, 35. 
 Stickleback, remarks on, 101. 
 Tench, remarks on, 75 ; baits for 76. 
 Trout, remarks on, 23 ; haunts and feeding times, 25 ; baits- 
 
 for, 26 ; trolling for, 29 ; to dress a Trout, 34 ; how to 
 
 pack, 35 ; anecdote of, ib. 
 Wasp -grub fishing, 145. 
 Weather, observations on, 149. 
 Weather Table, Herschel's, 150. 
 Worm fishing, 140. 
 Worms,— lobworms, 140 ; red worms, 141 ; brandlings, 141 ;, 
 
 marsh worms, 142 ; to cleanse or scour worms, ib. ; to 
 
 preserve worms, 143. 
 
INTEODUCTIOJSr. 
 
 n^HIS work has for a period of years enjoyed a 
 degree of public approbation which few other 
 similar publications can boast of, and it may be 
 presumed has been practically useful in proportion 
 to the fame it has acquired ; it is, however, a truth 
 universally acknowledged, that art, though contin- 
 ually advancing towards excellence, is never known 
 to arrive at perfection. If this remark be true with 
 respect to the higher branches of human knowledge, 
 it is also applicable to the humble business of 
 Angling, which, whether pursued for pleasure or 
 profit, is yet capable, as an art, of constant and 
 indefinite improvement. 
 
 "Whatever merit we may attribute to the Author, 
 his condition in life and circumscribed course of 
 reading, prevented the possibility of his acquiring 
 correct information on literary subjects ; and it has 
 
 B 
 
IV. INTE0DTJCTl01!r. 
 
 been found expedient to omit the puerilities of an 
 antiquated and obsolete philosophy, to make room 
 for extracts from modern writers, more useful and 
 interesting. 
 
 In order to render this new edition of " Bowlker's 
 Art of Angling" more deserving of general appro- 
 bation, it has been carefully corrected, improved, 
 and greatly enlarged; in every part of the work 
 these improvements will be recognized and duly 
 appreciated by the judicious angler; but especially 
 in that part which treats on Ely-fishing. 
 
 This branch of the art is the most agreeable and 
 important, and may be practised with the artificial 
 fiy so as to be freed from an objection sometimes 
 brought against angling as a cruel and ungenerous 
 amusement, deriving great part of its attendant 
 pleasure from the sufierings of the miserable insect 
 writhing in torment, impaled upon the hook. Now, 
 though it will be admitted on all hands, that this 
 objection has no proper bearing on the subject, so 
 far as concerns the pleasure derived from it, yet as 
 every humane angler will wish to remove from his 
 favourite amusement such attendant circumstances 
 as produce painful feelings on reflection, he will be 
 induced to use the imitative in preference to the 
 living bait. If the activity necessary to this mode 
 be taken into consideration, it must be considered 
 
INTE0DT7CTI0N. V. 
 
 more favourable to health than the tedious watchings 
 qf other modes of angling. But after all, it must 
 be conceded, that different tastes have different 
 sources of enjoyment : the grave and contemplative 
 mind enjojs the still and peaceful scene ; the cheerful 
 and sprightly temper, is active even in its amuse- 
 ments. Angling suits either of these habits. , . 
 
 In adapting appropriate embellishments to suit" 
 the improved taste of the age, the publisher has 
 considered utility as well as ornament, and the 
 correct delineation of the fishes and flies will serve 
 to guide the inexperienced practitioner, in some 
 cases, where it is important to distinguish the 
 species. It will be universally acknowledged that 
 no book of written instructions can make a profi- 
 cient iti any art ; yet a good book may be useful, 
 and in some cases absolutely necessary, and it is 
 hoped this little work will be found effective for 
 every purpose of usefulness. 
 
 Every science has its rules and axioms, and the 
 following hortatory remarks will be deemed of suffi- 
 cient importance to be retained. 
 
 Patience is ever allowed to be a great virtue, 
 and is one of the first requisites for an angler. 
 
 In an excursion to or from fishing, should you 
 overheat yourself with walking, avoid small liquors 
 and water as you would poison ; a glass of wine, 
 
VI. INTEODTJOTION. 
 
 brandy, or rum, is more likely to promote cooling 
 eiFects, without danger of taking cold. 
 
 Whenever you begin to angle, wet the ends of 
 the joints of your rod, to make them swell, which 
 will prevent their loosening: and if you happen, 
 with rain or otherwise, to wet your rod, so that you 
 cannot pull the joints asunder, turn the ferrules 
 round in the flame of a candle, and they will easily 
 separate. 
 
 An angler should always be careful to keep out 
 of sight of the fish, by standing as far from the 
 bank as possible ; but muddy water renders this 
 caution unnecessary. 
 
 A judicious angler should observe that his amuse- 
 ment must be avoided in a strong east or cold north 
 wind, as both are unfriendly to sport. Also, after a 
 long drought ; in the middle of days that are exces- 
 sively hot and bright ; when there has been a white 
 frost in the morning; in days of high wind; in 
 places where they have been long washing sheep ; 
 upon the sudden rising of clouds that precede rain ; 
 and on days following dark^ windy nights. 
 
 In ponds, angle near the fords where cattle go 
 to drink ; and in rivers, angle for Bream in the 
 deepest and most quiet parts ; for Eels, under trees 
 hanging over banks ; for Chub, in deep shaded 
 holes ; for Perch, in scours ; for Eoach, in winter, - 
 
INTEODIJCTION. VU. 
 
 in the deeps, at all other times where you angle for 
 Perch ; and for Trout in quick streams. 
 
 "When you have hooked a fish, never suffer it to 
 run out with the line ; but keep the rod bent, and as 
 nearly perpendicular as you can; by this method 
 the top plies to every pull the fish makes, and you 
 prevent the straining of the line. 
 
 Never raise a large fish out of the water by 
 taking hold of the line, but either put a landing net 
 under it, or your hat. You may, in fly-fishing, lay 
 hold of the line to draw the fish to you, but this 
 must be done with caution. 
 
 The silk for tying on hooks and other fine work 
 must be very small ; use it double, and wax it with 
 shoemaker's wax ; should the wax be too stiff*, 
 temper it with tallow. 
 
 K for strong fishing you use grass, which, when 
 you can get it fine is to be preferred to gut, 
 remember always to soak it an hour in water before 
 using ; this will make it tough, and prevent it from 
 breaking. 
 
 Before fixing the loop of gut to the hook, in 
 order to make a fly, singe the end of it to prevent 
 its drawing ; do the same with hair, to which at any 
 time you whip a hook. 
 
 Make flies in warm weather only, for in cold the 
 waxed silk will not draw. 
 
nil. INTEODTJCTIOW, 
 
 In rainy weather, or when the season for angling 
 is over, repair whatever damage your tackle has 
 sustained. 
 
 Never regard what bunglers and slovens tell 
 you, but believe that neatness in your tackle, and a 
 masterly hand in all your work are absolutely 
 necessary. 
 
 As dry feet are conducive to health, we have 
 copied an excellent receipt for the angler's use, which 
 will render boots or shoes completely water-proof: 
 " drying oil, one pint; bee's wax, two ounces; tur- 
 pentine, two ounces; Burgundy pitch, one ounce. — 
 Melt these over a slow fire, and then add a few 
 drops of essential oil of lavender or thyme : with 
 this your boots or shoes are to be rubbed with a 
 brush, either in the sun, or at some distance from 
 the fire. The application must be repeated as often 
 as the boots become dry again, untd they are fully 
 saturated." 
 
 Lastly, those who value health will not begin 
 Lhe delightful recreation of angling till March ; 
 although, in some years, if the weather be open and 
 "lild February may afford more diversion. 
 
ART OF ANGLING. 
 
 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 PEINCIPAL EIVEES IN EJSraLAND. 
 
 THE THAMES is the mighty king of all the 
 British rivers, superior to most in beauty, and to all 
 in importance ; it takes its rise from a copious 
 spring called Thames Head, about two miles south- 
 west of Cirencester. It widens considerably on 
 approaching Lechlade, where it is joined by the Lech, 
 the Coin, and the Isis, all which rise in the Cotswold 
 Hill; continuing its course to the south-east by 
 "Wallingford to Eeading, it forms a boundary to the 
 counties of Berks, Bucks, Surrey, Middlesex, Essex, 
 and Kent ; and joins the Medway at the Nore, in 
 the mouth of the British ocean. 
 
 THE MEDWAY is by far the most important 
 river of any in Kent, except the Thames. It rises 
 on the borders of Surrey and Sussex, somewhat north 
 of East Grinstead, and takes a north-east course to 
 Tunbridge and Maidstone ; winding still with various 
 curves eastward, it passes Eochester and Chatham, 
 and finally turns to the north and enters the Nore 
 
10 ABT OF ANGLING. 
 
 under the fort of Sheerness, near the mouth of the 
 Thames. This river is remarkable for its extent and 
 safety in harbouring the royal navy of Grreat Britain. 
 
 THE SEVERN is the principal river in Wales, 
 and second only to the Thames in England, belonging 
 alternately to both countries. The chief source of 
 it is in a small lake on the eastern side of Plinlim- 
 mon hill, not far from the heads of the rivers "Wye, 
 and Ehydol ; it flows to the south-east, through a 
 wild district, towards Llanidloes ; it then turns to the 
 north-east, between hills, and approaches Newtown, 
 where it assumes its proper name of Severn. Erom 
 thence its course is almost due north, through the 
 delightful vales of Montgomeryshire ; after making a 
 considerable compass, it turns abruptly to the south- 
 east, and almost encircles the town of Shrewsbury, 
 and pursues the same direction till it has passed 
 Colebrook Dale : soon after which it flows southward 
 to Bewdley, Worcester, and Grloucester. Except a 
 large semicircle which the Severn makes at Newn- 
 ham, its course is chiefly to the south-west below 
 Grloucester, till it assumes the title of the Bristol 
 Channel, expanding and insensibly losing itself in 
 the Atlantic ocean, between the Land's End of 
 Cornwall and the extreme point of Pembrokeshire. 
 
 THE WYE, though not the largest, may cer- 
 tainly be called the most beautiful of the rivers of 
 
ElVEES. 11 
 
 South Wales ; it rises on the south side of Plirdim- 
 mon hill, on the borders of Montgomeryshire and 
 Cardiganshire, being rather to the south of the 
 source of the Severn. In its course it inclines 
 gradually to the east, and separates Erecknockshire 
 from Eadnorshire ; when past the Black Mountain it 
 flows eastward to Hereford, Eoss, and Monmouth ; 
 from whence it proceeds south till it unites itself 
 with the Severn below Chepstow, thus forming part 
 of the Bristol Channel. 
 
 THE TEENT is a river which pervades some 
 of the most fertile districts in the kingdom ; it rises 
 in the hill near Newcastle-under-Line, in Staflbrd- 
 shire, adjoining to the borders of Cheshire. In its 
 course it divides Leicestersliire from Derbyshire, 
 and penetrates through the centre of Nottingham- 
 shire ; at length it reaches the borders of Yorkshire, 
 and a few miles from Grainsborough it joins with 
 the sestuary of the Northern Ouse to form the 
 turbulent river Humber. 
 
 THE HUMBEE is formed by the Trent, the 
 Northern Ouse, the Derwent, and several other 
 smaller streams. By the late inland navigation it 
 has a communication with the Mersey, Dee, Eibble, 
 Severn, Thames, Avon, &c. which navigation, inclu- 
 ding its windings, extends above five hundred miles 
 in the counties of Lincoln, Nottingham, York, 
 
12 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 Lancaster, Westmorland, Chester, Stafford, Warwick, 
 Leicester, Oxford, and Worcester. The Humber 
 divides Yorkshire from Lincolnshire, and falls into 
 the German ocean near Holderness. 
 
 AVON, the name of four rivers in England; 
 viz. 1, rising in Leicestershire, runs south-west by 
 Warwick and Evesham, and falls into the Severn at 
 Tewkesbury ; 2, in Monmouthshire ; 3, rising in 
 Wiltshire, coasts the edge of the New Eorest, and 
 enters the English Channel at Christ Church Bay, 
 in Hampshire ; and 4, the Lower Avon, which rises 
 near Tetbury, in Grioucestershire, and running west 
 to Bath, becomes navigable ; continues its course to 
 Bristol, and falls into the Severn north-west of 
 that city. 
 
 THE TEME, which rises in Eadnorshire, flows 
 through Knighton, Leintwardine, Ludlow, and 
 Tenbury, and falls into the Severn at Powick, near 
 Worcester. This river is one of the most celebrated 
 in the kingdom for its Trout and Grey ling; at 
 Leintwardine is the far famed stream alluded to by 
 Sir Humphrey Davy in his Salmonia, or Days of 
 Ely-fishing. 
 
SALMOIS". 
 
 13 
 
 SALMON. 
 
 The Salmon, so highly esteemed for the delicacy 
 of its flavour, and so important an article in a com- 
 mercial view, is chiefly an inhabitant of the northern 
 regions ; they will ascend such of our rivers as have 
 communication with the sea for many miles ; force 
 themselves against the most rapid streams, and 
 spring with amazing agility over cataracts of several 
 feet in height. An inhabitant of Berwick-upon- 
 Tweed, gives the following account of them : — " In 
 the months of October and November, the Salmon 
 begin to press up the river as far as they can reach, 
 in order to spawn ; when that time approaches, the 
 male and female unite in forming a proper receptacle 
 
14 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 for it in the sand, or gravel about the depth of 
 eighteen inches; in this the female deposits the 
 spawn, which they afterwards carefully cover up. 
 The spawn lies buried till spring, if not disturbed by 
 violent floods, but the Salmon hasten to the sea as 
 soon as they are able, in order to recover their 
 strength, for after spawning they become very lean, 
 and are then called by the name of Kippers. When 
 the Salmon first enter the rivers, they are observed 
 to have a great many small animals adhering to 
 them, especially about their gills; these are the 
 Lemea Salmonea, or Salmon louse of Linnaeus, and 
 are signs that the fish are in high season ; soon after 
 the Salmon have left the sea, the Lemea die and drop 
 off"; and when they have been about a month in the 
 river, and lie under banks, roots, or stones, the fresh 
 water lice creep on to them, and force them to get 
 to sea again to be freed from them, which the salt 
 water does efiectually. In this manner they will 
 change the fresh for the salt water several times in 
 the course of the summer. 
 
 In the beginning of March the spawn begins to 
 exclude the young, which gradually increase to the 
 length of four or five inches, and are then called 
 Samlets, or Salmon fry. About the beginning of 
 May the river is full of them ; it seems to be all 
 alive, and there is no having an idea of their 
 
SALMON. 15 
 
 numbers without seeing them; but a seasonable 
 flood then hurries them all to the sea, scarce any- 
 being left in the river. About the middle of June, 
 the earliest of the fry begin to drop, as it were, into 
 the river again from the sea, at that time being about 
 twelve or fourteen inches in length ; and by a 
 gradual progress increase in number and size, tiQ 
 the end of July, when they are termed Grrilse. In 
 the beginning of August they lessen in number, but 
 increase in size, some being six or eight pounds in 
 weight. 
 
 All fishermen agree that they never find any food 
 in the stomach of this fish. Perhaps during the 
 spawning time they may entirely neglect their food ; 
 and that they return to sea lank and lean, and come 
 from it in good condition. It is evident that, at 
 times, their food is both fish and worms, for the 
 angler uses both with good success; as well as a 
 large gaudy artificial fly, which they probably mistake 
 for a gay Libellula, or Dragon Tly. 
 
 In the river Tweed, about the month of July, 
 the capture of Salmon is astonishing, often a boat 
 load, and sometimes nearly two, are taken in a tide ; 
 in one instance more than seven hundred fish were 
 caught at a single haul of the net. From fifty to a 
 hundred at a haul are very common. The season 
 for fishing commences in the Tweed in Tebruary, 
 
16 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 and ends on Old Michaelmas day. The chief 
 English rivers in which Salmon are now caught are 
 the Tyne, the Trent, the Severn, the Wye, and the 
 Tweed. A young Salmon under two pounds in 
 weight is called a Salmon Peel, and a larger one a 
 Grilse. Salmon cannot be eaten too fresh ; and is 
 very unwholesome when stale. 
 
 The general length of the Salmon is from two 
 and a half to three feet, but sometimes more : the 
 male is principally distinguished by the curvature of 
 the jaws; both the upper and lower mandible bending 
 towards each other, more or less in different indivi- 
 duals, and at different seasons. The general colour 
 of both sexes is a silvery grey, of a much darker cast 
 on the back ; the sides of the male are marked 
 with numerous small, irregular, dusky and copper- 
 coloured spots, while those of the female exhibit 
 only several rather large, distant, roundish spots 
 of a dark colour ; the male is somewhat longer, and 
 of a more slender shape than the female." 
 
 Having thus briefly premised the general cha- 
 racter and size of the Salmon, it is necessary to give 
 some account of its haunts and feeding-times, and 
 then proceed to the artifices best adapted for its 
 capture. The principal season for the angler to 
 follow his sport is from June till September. 
 
 Salmon do not stay long in a place, neither do 
 
SALMON. 17 
 
 they like most other fish, lie near the river's edge, 
 but swim in the deepest parts, and usually in the 
 middle, near the ground. Their prime feeding time 
 is from eight till eleven o'clock in the morning, 
 and from three in the afternoon till sunset. When 
 on feed Salmon are generally to be found at the foot 
 of a strong stream, which terminates iin a whirlpool, 
 or eddy. 
 
 The primary and most important articles with 
 which the angler should be provided, are, a rod, 
 reel, reel-line, cast-line, artificial flies, and various 
 strong' gut bottoms adapted to the different modes 
 of taking Salmon. 
 
 The length of the rod should be from sixteen 
 to twenty feet, which, however, may be regulated 
 according to the breadth of the river in which the 
 angler pursues his amusement. The reel, which 
 should be large, is a most material appendage to 
 the rod, and is made of brass ; it must be constructed 
 with the utmost nicety, and rendered capable of the 
 swiftest circumvolutions. The line, which is to be 
 fastened to the reel, may be composed either of 
 strong silk, or twisted horse hair without knots, 
 and from fifty to eighty yards in length ; at the end 
 of this line must be a loop, to which you can attach 
 a cast line of a convenient length for throwing 
 (say ten or twelve yards), this cast-line must be 
 
18 ART OP ANGLING. 
 
 about thirty or forty hairs thick at the top, and 
 gradually diminish as it approaches the gut bottom 
 to which the flies or other baits are affixed. The 
 bottom must be made of strong twisted gut. 
 
 The artificial flies should generally be of large 
 dimensions, and of a gaudy glittering colour; the 
 Dragon Ply, and King's Fisher, are particularly 
 adapted for Salmon fishing (both of which are de- 
 scribed in this volume), although Salmon will take 
 almost any of the flies used for Trout, if made larger 
 than usual. The angler should imitate principally 
 the natural flies found on such rivers where Salmon 
 abound ; but he may safely indulge his fancy, rather 
 than depart without a bite ; for many succeed with 
 the most monstrous and capricious baits of this 
 gaudy kind. In most places the artificial fly is the 
 only bait used, being far superior to any other. 
 
 A raw cockle, or muscle, taken out of the shell, 
 prawns, minnows, and worms have also been recom- 
 mended as Salmon baits : the mode of angling with 
 these is to cast the h'ne, which must be totally 
 unencumbered with shot, into some shallow which 
 approximates to the edge of a hole of considerable 
 depth, permitting the bait to be carried in by the 
 current. The line should always be thrown across 
 the river, and on the off* side from the spot where 
 you expect a fish to rise. When you imagine that 
 
SALMON. 19 
 
 a fish has taken the bait, be cautious in giving it 
 time to pouch it, that is, to swallow it fairly and 
 securely ; after this fix the hook firmly by a gentle 
 twitch. On the first sensation of pain, the fish will 
 plunge and spring with great violence, and use 
 every endeavour of strength and cunning to effect 
 its escape ; it will then, perhaps, run away with a 
 considerable length of line, which is to be kept in a 
 gently relaxed situation, so that it may always yield 
 with facility to its obstinate resistance. If it 
 becomes sullen and quiet in the water, rouse it 
 gently by throwing in a few stones ; and when it 
 again commences resistance, do not be too eager in 
 checking its career, but let it gradually exhaust its 
 strength, follow it down the stream, and at every 
 opportunity keep winding up the line, until you 
 approach it in a wearied state ; then take it softly 
 by the gills out of the water. The size of the hook, 
 No. 2 or 3. 
 
 Salmon take little fish and worms best on their 
 first arrival in the fresh water, and flies from that 
 time until the end of September. Some anglers 
 troll for Salmon with the same baits, and in the 
 same manner as directed for Pike, and occasionally 
 meet with success. 
 
 There is scarcely any time unless when it 
 thunders, or when the water is thick with mud, but 
 c 
 
20 ABT OF ANGLING. 
 
 you may chance to tempt the Salmon to rise to an 
 artficial fly. But the most propitious and critical 
 moments are undoubtedly when, clearing after a 
 flood, the water has turned to a light whey, or 
 rather brown colour; when the wind blows pretty 
 fresh, approaching almost to a mackarel gale (if not 
 from the north), against the stream or course of the 
 river; when the sun shines through showers, or 
 when the cloudy rack runs fast and thick, and at 
 intervals discovers the fine blue ether from above. 
 In these situations of the water, and of the weather, 
 you may always depend upon excellent sport. 
 
 The Thames Salmon are reckoned to exceed in 
 quality those of any other river ; but those in the 
 rivers Severn and Wye are excellent in their kind, 
 and are first in season of any in England. 
 
 The young Salmon Fry, or Samlets, are ex- 
 tremely voracious, and in April and May will afford 
 the young angler excellent diversion, as he will fre- 
 quently have a fish at every fly at the same throw. 
 Although they are delicious eating, a moment's 
 reflection of the injury done to the river, by the 
 destruction of so many young fry, ought to deter 
 the angler from continuing his sport when he finds 
 a shoal of them. 
 
SALMON. 21 
 
 Gj-EEY SALMON are a distinct species from 
 the common Salmon ; their heads are larger in pro- 
 portion, in the jaws are four rows of teeth, and on 
 the tongue are eight teeth ; the back and sides are 
 of a deep grey with purple spots, the belly silvery, 
 the tail even at the end. They are strong fish, and 
 do not ascend the fresh water till August, when 
 they rush up the rivers with great violence, and are 
 very rarely taken by angling They appear in the 
 river Esk, in Cumberland, from July to September, 
 and are then in spawn. This is supposed to be the 
 fish called by the name of Sewin, or Shewin, in 
 South Wales. 
 
 The G-ravel LAST-SPEINa is supposed by 
 some to be the fry of the Salmon, but which is a 
 distinct species ; the rivers Severn and Wye abound 
 with this fish. It spawns in the month of August, 
 and affords the angler excellent diversion with the 
 long line. The Eed Ant is a very killing fly, and 
 all the flies may be used with success during their 
 proper seasons. 
 
 ' SALMON TEOUT are greatly aUied, in point 
 of general appearance, to the Salmon, but rarely of 
 equal size: in colour purplish or violet, with the 
 head and whole body thickly marked with small 
 
22 
 
 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 round dark or blackish spots, surrounded by a paler 
 circle ; scales rather small. They are natives of the 
 European seas, passing, like Salmon, into rivers 
 to deposit their spawn. Their flesh is similar in 
 colour, and of equal delicacy vrith the Salmon. 
 Wherever this fish is to be found, it will afford the 
 angler good sport ; the same baits are to be used as 
 directed for,- Salmon and Trout fishing. 
 
TEOUT. 23 
 
 TEOUT. 
 
 The Trout admits of considerable variety as to the 
 tinge both of its ground colour and spots. Its gene- 
 ral length, when full grown, is from twelve to fifteen 
 inches : its colour yellowish grey, darker or browner 
 upon the back, and marked on the sides with distant 
 round bright red spots, each surrounded by a tinge 
 of pale bluish grey ; the belly has a white or silvery 
 cast ; the fins are of a pale purplish brown, the head 
 rather large, and the scales very fine. The female 
 has a brighter and more beautiful appearance than 
 the male. 
 
 In general the Trout prefers clear, cold, and 
 briskly-running waters, with a stony or gravelly 
 bottom, it swims with rapidity, and like the Salmon, 
 springs occasionally to a very considerable height 
 in order to surmount any obstacle in its course. 
 It generally spawns in October, and at that time 
 
24 AET or ANGLING, 
 
 gets among tlie roots of trees, and under large 
 stones, in order to deposit its eggs, which, are far 
 less numerous than those of other fish; yet the 
 Trout admits of very considerable increase, owing, 
 no doubt, to the circumstance of most of the vora- 
 cious kinds of fishes avoiding waters of so cold a 
 nature as those which Trout delight to inhabit; 
 and their increase would be still greater, were they 
 not themselves of a voracious disposition, frequently 
 preying upon each other. 
 
 The merit of the Trout, as an article of food, is 
 too well kaown to require particular notice : in this 
 respect however those are most esteemed which are 
 natives of the clearest waters : the fiesh of some is 
 white, some red, and some yellowish : the two last 
 are accounted the best, yet all three sorts are some- 
 times found in the same river, and in places but a 
 short distance from each other. 
 
 The Trout is of more sudden growth than any 
 fish except the Salmon, but it does not live to a 
 great age ; the duration of its life is believed to be 
 about eight or ten years; when full grown, it 
 shortly afterwards diminishes in body, and its head 
 increases in size, until its death. It is best in 
 season in the months of May and June, but is 
 considered good from the end of February until 
 August, when Grreyling fishing commences. In 
 
TROUT. 25 
 
 October the Trout retires to the deepest parts of the 
 river, where it continues until the return of Spring ; 
 and in Eebruarj, if the weather be warm, it leaves 
 its winter quarters to cleanse and recreate itself in 
 the shallow streams : and as it gains strength, 
 pursues its course up the river, frequently changing 
 its position. 
 
 The Trout generally feeds in the deepest parts 
 of large and swift streams near the sides ; and very 
 commonly lies under hollow banks, among the roots 
 of trees, behind great stones that cause an eddy in 
 the water, at the junction of two streams, the tails 
 of currents, and below bridges and weirs. In 
 March, if the weather be open and mild, and the 
 water clear, angle with the worm, or troll with the 
 minnow or kill-devil, in the morning ; and towards 
 twelve o'clock the Blue Dun and March Brown flies 
 malte their appearance ; when, of course, you will 
 discontinue the former baits, and commence fly- 
 fishing, which will generally prove successful until 
 about three o'clock, when the flies begin to disappear 
 from the river. In the evening again use the worm 
 or minnow. As the season advances the flies daily 
 appear earlier and continue later, and may be fished 
 with accordingly. 
 
 In fishing for Trout with the worm observe 
 these directions; the rod must be strong, with a 
 
26 AET OE ANGLING. 
 
 pliant top, and from twelve to fifteen feet in length, 
 the line should be about a foot longer; but it is 
 best at all times, and for all kinds of angling, to use 
 a reel, and about twenty yards of reel line, in order 
 that you may make the casting line longer or 
 shorter at pleasure ; the bottom must be comprised 
 of two yards or more of fine round gut, and 'No. 5 
 or 6 hook ; a float is quite unnecessary. Bait with 
 either one lob-worm, two small red worms, or two 
 brandlings; all of which are required to be well 
 scoured and very lively ; for, a Trout will not touch 
 a worm that is half dead, or in any way mangled or 
 dirty. Put the lob-worm on the hook in the 
 following manner: enter the point of the hook 
 about a quarter of an inch below its head, and carry 
 it down to within the same distance of its tail, 
 keeping the point of the hook completely hid in the 
 worm. If two small red worms or brandlings be 
 used, run the point of the hook in at the head of 
 the first, and bring it out about three parts down 
 its body, then draw it carefully up over the arming, 
 or whipping of the hook, while you put on the 
 other; put the point of the hook into the second 
 somewhat below the middle, and carry it near to 
 the head, then draw the first worm down to join it. 
 In angling with the worm it is necessary to 
 put as many shot upon the line, about nine inches 
 
TEOUT. 27 
 
 from the hook, as will readily sink the bait ; because, 
 if the stream be rapid, the bait will be carried away 
 without touching the ground, consequently there is 
 but little chance of a Trout taking it. While thus 
 fishing with a running line, keep as far from the 
 water as you can, and let the bait be carried down 
 by the stream into the haunts mentioned on page 
 25 ; and when a fish begins to bite, do not strike 
 the first time you feel a slight tug, but rather 
 slacken the line ; and when you feel one or more 
 sharp tugs together, then strike smartly ; if it is a 
 heavy fish do not be too eager to land it. 
 
 "When maggots are used, which are generally 
 considered the best of all ground baits, a rod rather 
 more flexible than the one described for worm- 
 fishing is necessary ; the length of line should be 
 proportioned to the river or place in which you 
 angle ; the line cannot be too fine ; the hook 'No, 7 
 or 8 ; and, for this purpose, a small goose-quill float 
 is required. A few maggots should be thrown in 
 occasionally for the fish to feed upon, as, when 
 angling for Trout, all other kinds of fish are taken 
 with this bait, except Salmon and Pike. 
 
 The natural flies best adapted for dibbing, or 
 bobbing at the bush, are the May fly, or Tellow 
 Caddow, the Grrey Drake, the Orl, and the Canon, 
 or Down-hill fly ; all of which are to be found on 
 
28 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 bushes near to the river side, in the months of May 
 and June. The line should be from two to three 
 yards long, and it is best to be made of hard twisted 
 silk (which can be purchased at any of the tackle 
 shops), with a hook No. 6, or two hooks No. 8, tied 
 back to back; one or two flies may be used at a 
 time. The method of dibbing with the natural fly 
 is to drop the line over bushes, segs, rushes, or in 
 holes and curls where no other baits can be used ; 
 it is requisite to imitate as nearly as possible the 
 manner in which the flies rise off and fall upon 
 the water, and to be cautious when you see a fish 
 approach, which it does very suddei;ily, not to snatch 
 the bait away. 
 
 The following method of taking Trout, is, by 
 some experienced anglers, much esteemed: — Make 
 a pair of wings of the feather of a landrail, and on the 
 bend of the hook put one or two cadis ; the head of 
 the cadis should be kept close to the wings. Angle 
 with a rod about five 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 and out at the neck of the first, 
 and quite through the other from head to tail. Two 
 
TEOXTT. 29 
 
 brandlings, or small red worms, may be fisbed witb 
 in the same way. 
 
 It is bigbly necessary, when angling for Trout 
 in streams where Salmon are to be found, to use 
 stronger tackle than might otherwise be advisable. 
 
 TEOLLma EOE TEOUT. 
 
 This kind of angling is generally practised from 
 the middle of March till August ; at its commence- 
 ment it will kill fish from eleven o'clock till three ; 
 and when the summer is advanced, and the rivers 
 are become low and fine, it is only to be used very 
 early in the morning, or late in the evening, unless 
 the sun be much clouded. The following extract is 
 from Col. Hawkee's much admired work, entitled. 
 " Instructions to Young Sportsmen." 
 
 " Teolling, or spinning a minnow, is the other 
 most general mode of Trout fishing; or, I may 
 almost say. Trout poaching. It is, however, very 
 rarely done in a proper manner, though every man, 
 as a matter of course, upholds his own system. I, 
 like all the rest, did the same, till after fancying for 
 years that I could challenge any one, was beat and 
 laughed at by a Trout killing divine. Now, however, 
 I have not only got master of his plan, against 
 
30 AET OF AKGLING. 
 
 which all others that I have ever seeD, read of, 
 or heard of, had no chance whatever; but have 
 remedied a few trifling defects that it had, and put 
 Chevalier in possession of the improvement. The 
 great advantage of it is, that it takes the Trout 
 when they run and bite short, by means of fly 
 hooks, that play round the other, on a separate 
 branch of line ; so that I have often killed three or 
 four brace of Trout, without the miniiow being in 
 the least injured, or even touched by the fish. To 
 describe the tackle properly, without giving a plate 
 of it, would be difficult, if not impossible.* After 
 all, however, knowing how to bait the hook is the 
 chief art; and even after being shown, requires 
 practice on the part of the fisherman who adopts it. 
 Supposing, however, that some angler might have 
 confidence enough in what I have said to get a set 
 of this tackle from Chevalier, I wiU endeavour to 
 direct him as to baiting it. After choosing a white- 
 bellied minnow, of rather smaU size, and hardening 
 
 • The bottom consists of two lengths of gut, the one 
 shorter than the other ; to the shortest piece a No 1 hook is 
 attached, and to the other a triang-le of three No. 7 hooks, tied 
 back to back, to hang about three inches below the larger one 
 when baited ; another triangle of three hooks, tied to the same 
 gut, should be suspended at the side of the minnow. The 
 bottom must be affixed to the line by a small box swivel ; the 
 plummet, or cap alluded to, is a hollow bit of lead, which, 
 when drawn upon the head of the minnow, will cover about 
 the half of it. 
 
TEOUT. 31 
 
 it in bran for an hour or two, first draw back the 
 plummet or cap, and put the large hook into the 
 minnow's mouth, and out through the right gill, 
 taking care not to tear the mouth, or any part of 
 the bait ; then draw the line three or four inches to 
 you, so as to be able to get the hook back again 
 into its mouth. Then take the minnow between 
 the finger and thumb in the left hand, and the 
 large hook in the right hand, and run the hook all 
 down its back, close to the bone, to the very end of 
 the fish, and let it come out about the centre of 
 the tail fin. Then with your right hand pull the 
 minnow out as straight as it will lie, and press 
 it into natural form with the finger and thumb. 
 Afterwards nip oft" the upper half of the tail fin, 
 in order to prevent a counteraction to the spinning 
 of the minnow. 
 
 " Having done this, draw down your plummet, 
 or cap, again, and see that your branch line falls 
 smoothly by the side of your bait line, and if not, 
 rub it with Indian rubber till it does. Tour hook 
 is then ready for action, and action indeed it may 
 be called if properly done. I should observe, that a 
 new gut seldom spins the minnow so well as one 
 that is half worn out (by reason of the stiffness 
 which encircles the minnow's gill), therefore, ten 
 minutes soaking in water, and sometimes a little 
 
32 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 hard fiiction of the gut, just above the large hook, 
 may at first be required ; besides the working it 
 with Indian rubber. So much for this plan ; there 
 maj be many better; but all I can say is, that I 
 have not yet seen one fit to be named with it. 
 
 " The rod for trolling should be from eighteen 
 to twenty feet long, and made as lio:ht as possible, 
 though neither too pliable nor top heavy. This rod, 
 of course, requires two hands ; no matter therefore 
 where the reel is placed. If the top is too stiff*, 
 you strain a fish's mouth so much as to run the 
 risk of breaking out his hold, which is nine times in 
 ten on one of the three small fly hooks. But if the 
 top is too pliant, the fish will frequently make his 
 escape on first being pricked. Here, therefore, as 
 in all things, the medium is best. A minnow must, 
 of course, be thrown under handed, and the line got 
 well on the swing before it is sent out. You should 
 throw it till it comes to its end, and then, by 
 drawing in the hand, give it a little check, so that it 
 sliall be laid delicately in the water, and not thrown 
 in with a splash. The very instant your minnow is 
 in the water, begin drawing it at one unvaried pace, 
 down stream, and then towards you, till near enough 
 to require a fresh throw; and in this as well as 
 fly-fishing, never keep trying too long in the same 
 place. 
 
TEOITT. 33 
 
 " If a fish comes after your minnow, never stop 
 it, or in any way alter the pace, or he will most 
 likely be off again directly ; though, if you can tow 
 your minnow into a rougher place, without giving it 
 any sudden motion, the fish will inost likely follow 
 it there, and be still more easily deceived than in 
 the smoother water. To get your bait, use a silk 
 casting net, and remember, that the chief art in 
 throwing it is to hurl the right hand well round 
 horizontally, instead of inclining it upwards. Keep 
 your bait, with bran, in any thing but tin or metal, 
 which is liable to heat in warm weather. This, I 
 believe, is all that need be said on the best mode of 
 Trolling. 
 
 " There are generally known three other modes 
 of Trolling. The first is the diving minnow, which 
 is precisely on the same plan as the gorge hook for 
 Pike. This answers well in very deep holes, where 
 you may frequently kill Trout when the sun is too 
 bright for the more common mode of Trolling. On 
 this plan, you must, of course, loosen the line, and 
 allow the Trout some time to pouch his bait. The 
 second is the artificial minnow, which is the worst 
 of all ; because it does not, in general, spin so well ; 
 and particularly, because it is too frequently made 
 of hard materials, on which a fish, unless very 
 hungry, will seldom close his mouth enough to get 
 
34 ART OF ANGLI]S'G. 
 
 hooked. The third is called the kill-devil, and 
 although, in appearance, not near so like a real fish 
 as the other, yet it spins so well, and is so much 
 softer in the mouth, that it answers, I think, the best 
 of all plans, when you cannot procure the natural 
 bait. Any good fishing-tackle shop will furnish these 
 articles, and therefore it would be a waste of time 
 and of paper to give a minute description of them." 
 The following is the best way to dress a Trout. — 
 " Directly it is caught, crimp it, with about four cuts 
 on each side, taking care to let the blade of the 
 knife be in a sloping direction, so as to make every 
 incision rather circular, and parallel to the gills ; in- 
 stead of having the blade of the knife perpendicular, 
 by which you would cut too much across the fleaks, 
 and the fish would not be near so firm. Then put 
 the fish in cold spring water, or pump on it for 
 about ten minutes ; having done this, put the fish 
 away, not in water, but on stones ; or in short, in 
 the coldest place you can find. "When dinner is 
 nearly ready, clean the Trout, leaving the scales on, 
 and then pump on it for a few minutes more. 
 Then have a kettle of water with a large handful of 
 salt dissolved in it, and when the water properly 
 boils, put the fish in ; and an average sized Trout 
 (say one of a pound weight), will be done in about 
 ten minutes, and should then be sent immediately 
 to table." 
 
TEOTJT. 35 
 
 The best criterion to judge whether a Trout is 
 in season or not, is by the bright and silver-like 
 appearance of the scales, or by the smallness and 
 tightness of the vent ; for the better the Trout is 
 in season, the smaller will be the vent-hole, which is 
 formed just before the under, or belly fin. 
 
 Before you send Trout on a journey, always 
 have them cleaned and gutted, and let them be 
 laid on their backs, and closely packed in a willow 
 basket with dry straw. Packing in damp grass 
 or rushes is apt to ferment, and tlierefore liable to 
 spoil the fish. 
 
 The following extraordinary instance of the 
 growth of Trout has occurred in a pond belonging 
 to H. Dixon, Esq. at Ashford near Brecon : — Eive 
 Trout, weighing together not more than a pound 
 and a half in October, 1826, on being taken out in 
 August, 1828, were found to weigh twenty pounds 
 and a half, the largest being five pounds and a half. 
 
 There is in many rivers, especially in such as 
 empty themselves into the sea, a little Trout called 
 the Skegger, which will readily take any small fly, 
 and will bite at the worm and maggot as fast and 
 as freely as minnows ; it never exceeds the size of a 
 Herring. 
 
36 AET or angliin'g. 
 
 The alpine TEOUT, or GILT CHAEE, 
 
 abounds in the lakes of XJlswater and Winander- 
 mere, in "Westmoreland, and in the lakes of Lljn 
 Quellyn, near the foot of Snowdon, in North "Wales ; 
 it is in length about twelve inches; its colour 
 silvery, with the back strongly tinged with olive- 
 green, and the sides thickly freckled with very 
 minute bright-red and blackish specks ; its head 
 very large, and scales very small : on the whole it is 
 similar to the common Trout, only rather broader. 
 Those which inhabit the clearest and coldest waters 
 are observed to be of the richest colours. It is a 
 fish of great delicacy of flavour, and much esteemed 
 as food. 
 
 The Alpine Trout may be successfully angled for 
 with any of the Trout baits, but more particularly 
 with the fly. 
 
 The GrWINIAD inhabits the same lakes as 
 the Alpine Trout, and is to be found in some of the 
 northern rivers ; it resembles the common Trout in 
 shape, but is thicker in proportion; its length is 
 from ten to twelve inches; the head is small and 
 very taper in front, the upper lip extending con- 
 siderably beyond the lower, so that the mouth, 
 which is smaU, appears placed beneath ; the general 
 colour of it is a silvery grey, with a dusky tinge on 
 
awiNiAD. 37 
 
 the upper parts, and the base of each scale marked 
 by a dusky speck ; the fins are pale brown, the tail 
 forked; and the scales large. In rivers, at the 
 time of spawning, which is in December, it forces 
 its way up the most violent streams, generally 
 advancing in two ranges, and forming in front an 
 acute angle, the whole being conducted by a single 
 fish. The flesh of the Grwiniad has an insipid taste, 
 and must be eaten soon after it is caught. This 
 fish is to be angled for with the same baits, and 
 tackle, aa directed for Trout or GreyliDg. 
 
38 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 aEEYLINa. 
 
 The Grey ling is of a very elegant form, and 
 wlien full grown is about sixteen inches in length ; 
 it chiefly abounds in the rivers of Derbyshire and 
 Yorkshire, in the Teme near Ludlow, and in the 
 Lugg and other streams near Leominster. In 
 shape it resembles the Trout, but is rather longer 
 and more slender, particularly near the tail; the 
 head is small, with protuberant eyes, the irides of 
 which are silvery, speckled with yellow ; the mouth 
 is of a middle size, and the upper jaw the largest ; 
 the teeth are very minute, seated in the jaws and 
 roof of the mouth, and feel like a fine file ; the head 
 is dusky, the covers of the gills are of a glossy 
 green, yet when in prime perfection, these parts 
 are almost black; the back is of a dusky green, 
 inclining to blue ; the sides are of a beautiful silvery 
 
OnEYLING. 39 
 
 grey, with numerous longitudinal dark stripes ; the 
 scales are large, and the lower edges dusky, forming 
 straight rows from the head to the tail, which is 
 much forked; the large dorsal fin is spotted, the 
 other fins are plain, and of a brownish cast. 
 
 The largest Grreyling ever caught in England 
 was taken at Ludlow ; it measured above half-a-yard 
 in length, and weighed four pounds and a half. 
 
 The Greyling is a very swift swimmer, disap- 
 pearing like the transient passage of a shadow, from 
 whence is derived its ancient name of Umbra, or 
 Umber. It spawns in April and May, and is then 
 to be found in gentle gliding streams ; it is a vora- 
 cious fish, rising freely at the fly, and will very 
 eagerly take both worms and maggots ; it naturally 
 feeds upon all kinds of water insects, and the roe of 
 other fish. It is much esteemed for the delicacy of 
 its flesh, which is white, firm, and of a fine flavour ; 
 and is considered in the highest season in the 
 depth of winter. When first taken out of the 
 water it has a very peculiar smell, which is said to 
 be occasioned by its feeding upon water thyme. 
 
 This fish, generally speaking, inhabits the same 
 streams as the Trout, and it frequently happens 
 that, in fly-fishing, the angler will take both at the 
 same stand ; and sometimes, when two or three flies 
 are fished with, one of each may be taken at the 
 
40 AET OP ANGLING. 
 
 same throw. The Greyling is much more simple, 
 and therefore bolder, than the Trout, and will rise 
 several times provided it does not feel the hook. 
 
 The principal months to angle for Grreyling 
 are September, October, and November ; and then, 
 if the water be low and fine, and the day warm and 
 cloudy, the three autumn flies, viz. the Whirling 
 Blue, the Pale Blue, and the Willow, will be found 
 very killing. 
 
 During the three months above mentioned, the 
 chief haunts of the smaller Greyling are in glides ; 
 but the large ones generally resort to deeper water, 
 into which a gentle stream falls ; the former may 
 readily be taken with the fly, but the latter must be 
 angled for with the worm or maggot; when these 
 baits are used, the tackle should be of the finest 
 description, the bottom to be at least two yards of 
 gut, leaded with two shot about a foot from the 
 hook ; a small goose-quill float ; and a hook No. 5 
 or 6 for worms, and No. 8 or 9 for maggots is 
 required; the bait to lie on, or very near to the 
 ground. Strike the instant the float descends, and 
 when a fish is hooked, be sure work it with caution, 
 as the hold in its mouth easily gives way ; you 
 must also endeavour to prevent it from rubbing its 
 nose against the ground, which it is very apt to do ; 
 but when fairly hooked, like the Chub, it is easily 
 
GBETLING. 41 
 
 subdued. When fishing with maggots, occasionally 
 throw a few in to draw the fish together. 
 
 The Greyling may also be caught with cabbage 
 grubs, grasshoppers, and codbaits, either natural or 
 artificial; the method of angling with these is to 
 sink and draw, that is, to permit the bait to fall 
 gradually to the bottom, and drawing it up again 
 about two feet, rather suddenly, but irregularly; 
 this plan may also be adopted when fishing with 
 the maggot, but the line requires to be heavier 
 leaded; the rod and line to be of equal length, 
 the hook, No. 5 or 6. Several other kinds of fish 
 may be taken with these baits. 
 
42 
 
 ART or ANGLING. 
 
 PIKE. 
 
 The Pike is to be found in most of the rivers, 
 lakes, and ponds in England, and is known to grow 
 to be upwards of thirty pounds in weight. In 
 the northern countries of Europe it grows to a very 
 considerable size ; four or five feet not being an 
 uncommon length, and some have been taken eight 
 feet or more. 
 
 The head of the Pike is very flat, the eyes are 
 small and of a gold tinge ; the upper jaw is broad 
 and shorter than the lower, which turns up a little 
 at the end, and is marked with minute punctures ; 
 the teeth are very sharp, disposed not only in 
 the point of the upper jaw, but in both sides of 
 the lower, in the roof of the mouth, and it has often 
 three rows upon the tongue, and even down to 
 
PIKE. 43 
 
 the orifice of the stomach, the gape of the jaws is 
 very wide, although loosely connected; they have 
 on each side an additional bone like the jaw of a 
 viper, wliiph renders them capable of greater dis- 
 tension when the prey is swallowed; the body is 
 long, the back broad and almost square when in 
 its best state ; the belly is always white. 
 
 The usual colour of it is a pale olive grey, 
 deepest on the back, and is marked on the sides 
 by several yellowish spots or patches ; when in its 
 highest perfection the colours are more brilliant, 
 the sides being of a bright olive, with yellow spots, 
 the back dark green, and the belly silvery. 
 
 The voracity of the Pike is commemorated by 
 all ichthyological writers ; it has been poetically 
 styled the wolf of fishes, and tyrant of the watery 
 plain; and, in fact, in proportion to its strength 
 and celerity, it is the most active and ravenous 
 of fresh water fish. It will attack every fish less 
 than itself, and has been known to choke itself in 
 attempting to swallow one of its own species which 
 proved too large a morsel. It is immaterial of 
 what species the animal it pursues appears to be, 
 all are indiscriminately devoured ; so that every fish 
 owes its safety to its minuteness, its celerity, or its 
 courage ; nor does the Pike confine itself to feed on 
 fish and frogs, it will draw down water rats and 
 
44 AKT OF ANGLING. 
 
 young ducks as they are swimming about, and even 
 attack the legs of persons who are bathing. " I 
 have been assured (says Walton) by my friend 
 Mr. Seagrave, who keeps tame otters, that he has 
 known a Pike, in extreme hunger, fight with one 
 of his otters for a Carp that the otter had caught, 
 and was then bringing out of the water." A 
 Mr. Plott, of Oxford, has recorded the following 
 highly singular anecdote. " At Lord Grower's canal 
 at Trentham, a Pike seized the head of a swan as 
 she was feeding under water, and gorged so much 
 of it as killed them both ; the servants, perceiving 
 the swan with its head under water for a longer 
 time than usual, took boat, and found both swan 
 and Pike dead." 
 
 On Tuesday, October 21st, 1823, a Pike weigh- 
 ing fifty pounds was taken out of the lake at 
 Clumber, the seat of the duke of Newcastle ; its 
 death was supposed to have been occasioned by 
 endeavouring to swallow a Carp, as one was taken 
 out of its throat weighing fourteen pounds. 
 
 August, 1828.— As Mr. Scroggs and Mr. Wild, 
 of Kidlington, in Oxfordshire, were trolling for Pike 
 in that neighbourhood, one of these gentlemen had a 
 bite, and shortly afterwards his companion had the 
 same luck. After the two sportsmen had given the 
 usual law, they reeled up their lines, and to their 
 
PIKE. 46 
 
 surprise, found they liad both caught the same fish, 
 which was a very fine Pike, weighing upwards of 
 five pounds. The trollers conjectured that after 
 the Pike had pouched the first bait, he swam up the 
 stream, and on his return seized the other. There 
 was an amicable dispute as to each other's right to 
 the prize ; but it terminated over a glass of grog, 
 and Mr. Wild bagged the voracious animal. 
 
 The smaller kind of fish are said to show the 
 same uneasiness and detestation at the presence 
 of a Pike, as the smaller birds do at the sight of a 
 hawk ; and when the Pike, as is often the case, lies 
 dormant at the surface of the water, they are 
 observed to swim around in vast numbers, and in 
 the greatest anxiety. 
 
 The Pike spawns in March and April, according 
 to the warmth or coldness of the season, among 
 weeds near the water's edge; the young are sup- 
 posed to be of very quick growth ; the first year it 
 arrives at the length of from six to ten inches ; the 
 second, to twelve or fifteen ; and the third to eigh- 
 teen or twenty. An overgrown Pike is called a Luce, 
 but the flesh of a Pike when about two feet long is 
 to be preferred, being far more delicious and grateful 
 to the palate. It is in its prime in September and 
 October, but is considered good from Midsummer 
 till Christmas. The longevity of this 6sh is very 
 
46 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 remarkable; it is asserted that it will live to be 
 upwards of a hundred years old. 
 
 The Pike is a very solitary fish, and is partial 
 to the deepest and most obscure parts of the river, 
 which has sand or gravel upon the bottom, generally 
 taking its station near the side ; it is also frequently 
 found in quiet retired places, where the water is 
 rather shallow than deep, forming a bend or bay 
 in rivers, especially if the sides of such places are 
 shaded with tall segs or bull-rushes ; among these 
 the Pike lies, particulary during floods, a foot or two 
 below the surface, with its nose just projecting 
 from the rushes or segs, looking up the stream for 
 whatever food may come within its reach. But 
 when the river is of a proper colour, it goes occa- 
 sionally, towards the dusk of evening, some yards 
 from the haunts above-mentioned in search of food ; 
 particularly to fords or shallows where small fish 
 frequent. 
 
 Erom the time of spawning till August, Pike are 
 not in a vigorous state, appearing more inclined to 
 doze and bask in the sun near the top of the water, 
 than to feed ; at such times a snare is more effectual 
 than the most tempting bait the angler can select ; 
 and if such be placed so close as to touch its nose, it 
 will generally draw back from it; and should he 
 persevere in placing the bait near it, it will plunge 
 
PIKE. 47 
 
 away in anger. In fact, Pike are longer than any 
 other fish in recovering their health, flesh, and 
 appetite, after the act of procreation ; indeed, but 
 few will take a bait freely, and fewer still are fit for 
 table before September. 
 
 During the summer months Pike take the worm 
 or minnow best early in the morning and late in 
 the evening. In September and October they will 
 bite well all day, but best about three o'clock in 
 the afternoon; and now the bait which before was 
 nauseous to the Pike, is become very desirable, and 
 will not easily be forsaken by it. 
 
 Pike when on feed are as bold as they are vora- 
 cious, attacking and devouring all kinds of fish, 
 with the exception of the Tench. 
 
 TO TKOLL POE PIKE. 
 
 The best baits to troll with are small Trout, 
 Grreyling, Bleak, Gudgeons, Eoach, Dace, and 
 young Progs ; the fish baits varying from one to 
 four ounces in weight ; a Pike may be allured by a 
 larger bait, but a small one is more certain to take 
 it. The rod for trolling must be long and stout, 
 the line strong and thirty yards or more in length, 
 wound upon a reel ; the bottom to be about 
 twelve inches of gimp, or strong twisted gut, to 
 
48 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 which a box swivel is attached to help the bait to 
 turn freely, 
 
 THE TEOLLEE'S DAT. 
 
 This tale presents such a "living portrait" of 
 an October day's sport, that we shall make no 
 apology to Mr. Salter for extracting it entire from 
 his work on Angling, for the amusement of our 
 readers. 
 
 " I seldom to the rivers went, 
 But either Jack or Pike I took.*' 
 
 " About ten o'clock, the latter end of October, 
 the weather being very favourable for trolling, and 
 the water of a good colour, I walked to the river 
 Lea, where, by appointment, I met a young angler, 
 with an haversack slung over his shoulder, a trolling 
 rod under his arm, and in his pocket a book of 
 trolling tackle, consisting of hooks of various sizes, 
 baiting needles, sewing needles, silk, thread, a dis- 
 gorger, scissors, &c. ; also a box with half-a-dozen 
 bait fish in it, well sprinkled with bran, and inside 
 his jacket (on the left hand side) he had placed a 
 landing hook (the point of which was stuck fast 
 into a cork, to prevent it accidentally injuring 
 him, in case of a slip or fall), fixed to a telescope 
 jointed rod. Some anglers hang the hook through a 
 
PIKE. 49 
 
 buttonhole, on the lefb hand side of their coat or 
 jacket, always taking care to secure the point from 
 injuring them. My young friend was waiting very 
 anxiously for my arrival. On looking at my watch, 
 I found it not yet quite the time we agreed to 
 meet ; however, perceiving his impatience to wet a 
 line, I spent but little time in complimenting him 
 on the punctuality of his keeping the time agreed 
 on to meet, and on his having all the necessary 
 tackle, bait fish, &c. in the best order, but imme- 
 diately directed him to proceed in the following 
 manner. 
 
 " First put your rod together, fix the joints one 
 within the other firmly, and mind, while so doing, 
 that the rings on the different joints are in a direct 
 line with each other to the large ring at the top, 
 by which means the line from the winch will then 
 run in a straight direction, consequently much 
 more free than if the rings were in a zigzag, or 
 crooked line; now fix the winch about ten inches 
 up the butt of the rod, in a line with the rings on 
 the other joints, and draw some of the line from the 
 winch, passing it through every ring, and out of the 
 top large one; now continue to draw as much 
 line as about half the length of the rod to the end 
 of the line (which should be looped), and fasten 
 your trace with looping it to the loop of the trolling 
 
50 
 
 ART OF ANGLING. 
 
 line— all very well ; now bait a gorge hook in the 
 following manner : 
 
 No. 1, Gorge hook baited. 2, Gorge hook. 3, Baiting needle. 
 
 " Take a baiting needle, and hook the curved 
 end of it to the loop of the gimp (to which the hook 
 is tied), then introduce the point of the needle into 
 the bait fish's mouth, and bring it out at the middle 
 of the fork part of its tail, the lead will then be hid 
 inside the bait's belly, and the shank of the hook 
 will lie inside its mouth, the barbs and points out- 
 side, turning upwards ; to keep the bait steady on 
 the hooks, tie the tail part of it just above the fork 
 to the gimp with white thread, or through the flesh, 
 about half an inch above the tail, encircling the 
 gimp, the thread passing under and over it, and 
 then fix it to the loop swivel of the trace, and all 
 will be ready for casting in search of Jack or Pike ; 
 now take the rod in your right hand, grasping it 
 just above the winch, and rest the butt end of it 
 against the lower side of your stomach, or the 
 
PIKE. 51 
 
 upper parfc of your thigh, and, with your left hand 
 draw a yard more of the trolling line from the 
 winch, which you must hold Kghtly, until, with a 
 jerk from the right arm, you cast the baited hook 
 in the water; when the jerk is given, let the line, 
 which you hold in the left hand, pass from its hold 
 gradually, that the baited hook may not be checked 
 when cast out by holding the line too fast, or that 
 it may fall short of where you wish to place it, 
 which it will do if you let go of it altogether, 
 immediately you have made a jerk or cast from the 
 right arm. 
 
 " By nofcici]ig these observations, and with a 
 little practice, you may, without labour, cast a 
 baited hook to many yards distance, and almost 
 to an inch of the spot you think likely to harbour a 
 Jack or Pike. Many anglers troll with the rod 
 held in their hand, instead of letting the butt end 
 rest against them ; but they cannot cast out their 
 baited hook, when so carrying the rod, with so 
 much precision, nor with so little exertion, as those 
 who rest it against their stomach or thigh. Now 
 you have every thing ready, cast in the baited hook 
 just over and beyond those candock weeds ; let the 
 bait sink, nearly to touching the bottom ; now draw 
 it gradually upwards till it is near the surface of 
 the water ; let it sink again ; now draw it upwards 
 
 D 
 
52 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 and also a little to the right and left ; let it sink- 
 again and draw it up slowly, and step back a little 
 from the water, and gradually draw the bait nearer 
 the shore ; all very fair, but no luck ; the next cast 
 in search, throw a few yards further out ; very 
 well; draw and sink as before, to the right and 
 left, &c. but yet I see you cannot move a fish. 
 "We will try another place ; aye, here is a likely 
 place, on my word, to find a fish ; observe, the segs 
 and rushes are very thick, and reach nearly all 
 round this bend or bay of the river, and I see there 
 are a few weeds, but they do not appear very 
 strong, and the current and eddy is only strong 
 enough to keep the water lively ; now put on a fresh 
 bait, a choice one ; ah ! let me see ; threadle this 
 gudgeon ; I think this spot deserves every attention. 
 JSTow cast in your bait about two yards beyond 
 those segs, directly opposite where I now stand; 
 very well ; that is a neat and fair throw ; draw up 
 slowly and carefully. Something has snatched or 
 pulled your line violently, you say ; bravo, you have 
 a run; lower the point of your rod towards the 
 water, and at the same time draw the line with 
 your left hand gradually from the winch, that 
 nothing may impede the line from running free, or 
 check the Jack or Pike ; either one or the other of 
 which, at a certainty, has taken your baited hook ; 
 
PIKE. 53 
 
 all ! tlie fish stops ; I see he has not run more than 
 two yards of line out, therefore you found him at 
 home. Now, by my watch, I see he has laid still 
 seven minutes; very well; but have a little more 
 patience ; oh ! now I see the line shakes ; all is 
 right : ah ! he moves, he runs ; wind up the slack 
 line, and strike, but not violently, and keep the 
 point of your rod a little raised, for I have no 
 doubt, by his laying so long still, that he has got 
 the hooks safe enough in his pouch ; he makes 
 towards the middle of the river, and seems inclined 
 to go up stream. You say he feels heavy and 
 swims low; all is right again, believe me, he is a 
 good fish ; I see there is some very strong candock 
 weeds a head, and be appears desirous of gaining 
 them ; try and turn him, by holding your rod to 
 the left instead of the right, and lead him back to 
 the place from whence he started. That is still 
 fortunate, he turns kindly: ah! now he strikes ofi" 
 again; very well, let him go; now wind him in 
 again; again he is ofi*; steady, steady; mind your 
 line; do not distress it by keeping it too tight on 
 your fish: now he makes shorter journies, and 
 seems inclined to come in shore : very well, you 
 may now wind, and hold a little tighter on him, 
 and feel if he will allow you to raise and show him, 
 but be collected and careful. That is well done ; I 
 
54 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 see he is a fisli worth bagging, but keep steady, and 
 have your line all free, for he will now, for a short 
 time, be more violent than ever. Try and lead him 
 down to yon opening, at which place I see the 
 water is nearly on a level with the marsh (a famous 
 place, indeed, to land a fish, especially if the angler 
 is alone, and without a landing hook), he seems a 
 good deal weakened, yet the danger is not aU 
 passed : now draw him nearer the shore, and again 
 raise and giv« him a little fresh air : ah ! now he is 
 angry and growing desperate, but keep steady, ibr I 
 think we are all over right. See how he extends 
 his monstrous jaws, showing his numerous teeth, 
 red gills, and capacious throat: observe how he 
 shakes his head, and flings himself over and out of 
 the water, as if he was defcermined to break and 
 destroy the strongest tackle; but steady, keep all 
 clear and free. Now bring him near shore again ; 
 still he shakes himself violently, and has thrown 
 another somerset in the air ; it is all very well ; give 
 him a few turns more, and he will be tame enough : 
 now draw him close in shore. I see he is quite 
 exhausted, and floats motionless on his side; hold 
 his head a little up, that the jaws or gills do not 
 touch or hang to a weed : that is it : now grasp him 
 with both hands just below the head and shoulders, 
 behind the gills, and hoist or chuck him a few yards 
 
PIKE. 55 
 
 on the grass; well done, and a handsome fish you 
 have for vour pains ; it is a female Pike, I see, and 
 in excellent condition, and I believe it weighs eight 
 pounds at least. Now, my boy, bag the fish, and 
 put on another baited hook, for I would have you 
 recoUect, it frequently happens that you will find a 
 brace of Pike in such a place as this, of a similar 
 size, though of different sexes. After a few throws 
 my young angler had another run, and was fortunate 
 enough to kill the fish, which proved a male Pike, 
 seemingly within half-a-pound weight of the female. 
 During the remainder of this day's trolling, we 
 bagged a third fish, about four pounds weight; I 
 then said enough, do not distress the water. We 
 now withdrew to a comfortable inn, on the river 
 side, for refreshment." 
 
 It would be well for the angler to provide himself 
 with double hooks of several sizes, so that he may 
 always have one proportioned to the size of the bait 
 which his judgement leads him to prefer. Some 
 are of opinion that it is better to deprive the bait of 
 aU the fins except the tail; they say it helps it to 
 spin better ; we think it is not a matter of impor- 
 tance, and therefore the angler may use his own 
 discretion. 
 
56 AET OE AKGLINa. 
 
 To preserve the baits fresh, it is best to keep 
 them in a box covered with bran, which will absorb 
 the moisture from their bodies ; if, when packing the 
 baits, you sprinkle a little salt over them, they will 
 keep longer and be in a better state for use. 
 
 THE TRIMMER. 
 The next mode, in general estimation, of taking 
 a Pike is with the trimmer, or bank runner, and 
 this may be used while angling for other fish, or 
 left to remain all night ; the baits most proper are 
 enumerated on page 47, which must be alive, and 
 about six inches in length; the line should be 
 about twelve yards of hard-twisted twine; the 
 double hooks, and platted wire adapted for the 
 bottom will cost a mere trifle, and may be had at 
 any fishing tackle shop. "When at the place where 
 you intend leaving the line, take a bait and make 
 an incision in the skin with a sharp knife on the 
 left shoulder, and another a little below the back 
 fin; then introduce the wire to which the double 
 hook is attached (first taking off" the hook), at the 
 lower incision, and bring it out at the upper, just 
 far enough to enable you to hang the hook on 
 asrain, then draw the wire back so that the hook 
 remains close to the shoulder. Care must be taken 
 
PIKE, 57 
 
 in performing the above operation on the bait, not 
 to injure it more than is necessary ; and the quicker 
 it is performed the better. You should in the first 
 place wind the line on a forked stick, of hazel or 
 ash, about -six inches long, and in shape similar to a 
 Y, having a slit on one end of the fork in which the 
 line is to be placed, but not tighter than just to 
 prevent the bait-fish from drawing it out ; then set 
 off the bait, first making the line fast to a bush, or 
 stake, so that it may hang a little below mid-water- 
 Note, the line should be leaded with a small bullet a 
 few inches from the hook, and if a swivel be added 
 to connect the line with the wire bottom, it will be 
 found advantageous. 
 
 A trimmer may be made with a block of light 
 wood, having a cylinder in the centre on which the 
 line is wound, leaving about a yard and half, or 
 more, to hang down in the water; after baiting, 
 it should be set at liberty and permitted to go 
 wherever the current drives it, the angler silently 
 following; when a fish has pouched the bait, he 
 must then proceed in a boat, or otherwise, to secure 
 his prize. 
 
 In lakes and ponds the following trimmer fre- 
 quently meets with success; tie about a yard of 
 twine fast to the neck of a blown bladder (a common 
 wine bottle, well corked, will answer the same 
 
58 ART or AFGLING. 
 
 purpose), to the end of which attach the bottom 
 before described, or if the bait be not too large, 
 single hooks tied to a piece of gimp may be used 
 instead, the bait to be suspended by the back fin ; 
 after baiting it is to be started on the water before 
 a brisk wind. "When a Pike has taken the bait, 
 you will perceive the water agitated in the most 
 violent manner, and after an amusing and desperate 
 struggle, the bladder or bottle will kill the heaviest 
 of fish. 
 
 Walton says, that if a short line, with a live 
 bait attached, be fastened round the body, or wings, 
 of a goose or duck, and she chased over a pond, 
 will make excellent sport. 
 
 THE LEIGER. 
 
 The rod and line for leiger, or live-bait fishing, 
 must be strong, and of a length adapted to the 
 water in which you intend angling; the bottom 
 about two feet of gimp, to be affixed to the line by a 
 swivel ; the hook, if single, No. 3, if double, No. 5 ; 
 put on a cork float sufficiently large to swim a 
 Grudgeon, or large Minnow, at mid- water ; the line 
 to be leaded so as to make the float stand upright 
 on the water. The angler must carry his baits with 
 him in a tin kettle with a few holes in the top ; to 
 
PIKE. 59 
 
 bait the hook, pass the point and barb through both 
 the lips of the live bait, on the side of the mouth, 
 which will not distress it so much as by passing the 
 hook through its nose ; or pass the hook under 
 the back fin, taking care that it does not go too 
 deep, for, should it injure the back bone, the bait 
 will die in a few minutes. "When a Pike takes the 
 bait, allow a little time to pouch, then strike. In 
 this manner several other kinds of fish may be 
 caught, viz. Trout, Perch, &c. 
 
 SPRING SNAP. 
 
 The spring snap usually sold at the tackle shops, 
 is to be fished with in the same way as the pre- 
 ceding, only it is necessary to strike the instant a 
 fish takes the bait. The angler may make the 
 following, which will answer nearly as well ; tie to a 
 piece of gimp two large worm hooks, long in the 
 shank, and on the shank near the top, whip a small 
 hook to hang the bait on ; the two large hooks will 
 then lie close to the side of the bait. 
 
 If frogs are used, either for trolling, or live-bait 
 fishing, you must choose the yellowest that can be 
 procured ; to bait with it, put the arming wire into 
 its mouth, and bring it out through its gills ; then 
 tie the wire to the frog'3 leg, just above the upper 
 
60 AET OF ANGLIIS^G. 
 
 joint. When a single hook, I^o. 4 or 5, is used, fix 
 it through the side of the frog's lip, it will then live 
 a long time in the water, and swim strong. 
 
 SNARING OR HALTERING. 
 During the spring and summer months, when 
 Pike are found inactive near the surface of the 
 water, which is frequently the case, especially in 
 ditches connected with rivers, and among weeds, 
 they are then to be taken by snaring or haltering, 
 which must be conducted in the following manner ; 
 — procure a strong stiff taper pole, four yards long, 
 and not too heavy ; at the taper end tie on about 
 a yard of whipcord, having a piece of well-nealed 
 brass wire, or gimp fastened to it, and formed into a 
 noose. When you espy a fish, ^ your eye steadily 
 upon it, and do not look off ; then, having the snare 
 ready, lower it gradually into the water, about two 
 yards before the fish, and guide it very gently 
 towards its head ; when the snare is carried beyond 
 its head and gills, strike with a jerk, and lift it out 
 immediately. 
 
PEECH, 
 
 61 
 
 PEECH. 
 
 The Perch is an inhabitant of clear rivers and 
 lakes, and is to be found in all parts of England ; 
 its general length, when full grown, is from twelve 
 to eighteen inches, and weighs from two to four 
 pounds. The colour of the Perch is brownish olive, 
 sometimes accompanied by a slight gilded tinge on 
 the sides, and commonly marked with five or six 
 moderately broad, blackish transverse bars ; the 
 dorsal fin is of a pale violet brown, the rest of the 
 fins, and the tail, are red. Sometimes this fish 
 varies in colour, the olive assuming a richer cast of 
 gilded green, the dusky bars appearing more nu- 
 merous, and of a bluish black. 
 
 The Perch is fond of frequenting deep holes 
 in rivers which flow with a gentle current; it is 
 extremely voracious, and eagerly takes a bait ; and 
 
62 ART OF ANGLING. 
 
 is so tenacious of life that it may be carried to the 
 distance of sixty miles, in dry straw, and yet survive 
 the journey. The flesh of it is held in high repute, 
 being considered remarkably firm and delicate. 
 When cooked it is sometimes boiled in wine or 
 vinegar, which gives solidity and flavour to the fisli. 
 The Perch spawns in February and March ; the 
 season for angling is during April, May, and June, 
 from day-light tiU eleven o'clock in the morning, 
 and from three or four o'clock in the evening till 
 dark; if the sky be clouded, and a brisk wind 
 stirring, it will bite well all day. The best baits 
 are minnows, red worms, maggots, wasp-grubs, cab- 
 bage grubs, and grasshoppers. When angled for 
 with the minnow, it must be done nearly in the 
 same manner as directed for Pike, on pages 58 and 
 59, only with this diflerence, the bottom of the line 
 may be gut, and a single hook, No. 4 or 5 ; and 
 when with worms, it is necessary to throw into 
 certain places, in the river, or pond, stewed malt or 
 fresh grains, and lob worms cut in pieces, before 
 you begin ; if this plan be adopted, success may be 
 depended upon. When with maggots or wasp- 
 grubs, bait the places as before, only substituting 
 the bait you fish with for lob worms. The line to 
 be used for this purpose should be strong and fine, 
 the hook No. 5 for worms, No. 6 for wasp-grubs, 
 
PEEOH. 63 
 
 and "No. 7 or 8 for maggots. The cabbage grub 
 and grasshopper are to be used in the manner 
 directed for Greyling. The bait should be sus- 
 pended, by the float, about twelve or eighteen 
 inches from the bottom. Two or three hooks may 
 be used at the same time, and afiixed to the same 
 bottom, when angling for Perch with the worm or 
 maggot; it is necessary to tie them to separate 
 pieces of short stiff gut, or bristle, and to fasten 
 them to the line by a loop, about six inches above 
 each other. Sometimes Perch may be taken with 
 a flv under water. 
 
64 ART OE ANGLING. 
 
 EUFFE. 
 
 The Euffe, or Euife Perch, chiefly frequents 
 clear rivers; it is about six inches in length; its 
 shape is more slender than that of the common 
 Perch; its head rather large, and somewhat flat- 
 tened; its colour inclining to olive, with duskj 
 spots dispersed over the body, fins, and tail; and 
 the belly whitish. Its flesh is very wholesome, and 
 is preferred to the common Perch. 
 
 The Euffe inhabits mostly deep places with gra- 
 velly bottoms ; in summer it will bite all day long, 
 if the weather be cool and the sky clouded ; small 
 red worms, or brandlings, well scoured, are the best 
 baits. It is to be angled for with the same tackle 
 as for Gudgeons. Sometimes fifty or a hundred 
 may be taken at one stand. This fish is frequently 
 caught when angling for Perch. 
 
CARP. 65 
 
 CAKP. 
 
 The Carp is a native of the southern parts of 
 Europe, and was introduced into England in the 
 year 1514. The usual length of it is from twelve 
 to fifteen inches; but it sometimes arrives at the 
 length of two or three feet, and weighs from twentj 
 to thirty pounds. Its general colour is a yellowish 
 olive, much deeper or browner on the back, and 
 accompanied with a sHghtly gilded tinge on the 
 sides ; the scales are large, rounded, and very 
 distinct ; the head is large, and the mouth furnished 
 on each side with a long beard or wattle, and above 
 the nostrils is a much smaller and shorter pair ; the 
 fins are violet brown, and the tail slightly forked. 
 
 The Carp spawns in May, June, or July, accor- 
 ding as the warm season sets in; at this time it 
 swims to shallow, warm and sheltered places, when 
 the female deposits the spawn where the bottom ii 
 
66 AET or AI^aLING. 
 
 somewhat gritty, about the roots of grass, osier 
 roots, &c. the milter, or male fish, by a natural 
 instinct, follows the spawner, aad the milt, or soft 
 roe, is spread over the spawn, which thus becomes 
 impregnated. Carp at this season are frequently 
 seen swimming as it were in a circle, about the same 
 spot. The finest and calmest days are commonly 
 those on which Carp spawn; Providence having 
 thus made a provision for the greater security of 
 the fry of so useful a fish ; as otherwise, in a stormy 
 day, the spawn would be washed towards the banks, 
 where it would be eaten up by birds, trampled 
 under foot, or dried up by the heat of the sun. 
 The Carp is an extremely prolific fish, and the 
 quantity of roe is so great, that it is said to have 
 sometimes exceeded the weight of the emptied fish 
 itself, when weighed against it. 
 
 The usual food of the Carp consists of worms 
 and aquatic insects ; it is so tenacious of life that it 
 may be kept for a very considerable time in any 
 damp place, though not immersed in water ; and it 
 is said to be sometimes fattened with success by 
 being enveloped in wet moss, suspended in a net, 
 and fed at intervals with white bread steeped in 
 milk; taking care to refresh it now and then by 
 throwing fresh water over the net in which it is 
 suspended. The age to which the Carp arrives is 
 
OABP. 67 
 
 very great, and several well-authenticated instances 
 are adduced of its arriving at tliat of considerably 
 more than a century. 
 
 The Carp chiefly inhabits lakes and ponds; 
 being seldom found in any of our rivers ; it frequents 
 the deepest and most quiet places, especially if the 
 bottom be of sand, clay, or weeds. In its general 
 habits the Carp displays so much cunning, that it 
 has received the name of the river fox ; it will often 
 leap over a net, or bury itself so deep in the mud 
 that the net passes over without taking it. By 
 being constantly fed, however, it may be rendered 
 so familiar that it will come at a signal, beg for 
 bread, and even allow itself to be handled. It is 
 best in season in March and April, being then very 
 fat ; and the ilesh is much more delicate and agree- 
 able to the palate than at any other time. 
 
 The prime months to angle for Carp are from 
 February to June ; if the weather is mild they will 
 then bite more freely than at any other part of the 
 season, and at any time in the day, particularly if 
 there be a slight shower of rain falling. Prom June 
 tin Michaelmas they are to be fished for very early 
 in the morning or late in the evening ; during cold 
 weather they will not bite at all. In angling, use a 
 long light rod, with a reel and reel-line of the finest 
 description, the bottom of which must be at least 
 
 E 
 
b» AET or AlfGLING. 
 
 two yards of gut ; snd, as the mouth of this fish is 
 small, it is necessary to use smaller hooks than for 
 other fish, viz. the hook for worms should be !N"o. 5 
 or 6, for wasp-grubs No. 7, and for maggots No. 8 
 or 9 ; the line to be lightly leaded with small shot a 
 few inches from the hook, using a very small goose- 
 quiU float. The best baits are well-scoured red 
 worms and brandlings, maggots, wasp-grubs, and 
 the green worms found upon bushes and cabbage 
 leaves; the last is an excellent bait, and is more 
 natural to them than any other; they are also 
 partial to the white pieces selected from chandler's 
 greaves, which should bo softened by soaking in 
 warm water a short time before they are used. If 
 convenient, the angler should, a few hours before 
 he commence his operations, throw in either of 
 these ground-baits : procure fresh grains and lob- 
 worms cut in pieces, with a little bran and greaves 
 mixed together ; or a few slices of white bread with 
 treacle or honey spread thereon ; by this means, ii* 
 thrown in over night, you will have a great chance 
 of success at day-break next morning. 
 
 The following pastes are considered good for 
 taking Carp ; take the boiled flesh of a rabbit, cut 
 small and beaten in a mortar, adding thereto a Kttle 
 flour and honey; or crumbs of white bread and 
 honey made into paste ; this last is equally good. 
 
CABP. 69 
 
 and more easily made than the former; and to 
 make it stick upon the hook, you may mix with it a 
 little white cotton wool. 
 
 When angling with paste the bait must be near, 
 but never on the bottom; striking immediately a 
 fish takes it. "When a large Carp is hooked, you 
 will find it make an obstinate resistance ; you 
 should give it line cautiously, now drawing it in, 
 and letting it go again, until it is exhausted ; it is a 
 very strong and artful fish, and will use its utmost 
 endeavours to entangle the line among weeds or 
 roots ; in fact, a Garp seems to become more cun- 
 ning and crafty as it increases in age an<i size. It 
 is but seldom that Carp will take a bait in ponds 
 until the beginning of May. 
 
 It frequently happens in warm weather when 
 angling for Carp in ponds, that you see them swim- 
 ming near the top of the water, particularly among 
 large leaves that lie floating on the surface ; at such 
 times you may distinctly hear them sucking the 
 juices or insects from the leaves ; and the]i if you 
 act cautiously in dropping a bait into the water, in 
 any little opening, about eight inches deep, you will 
 find them take it very readily. The line adapted for 
 this purpose should be strong, to enable you to lift 
 the fish on shore the instant you strike. 
 
70 AET OT ANGLING. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS ON THE BREEDING OF CARP, 
 Carp, from their quick growth and vast increase, 
 are the most valuable of all fish for the stocking of 
 ponds ; and if the breeding and feeding of them 
 were better understood, and more practiced, the 
 advantages resulting from them would be very great. 
 The following observations, if strictly adhered to, 
 will be found to answer exceedingly well. 
 
 The first thing which must be attended to is to 
 select the ground where Carp ponds are to be made ; 
 for, upon the soil, water, and situation, the success 
 in the management chiefly depends. The best ponds 
 are situated in a well-manured fertile plain, sur- 
 rounded by pastures and corn-fields of a rich black 
 mould ; the water ought to be mild and soft, by no 
 means too cold, or impregnated with acid, calcareous, 
 or other mineral particles ; they should be sheltered 
 from cold easterly or northerly winds, by a ridge of 
 hills, situate at some distance from the ponds, 
 enjoying fully the benign influence of the sun, far 
 from where the leaves of trees might cause a putre- 
 faction, and impregnate the water with astringent 
 particles. Ponds in a poor, dry, or sandy soil, 
 surrounded by pines or firs, are considered the 
 worst of any for Carp. The ground towards the 
 pond ought to have a gentle slope ; for deep valleys 
 are subject to great floods, and will endanger the 
 dikes in a wet season. 
 
CAEP. 71 
 
 It is found by experience most convenient to 
 liave three kinds of ponds for Carp ; the first is 
 called the spawning pond, the second the nursery, 
 and the third, or largest, the main pond. There 
 are two methods of stocking the ponds with Carp ; 
 either to buy a few old fish, and put them into the 
 spawning pond; or to purchase a good quantity of 
 one-year old fry, for the nursery. A pond intended 
 for spawning must be well cleared of all other kinds 
 offish, especially such as are of a rapacious nature, viz. 
 Pike, Perch, Trout, and Eels ; and also of all lizards 
 and water-beetles, which frequently destroy quan- 
 tities of fry, to the great loss of the owner. A 
 pond of the size of about one acre, requires three or 
 four male Carp, and six or eight females. The best 
 for breeders are five, six, or seven years old, in good 
 health, full scale, and without any blemish or wound. 
 Such as are sickly have spots, as if they had the 
 smaU pox, have lost their scales, or have them 
 sticking loosely to their bodies ; and such whose 
 eyes lie deep in their heads, and are short and lean, 
 will never produce a good breed. Eeing provided 
 with a set of Carp sufficient to stock a pond with, 
 it is best to put them, on a fine calm day, into the 
 spawning pond at the latter end of March, or begin- 
 ning of April. Great care must be taken during 
 the spawning season, to prevent the approach of all 
 
72 ART or ANGLING- 
 
 aquatic fowl, wild and tame, to the pond ; for geese 
 and ducks not only swallow the spawn, but destroy- 
 still more by searching among the weeds and water 
 plants. 
 
 The young fry being hatched from the spawn by 
 the influence of the sun, they are left the whole 
 summer, and even the next winter, in the spawning 
 pond, in case it be so deep that the suflbcation of 
 the young tender fry under the ice in a severe 
 winter, is not to be apprehended. If, however, the 
 shallowness of the pond, or its cold situation render 
 it necessary to secure the fry against the rigors of 
 the ensuing winter, the water of the pond must be 
 let off, in which case, the fry and old fish will 
 gradually retire to the ditches which communicate 
 with the hole in the middle of the pond, and a net 
 with small meshes, is then employed to catch both 
 the fry and the old ones. The old breeders are 
 then to be separated from the fry and put into 
 separate ponds that are warmer; this should be 
 done in a calm mild day at the latter end of Sep- 
 tember. The nursery is the second kind of pond 
 intended for the bringing up of the young fry ; the 
 best time to put them into the nursery is in March 
 or April ; a thousand or twelve hundred of these fry 
 may be allotted to each acre of a pond ; and if the 
 water and soil agree with them, it is almost certain 
 
CAEP. 73 
 
 that they will grow, during two summers, so much 
 as to weigh four, and sometimes five pounds, and to 
 be fleshy and well tasted. The main ponds are the 
 last kind ; in these Carp are to be put that measure 
 twelve inches, head and tail inclusive ; every square 
 of fifteen feet is sufficient for one Carp, and will 
 afford food and room for the fish to play in. Spring 
 and autumn are the best seasons for stocking the 
 main ponds. The growth of the fish will always be 
 in proportion to the food they have; for Carp are 
 observed to grow a long time, and to come to a 
 very considerable size. 
 
 During winter, ponds ought to have their full 
 compliment of water; for the deeper the water is, 
 the warmer lie the fish ; and in case the ponds are 
 covered with ice, some holes must be made every 
 day for the admission of fresh air, for want of which, 
 Carp frequently perish. Ponds should never be of 
 less depth than four or five feet; and if the water 
 stagnates, and grows putrid, it must be let off, and a 
 supply of fresh water be introduced. After ponds 
 have been five or six years in constaiit use, it is 
 likewise necessary to let the water entirely off, and 
 clear them of the mud, which often increases too 
 much, and becomes a nuisance. 
 
 It sometimes happens that Carp and Tench 
 being put together in a pond, the different species 
 
74 . ABT OP ANGLING. 
 
 mix their roe and milt, and thus produce mules, or 
 mongrel breeds ; these mules partake of the nature 
 of both fish, and grow to a good size, but some parts 
 of their bodies are covered with the small sKmy 
 scales of the Tench, while some other parts have the 
 larger scales of a Carp: their fiesh approaches 
 nearer to that of a Tench, and they are likewise of a 
 less tender nature than the common Carp. 
 
TENCH. 
 
 TENCH. 
 
 The Tench appears to be a native of most parts 
 of the globe, inhabiting chiefly large stagnant waters 
 with a muddy bottom ; it is seldom to be found in 
 rivers. Its general length is about twelve or four- 
 teen inches, but, like most other fish it is occasionally 
 found of far greater magnitude. Its usual colour is 
 a deep blackish olive, accompanied by a slight gilded 
 cast ; the fins, which are thick are of a dull violet 
 colour ; it sometimes varies considerably in the tinge 
 of its colour according to the situation in which it 
 resides. The shape of this fish is thick, and the 
 skin is covered, like that of an Eel, with an adhesive 
 mucus, or slime, beneath which appear the scales, 
 which are very small, and closely afiixed to the skin ; 
 
76 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 the liead is rather large, the eyes small, and on each 
 side the mouth is placed a beard or wattle. 
 
 The Tench, like the Carp and Perch, is remark- 
 ably tenacious of life ; it is supposed by some to lie, 
 during the winter, in a torpid state, concealed 
 beneath the mud of the water which it inhabits, 
 being rarely taken during that season. In the 
 months of May and June it deposits its spawn 
 among water plants; it is considered as a very 
 prolific species, and is said to be of quick growth. 
 According to the difference or caprice of taste and 
 fashion, the Tench is held in greater or less repute ; 
 but, generally speaking it is esteemed as a very 
 delicate fish ; the flesh of the male is firmer and 
 richer than that of the female, and therefore is 
 preferred. It is in season from the end of September 
 to the middle of April. 
 
 The best time to angle for Tench is in March, 
 April and May, in warm cloudy weather; and 
 particulary if the wind disturbs the surface of the 
 water. Well-scoured worms, and maggots, and 
 wasp-grubs, are the best baits ; when angling for it 
 continue throwing in a few worms, or maggots, 
 whichever you may use, to keep them together; 
 indeed. Tench and Carp partake very much the 
 nature of each other ; their haunts are precisely the 
 same; they may be angled for with similar baits, 
 and after the same manner. 
 
EREAM. 
 
 77 
 
 BREAM. 
 
 The Bream cliieflj inhabits the larger kind of 
 lakes and still rivers ; in shape it is very broad, or 
 deep, and sometimes exceeds two feet in length ; its 
 colour is olive, with a pale or flesh coloured tinge on 
 the under parts ; scales rather large, and tail deeply 
 forked. Its flesh is but little esteemed for the table, 
 being considered as coarse and insipid. It bears 
 great resemblance to the Carp. 
 
 The Bream spawns in June and July, and breeds 
 abundantly ; is best in season in May, though some 
 think it best in September ; in rivers tliey swim in 
 shoals, and are principally to be found in gentle 
 gliding streams that have sand or clay on the bottom ; 
 in ponds, if deep and wide, they prefer the middle. 
 
78 ART OF ANGLING. 
 
 The best time to angle for Bream, is from sun- 
 rise in the morning till eight or nine o'clock, and 
 from five in the evening till dark; and the best 
 seasons are just before it spawns, and from the end 
 of July to the end of September. The baits are 
 well-scoured red worms, brandlings, maggots, wasp- 
 grubs, and flag or seg worms, which are to be found 
 at the roots of rushes or segs near the water side ; 
 also, grasshoppers, cabbage grubs, and codbaits ; 
 experience will teach you that red worms are the 
 best. Use the same tackle as described for Carp, 
 and the bait to lie on or very near the bottom ; 
 ground-baiting the places where you intend to angle 
 with fresh grains and lob-worms cut in pieces before 
 you begin. 
 
 The angler should cautiously avoid standing close 
 to the water's edge after he has deposited the line, 
 and when he perceives a bite, he is to strike gently 
 -as the float disappears. Two or three rods and lines 
 may be used at the same time, if fishing in still 
 water ; the rods may be supported by fixing short 
 stakes in the ground with forked tops. 
 
BARBEL. 
 
 79 
 
 BAEBEL. 
 
 The Barbel, which is found in some parts of 
 England, by the lengthened form of its body, some- 
 what resembles the Pike; the upper lip, which 
 extends considerably beyond the lower, is furnished 
 with two long unequal barbs, or beards ; its colour 
 is a silvery grey, with a darker cast on the upper 
 parts ; the scales are round, and of a middle size. 
 
 The Barbel is usually found in deep and rapid 
 rivers ; it is a fish of considerable strength, swim- 
 ming with rapidity, and living not only on worms 
 and water insects, but occasionally preying on the 
 smaller fishes. Its general length is from eighteen 
 inches to two feet ; it is said to be of quick growth, 
 and to arrive at a great age. It is a very coarse 
 fish, and never admitted at superior tables, having 
 even the reputation of being in some degree 
 
80 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 noxious ; the roe in particular is said to operate as a 
 very strong emetic and cathartic, and is sometimes 
 taken in a small quantity as common physic. It is 
 in its prime in August and September. 
 
 The Barbel usually spawns in April and May, 
 according to the warmth of the season ; and at this 
 period it rushes up the river and deposits the spawn 
 in stony places, in the most rapid parts of the current. 
 The best time to fish for Barbel is during the 
 months of July, August, and September, early in the 
 morning and late in the evening ; the most killing 
 baits are the spawn of Salmon, Trout, or indeed of 
 any other fish, especially if it be fresh, respecting 
 which the Barbel is very cunning ; well-scoured lob- 
 worms, red worms, and maggots, and chandler's 
 greaves, are all good baits ; it will sometimes take 
 toasted cheese, or sheep's suet and cheese made 
 into paste with a little honey. It is advisable to 
 bait the places three or four times before you begin 
 angling, either with spawn, or a quantity of worms 
 cut in pieces. The rod and line with which you 
 fish for Barbel, must both be extremely long, the 
 bottom tackle equally fine as for Carp, the hook 
 No. 7 or 8, using a large quill fioat ; the line to be 
 well leaded about nine inches from the hook, as it 
 is a fish that invariably feeds on the bottom. 
 
 The Barbel is a very sharp biter, and pulls the 
 
BUD. 81 
 
 float dowT3 suddenly, therefore you should strike the 
 instant you perceive it ; when you have hooked one, 
 permit it to run out with the line to some distance 
 before you make any attempt to check or turn it, 
 then use every endeavour to prevent it getting 
 among weeds or stones, or under the sbelvings of the 
 bank, all which it will try to effect, and should it 
 succeed you will have very little chance of killing it ; 
 if you hook one in a current, the best way you can 
 manage it is to draw it as quickly as possible into 
 still water, and tire it well before you attempt to 
 land it, which, if a heavy fish, will sometimes occupy 
 nearly half an hour ; but be not afraid, for when the 
 hook, although small, is fairly fixed in its fleshy lips, 
 it will seldom draw. The Barbel is chiefly prized by 
 anglers on account of its being a very game fish, it 
 affords them excellent sport, mixed with some labour 
 and much anxiety. 
 
 EUD. 
 
 The E/ud partakes very much of the nature both 
 of Bream and Eoach, indeed it is called by many a 
 bastard Bream ; some say it is produced by the one 
 shedding its milt over the spawn of the other. It is 
 frequently caught in the Thames when angling for 
 Eoach or Dace ; it is also abundant in the river 
 Cherwell, near Oxford, and in the Witham, in 
 
82 AET OE ANGLING. 
 
 Lincolnshire. In length it is about eight or ten 
 inches ; its head' small, back arched and sloping 
 suddenly towards the head and tail; its general 
 colour is a pale gilded olive, deeper or browner on 
 the back, belly reddish, fins deep red, and tail forked. 
 The Eud is a very indifferent fish for the table, 
 the flesh being soft and full of bones. It spawns in 
 April. 'Red. worms, maggots, and paste are the 
 best baits, to take them with ; use a fine line, quill 
 float, 'No. 8 or 9 hook, and angle at the bottom ; in 
 every respect pursue the same method as though you 
 were fishing for Eoach or Dace. This fish thrives 
 well in ponds that have a gravelly bottom. 
 
 EOACH. 
 
 The Eoach inhabits most of the rivers in England, 
 especially such as are deep, still and clear ; and very 
 frequently appearing in large shoals, which are 
 observed to be generally preceded by one, or more, 
 apparently stationed as a kind of guard, in order to 
 warn the main body of the approach of any danger. 
 This fish seldom exceeds a pound in weight. Its 
 colour is silvery, with a cast of dull yellow, more 
 dusky or brownish on the upper parts ; the fins are 
 red, and the tail slightly forked. The soundness of 
 the flesh is become proverbial, but it is full of bones 
 and insipid to the palate. 
 
EOACH. 83 
 
 The haunts of Eoach, during spring, are on the 
 sliallows and scowers, in summer among weeds, and 
 in winter in deep holes and eddies. It spawns 
 about the middle of Maj, and breeds abundantly. 
 The principal season for them is at Michaelmas, and 
 they continue good all the winter. It is easy to 
 distinguish whether it be in season or otherwise ; 
 for if the scales on the back be rough to the touch, 
 it is out of season ; if they lie flat and smooth, the 
 reverse. 
 
 In summer the Eoach bites best from sun-rise 
 till nine o'clock in the morning, and from four in 
 evening till dark ; in winter during the middle of 
 the day. It will readily take small red worms, 
 brandlings, maggots, wasp-grubs, and paste made of 
 crumbs of white bread slightly soaked in water, 
 with a little vermillion added to make it of a salmon 
 colour ; or the crumb of new bread without soaking ; 
 paste is certainly the most killing bait for large 
 Eoach; to bait with it, put a piece on the hook 
 about the size of a large pea, and before you begin 
 to angle plumb the depth, and permit the bait to 
 float near, but not so as to touch the bottom, or it 
 will wash off the hook. When angling with worms 
 or maggots the bait should lie two or three inches 
 on the bottom. If fishing for Eoach in a still hole, 
 or a gentle stream, the best ground bait is chewed 
 
 G 
 
84 ART OF ANGLING. 
 
 bread, or bread and bran made into small pellets ; 
 throwing a little in occasionally so that it may sink 
 to the place where the baited hook lies. 
 
 There is another excellent bait for Eoach in 
 winter, namely, a small white w^orm with a red head, 
 about the size of two maggots ; it is to be found 
 after the plough upon heath or sandy ground; — 
 when this bait is made use of, it becomes necessary 
 to strew stewed malt, or fresh grains, in such places 
 where you intend to angle. With the exception of 
 maggots, this is certainly the best bait for Eoach 
 and Dace. 
 
 The rod for Eoach fishing should be long and 
 lio:ht, with a fine taper top ; the line to be made of 
 hair, not more than four hairs thick, the bottom of 
 which must be of single hair, or the very finest gut, 
 and the hook No. 9 or 10, using a small quill float. 
 
 DACE. 
 
 The Dace, or Dare, inhabits most of the rivers 
 in this country ; it resembles the Eoach very much 
 in its shape and manners ; its general length is fi*om 
 six to nine inches ; in colour silvery, with yellowish 
 olive back ; the scales of a middle size ; the fins 
 slightly tinged with red, and the tail sharply forked. 
 It chiefly delights in deep still water, that has gravel 
 
DACE. 85 
 
 or sand at the bottom, but not in shaded places. 
 Its flesh is coarse and soft, and full of bones, yet it 
 is considered palatable and nourishing. It seldom 
 grows to be a pound in weight. 
 
 The Dace is a very simple fish, and therefore 
 easily taken. It spawns at the end of March or 
 beginning of April ; previous to which they appear 
 on the shallows in great numbers, rubbing them- 
 selves on the bottom, feeding on small worms and 
 insects until they deposit their spawn, which they 
 generally do in loose light gravel. At this season 
 the Dace will take a small red worm freely ; maggots, 
 wasp-grubs, greaves, and paste made of cheese and 
 honey, are also very good baits ; it bites well all day, 
 and after the river has been disturbed by rain, and 
 is again falling ^e, great quantities may be taken 
 with the maggot. The line for either purpose 
 cannot be too fine ; the bottom to be at least two 
 yards of gut, or single hair ; the hook for maggots 
 No. 9, but for any other bait a little larger ; using a 
 very small quill float. By baiting several places 
 before you begin, with whatever bait you intend to 
 angle, good sport may be depended upon. When 
 the river is low and flne, it will take with avidity 
 any of the small artificial flies, particularly the Sky 
 Blue, Black G-nat, Eed and Black Ants, Whirling 
 Blue, WiUow, &c. 
 
86 
 
 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 CHUB. 
 
 The Ghub in some degree resembles the Tench 
 in shape, but ia of a more lengthened form, and has 
 a thicker or larger head in proportion. It is very 
 common in England; when full grown, it is from 
 twelve to fifteen inches in length, and in weight 
 four or five pounds ; its colour is silvery grey, with a 
 blueish olive cast on the upper parts ; the scales are 
 very large; the tail slightly forked, and of a dull 
 blueish colour ; and the fins of a rusty brown. 
 
 The Chub is chiefly to be found in clear and 
 rapid rivers ; is of a strong nature, and swims very 
 swiftly ; it generally frequents the deepest parts of 
 the water, and is of a very timid disposition. It 
 spawns in the months of April and May ; the young 
 are said to be of slow growth, scarcely arriving at a 
 greater length than three inches in the space of the 
 first year. It is generally considered as a coarse 
 
CHUB. 87 
 
 unpalatable fish, and is apt to acquire a yellowish 
 cast on boiling ; for which reason it is held in no 
 esteem at our tables. During the winter season 
 this fish is much better than at any other; the 
 bones are less troublesome, being more easily sepa- 
 rated from the flesh, and the flesh more firm and 
 better tasted ; the roe is also well flavoured. Walton, 
 in his well known work, " The Complete Angler," 
 gives a receipt for dressing it in such a manner as 
 to form no unpleasant repast. 
 
 " The Chub," says he, " though he eat well thus 
 dressed, yet as he is usually dressed he does not ; 
 he is objected against, not only for being full of 
 small forked bones, dispersed through all his body, 
 but that he eats waterish, and that the flesh of him 
 is not firm, but short and tasteless. The Erench 
 esteem him so mean, as to call him Un Villain; 
 nevertheless, he may be so dressed as to make him 
 very good meat ; as, namely, if he be a large Chub, 
 then dress him thus: — Pirst scale him, and then 
 wash him clean, and then take out his guts ; and to 
 that end make the hole as little and near to his gills 
 as you may conveniently, and especially make clean 
 his throat from the grass and weeds that are usually 
 in it; having so done, put some sweet herbs into 
 his belly, and then tie him with two or three splinters 
 to a spit, and roast him, basted often with vinegar, 
 
88 ART OE ANGLING. 
 
 or rather verjuice and butter, with good store of salt 
 mixed with it. Being thus dressed, you will find 
 him a much better dish of meat than you, or most 
 folk, even than anglers themselves, do imagine ; for 
 this dries up the fluid watery humour with which 
 all Chubs do abound." It should be dressed the 
 same day it is caught. 
 
 The Chub comes in season in August, and con- 
 tinues good till March ; during which time it chiefly 
 inhabits deep holes that are much shaded; but in 
 hot weather it sometimes resorts to fords and 
 shallows where cattle frequent. 
 
 The Chub is an exceedingly greedy fish, and 
 ^dll take all kinds of baits, but is very sulky and 
 inactive when hooked; it frequently annoys the 
 Trout fisher, by rising at his flies ; for, as it makes 
 no play, and is good for little or nothing when 
 caught, it must be coasidered mortifying to be 
 teased by it when in expectation of nobler game. 
 
 It wiU bite well all the day long, and the best 
 baits to take it at the bottom are worms, maggots, 
 wasp-grubs, snails, or beef's brains ; but the last is 
 generally preferred. The line for this purpose must 
 be strong and fine; the bottom to be about two 
 yards of good gut; the hook, if brains be angled 
 with. No. 6 or 7, if with maggots, or wasp-grubs, to 
 be somewhat smaller; using a cork float. It is 
 
BLEAK. 89 
 
 necessary to bait the places you angle in with what- 
 ever bait you use. Should you fish with worms, 
 maggots, wasp-grubs, or snails, the bait must lie 
 upon the ground ; but if with brains, a little below- 
 mid-water, being careful to strike the instant a fish 
 bites, as the bait is so very tender. The Chub is 
 likewise to be taken by bobbing, or dibbing, during 
 the summer months, with almost any fly you can 
 find ; and at this period you will see them swimming 
 near the top of the water, twenty or thirty in a 
 place ; you must approach very cautiously, or they 
 will render the attempt fruitless, for on the least 
 alarm they dive with rapidity to the bottom. Also 
 the grasshopper and cabbage grub, either natural or 
 artificial, are excellent baits, and will take many 
 other kinds of fish. 
 
 When a Chub seizes the bait, he bites with so 
 much eagerness that his jaws are often heard to 
 chop like those of a dog. 
 
 BLEAK. 
 
 The Bleak is to be found commonly in rivers ; 
 its length is about five or six inches; slender in 
 shape, with the body much compressed; colour, 
 bright silvery, with the back olive green ; scales of a 
 middle size, and tail forked. It is from the scales 
 
90 ART or AKGLING. 
 
 of this fish that the beautiful silvery matter used in 
 the preparation of artificial pearls is chiefly taken ; 
 the invention is of French origin, and is principally 
 practised at Paris. 
 
 The Bleak is sometimes called the river swallow^ 
 from being continually in motion, and by their 
 dexterity in catching flies, and other small insects 
 that float upon the surface of the vrater. Its flesh 
 is very agreeable to the palate, if dressed soon after 
 it is taken. It is to be angled for below mid- water, 
 with maggots ; the line to have five or six small 
 hooks, fastened six inches above each other ; in this 
 manner several may be taken at a time. It is also 
 to be caught by a short fly line, with two or three 
 artificial gnats, of a brownish colour, upon it, and 
 on a summer's evening this method afibrds the 
 young angler very pretty sport. It spawns in 
 May, and is then out of season. 
 
 GIJDaEON. 
 
 The Grudgeon is principally an inhabitant of the 
 smaller gentle rivers, especially those with gravelly 
 bottoms ; it generally measures from four to six 
 inches, with a thick roundish body. Its usual 
 colour is a pale olive brown above, slightly spotted 
 with black ; the sides silvery, and the belly white j 
 
GUDGEON, 91 
 
 the scales are of a middle size ; the fins of a pale 
 yellowish brown, and the tail of a similar colour, 
 spotted with black; the upper jaw rather longer 
 than the lower, and furnished on each side with a 
 shortish beard. 
 
 The Grudgeon is observed to reside principally 
 at the bottom of the streams which it frequents, 
 and it is usual with anglers to rake the bottom at 
 intervals, by which means these fish are assembled 
 in small shoals, expecting on the rising of the mud, 
 a supply of their favourite food, such as small 
 worms and water insects. 
 
 It generally spawns in May, and is observed 
 not to deposit all its eggs at once, but at distant 
 periods, so that the spawning time lasts near a 
 month ; it is a very prolific species. As a table 
 fish it is in high estimation, being of a delicate 
 flavour, and considered as not greatly inferior to 
 the Smelt. 
 
 The Gudgeon, in the summer months, is to be 
 found in light gliding streams ; but from Michaelmas 
 to April it frequents the deepest parts of the river. 
 It will bite any time of the day, particularly in warm 
 gloomy weather; small red worms or maggots are 
 the principal baits ; the line should be very fine, the 
 hook No. 8 or 9, letting the bait lie upon the 
 bottom. Gudgeons are excellent fish to entertain 
 young anglers. 
 
92 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 FLOUNDEE. 
 
 The Mounder is a flat fish; it is extremely 
 common on the coasts of England, and is frequently- 
 found in rivers at a considerable distance from the 
 sea. In colour, the upper side is of a dull brown, 
 marbled with paler and darker variegations, and the 
 under side of a dull white, sometimes obscurely- 
 varied with brown; it is covered with very small 
 scales. It is in considerable esteem as food, though 
 much inferior to others of the same genus; and 
 those which inhabit fresh water are usually thought 
 the best. 
 
 The Elounder is generally to be found in deep 
 gentle streams that have gravel or sand bottoms, 
 near to the side; it will bite all the day from the 
 beginning of March till the end of August. The 
 best baits are small red worms, brandlings, or blueish 
 marsh worms ; the line must be fine, the hook No. 
 6 or 7, the bait to lie on the bottom, and to be kept 
 continually on the move. This fish is so cunning 
 that it will frequently suck the bait off the hook ; 
 and if any part of the hook is bare, it will not touch 
 the bait at all. 
 
EEL. 
 
 EEL. 
 
 The Eel, in the natural arrangement of the 
 animal world, may be considered as in some degree 
 connecting the fish and serpent tribes ; it is a native 
 of almost all the rivers, lakes, and ponds in England ; 
 its general colour is olive brown on the back, 
 and silvery on the sides beneath; it is, however, 
 occasionally seen of a very dark colour, with 
 scarce any silvery tinge, and sometimes of a yellow 
 or greenish cast; those that inhabit the clearest 
 waters are observed to be the most beautiful. The 
 lower jaw of the Eel extends beyond the upper; 
 the head is small and pointed ; the eyes are small, 
 round, and covered by a transparent skin united 
 with the common integument of the body ; the 
 opening of the mouth is small, and both jaws and 
 tongue are beset with several ranges of small sharp 
 teeth ; the skin is proverbially slippery, being fur- 
 nished with a large proportion of mucus, or slime ; 
 it is also furnished with small deeply-imbedded 
 scales, which are not easily visible in the living 
 animal, but are very conspicuous in the dried skin. 
 
 The Eel is extremely tenacious of life, and may 
 be kept many hours, or even days, out of water, 
 provided it be placed in a cool situation ; it is even 
 affirmed that it voluntarily leaves the water at certain 
 
94 ABT OF ANGLING. 
 
 periods, and wanders about meadows and moist 
 grounds in quest of particular food, as snails, &c. 
 This will account for Eels being found in waters 
 that have not been in the least suspected to contain 
 them. 
 
 The usual food of the Eel consists of water- 
 insects, worms, and the spawn or eggs of other fish ; 
 it will also devour almost any decayed animal sub- 
 stance, which it happens occasionally to find in its 
 native waters. It is viviparous, producing its 
 numerous young during the decline of summer ; 
 these, at their first exclusion, are very small. The 
 errors of the ancients on this subject, and even of 
 some modem writers, are too absurd to be seriously 
 mentioned in the present enlightened period of 
 science; it appears, however, that both eggs and 
 ready-formed young are occasionally observed in the 
 same individuals, as is known to be the case with 
 several other animals. 
 
 During the day the Eel commonly lies concealed 
 in its hole, which it forms pretty deep beneath the 
 banks, and which is furnished with two outlets, in 
 order to facilitate its escape if disturbed : during 
 the winter it chiefly conceals itself beneath the 
 mud, and on the return of spring commences its 
 excursions into rivers, Ac." 
 
 The general length of the Eel is from two to 
 
EEL. 95 
 
 three feet, but it is sometimes said, though very 
 rarely, to attain to the length of six feet, and to 
 the weight of twenty pounds. It is a fish of slow 
 growth, and is supposed to live to a very consider- 
 able age. 
 
 The Eel has this extraordinary property, never 
 to be out of season; though it is best and fattest 
 during the summer months. As food it is, by the 
 general run of medical writers, rather condemned 
 than recommended ; it appears however to be highly 
 nutritious, and is probably only injurious when 
 taken to excess. 
 
 *' Eating of Eels is hurtful to the throat, 
 So say physicians of no common note." 
 
 Eels, and perhaps Pike, are not found in any 
 part of England in such numbers and variety as in 
 the- marshy parts of the counties of Cambridge and 
 Lincoln. Of two rivers of the latter it is said in an 
 old proverb, 
 
 " Ankham Eel and Witham Pike, 
 In all England are none like.*' 
 
 When angling for Eels, any common rod will 
 answer the purpose, the line must be strong, having 
 about a yard of gut for the bottom, the hook to be 
 No. 5 or 6, using a large quill float; bait with 
 either red worms, brandlings, maggots, or wasp- 
 grubs, the last of which they are remarkably fond of; 
 
96 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 permit the shot to lie on the ground, which you will 
 know to be the case if the float lies flat upon the 
 water; when there is a bite the float generally 
 disappears, you may strike immediately, because the 
 instant an Eel takes the bait into its mouth it 
 swallows it. When you have hooked one, lift it out 
 directly, and put your foot upon it, and then 
 separate the back bone close to the head with a 
 knife, or a pair of scissors, which should always be at 
 hand when fishing for Eels ; for immediately an Eel 
 is taken from the water it coils up, and w^ill tie 
 innumerable knots upon the line, unless prevented 
 by cutting through this bone. 
 
 Several rods and lines may be managed by one 
 angler, and, in summer, after a thunder storm, they 
 will keep him constantly employed in taking them 
 from the hooks. 
 
 SNIGGLING FOR EELS. 
 
 To sniggle for Eels, procure a strong top rod, 
 or a long slender hazel stick, slip a small quill over 
 the taper end, leaving the extreme end of the quill 
 whole ; a tailor's button needle, or a stocking needle, 
 not more than two inches long, is also requisite, 
 and a length of hard twisted twine, or fine whipcord, 
 for the line ; tie the needle to the line with waxed 
 
EEL. 97 
 
 silk, first laying the end of the line nearly half-way 
 down the needle, the line will then hang from about 
 the middle, leaving the smaller end bare. To bait 
 the needle, enter the thick end of it into a well- 
 scoured lob-worm near the tail, and carry it up to 
 the head, so that the point of the needle may come 
 out at the middle of the worm ; then put the point 
 of the needle into the end of the quill, and take the 
 rod ill one hand and the line in the other, when 
 you may guide the bait into any of the well- 
 known haunts of the Eel, viz. under large stones, 
 into the holes of banks which lie beneath the 
 surface, or in the decayed walls of mills or other 
 buildings that stand in the water. "When there is a 
 bite, or run, you will feel a slight tug at the line, 
 which should be held rather loose, you must then 
 quietly withdraw the rod, and allow the Eel two 
 minutes to gorge the bait; and then, by a sharp 
 twitch, ^ the needle across its throat ; do not pull, 
 but hold the line tight, and the Eel will soon make 
 its appearance. A hook, No. 4 or 5, is frequently 
 used in lieu of a needle. 
 
 NIGHT LINES FOR EELS. 
 A large quantity of Eels may be taken in the 
 following manner .-—procure a length of strong 
 
98 AET OP ANGLING. 
 
 twine, sufficient to reach across the river or pond 
 you intend to try, then, having tied hooks of rather 
 a large size to links of hair about half-a-yard in 
 length, fasten them by a slip knot to the twine, 
 four feet Jrom each other, baiting the hooks with 
 either lob -worms, Minnows, Loaches, or Bullheads ; 
 make fast one end of the line to the bank, and 
 tie to the other end a piece of lead, or a stone; 
 then cast the lead, or stone, across the river, or 
 pond, in a sloping direction, and let it remain there 
 all night; take it up at day-break next morning, 
 and if the night has been favourable, that is, warm 
 and dark, you may be almost sure of an Eel at every 
 hook. 
 
 MINJSTOW. 
 
 The Minnow frequents almost all the clear 
 and gravelly streams in England; this well-known 
 species may be numbered among the most beautiful 
 of the British fishes ; it seldom exceeds the length 
 of three inches, and is of a slender and elegant 
 shape ; it varies in colour more than any other fish ; 
 the backs of some are green, some of a blueish cast, 
 and some of a pale brown ; the bellies are generally 
 white, or silvery, with a tinge of yellow, or bright 
 red. It appears first in March, and disappears at 
 
LOACH. 99 
 
 the end of October, at whicli period it secrets itself 
 beneath the mud; it usually assembles, in bright 
 weather, in small shoals in shallow places, being 
 particularly fond of warmth. 
 
 The Minnow spawns in June, and is often 
 observed to be found in spawn during the greater 
 part of summer; from its small size it is not 
 much regarded in the list of eatable fish, though it 
 is said to be extremely delicate, and where found in 
 great plenty, is occasionally used for the table. It 
 is much more frequently the victim of anglers, who 
 procure it for the purpose of a bait for various 
 fishes, particularly the Trout. It is to be angled 
 for with a single hair line, having two or three of 
 the very smallest hooks attached, which are to be 
 baited with small red worms or maggots. 
 
 LOACH. 
 
 The Loach is an inhabitant of clear rivulets, 
 and commonly resides at the bottom among stones 
 and gravel, and is on that account sometimes called 
 by the name of Grroundling ; 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 is said to be equal, if 
 not superior, to most other fishes, and is cultivated 
 
 H 
 
100 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 with much care in some places as an article of diet. 
 The Loach is observed to spawn in March, and is 
 very prolific. It is frequently taken when angling 
 for Minnows. 
 
 BULLHEAD. 
 
 The Bullhead, or Miller's Thumb, is to be found 
 in almost all rivers ; 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 spots ; the fins are large and yellowish, 
 and likewise spotted; the head is large and flat, 
 and broader than any part of the body. This fish 
 occasionally swims with great strength and rapidity 
 when in pursuit of its prey, though its general 
 habit is that of lying on the gravel, or under stones 
 in an apparently 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 Minnows. 
 
STICKLEBACK. 101 
 
 STICKLEBACK. 
 
 The Stickleback is an almost universal inha- 
 bitant 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 season advances. The 
 general length of this minute species is aboat two 
 inches ; on each side and on the back are placed 
 several strong jagged spines, from whence it derives 
 its name of Stickleback. 
 
 It is a fish of an extremely active and vigorous 
 nature, swimming rapidly, and preying upon the 
 smaller kind of water-insects and worms, as well as 
 on the spawn of other fishes; and is, from this 
 circumstance, considered highly prejudicial to fish- 
 ponds ; its only use is to be trolled with for Trout, 
 previously cutting oif the spines. 
 
102 ART or AKGLING. 
 
 PLT-FISHINa. 
 
 " Just in the dubious point, where with the pool 
 
 Is mix'd the trembling stream, or where it boils 
 
 Around the stone, or from the hollow'd bank 
 
 Reverted plays in undulating flow, 
 
 There throw, nice judging, the delusive fly ; 
 
 And as you lead it round in artful curve, 
 
 With eye attentive mark the springing game. 
 
 Straight as above the surface of the flood 
 
 They wanton rise, or urg'd by hunger leap, 
 
 Then fix, with gentle twitch, the barbed hook ; 
 
 Some lightly tossing to the gi-assy bank, 
 
 And to the shelving shore, slow dragging some, 
 
 With various hand proportion' d to their force. 
 
 If yet too yoiang, and easily decciv'd, 
 
 A worthless prey scarce bends your pliant rod. 
 
 Him, piteous of his youth, and the short space 
 
 He has enjoyed the vital light of heav'n. 
 
 Soft disengage, and back into the stream 
 
 The speckled captive throw. But should you lure 
 
 From his dark haunt, beneath the tangled roots 
 
 Of pendent trees, the monarch of the brook, 
 
 Behoves you then to ply your finest art ; 
 
 Long time he, following cautious, scans the fly. 
 
 And oft attempts to seize it, but as oft 
 
 The dimpled water speaks his jealous fear. 
 
 At last, while haply o'er the shaded sun 
 
 Passes a cloud, he desperate takes the death, 
 
 With sullen plunge. At once he darts along. 
 
 Deep struck, and runs out all the lengthen'd line j 
 
 Then seeks the farthest ooze, the sheltering weed, 
 
 The cavem'd bank, his old secure abode ; 
 
 And flies aloft, and flounces round the pool, 
 
 Indignant of the guile. With yielding hand 
 
 That feels him still, yet to his turious course 
 
 Gives way, you, now retiring, following now 
 
 Across the stream, exhaust his idle rage ; 
 
 Till floating broad upon his breathless side, 
 
 And to his fate abandoned, to the shore 
 
 You gaily drag your unresisting prize." 
 
 Thomson. 
 
FLT-FISHIKG, 103 
 
 The following hints on rij-fishing are extracted 
 from CoLoiS"EL Hawker's Instructions to Young 
 Sportsmen. 
 
 " Almost every one is now-a-days a Piscator. 
 The Fanatico, about Easter, goes off as busy as th© 
 cockney on his wunter, when bound to Epping. 
 He generally takes a great many things, and kills a 
 few fish. The old angler takes a few things and 
 kills a great many fish. Some dark, warm, windy, 
 drizzly days, early or late in the season, and par- 
 ticularly when a fine breeze blows from off the 
 banks of a river where no one has begun fishing, 
 the Trout are so easily taken, that a basket full is 
 but little proof of skill. One might then almost 
 train a monkey to catch a Trout. Eut at other 
 times, and particularly when the fish are well fed, is 
 the time to see who is and who is not an angler. 
 
 " About ninety in a hundred fancy themselves 
 anglers. About one in a hundred is an angler. 
 Now for a few very common faults. One who lets 
 his fly lie too long in the water, after dropping it, 
 is a better killer of time than of fish. He who 
 tries to land a large fish against weeds and stream, 
 where he can take him down, or allows a fish so 
 much line as to be able to rub his nose against the 
 bottom, may be considered as one in need of a 
 fishing master. Enough, however, of defects. Now, 
 then, to the point. 
 
104 
 
 ART OF ANGLING. 
 
 " iioT>. — About twelve feet three inches long, 
 and about fourteen ounces in weight. It must not 
 be top heavj, nor it must not have too much play 
 in the lower part, but the play should be just in 
 proportion to the gradual tapering, by which there 
 will be very little spring till after about the third 
 foot of its length. A rod too pliable below is as 
 bad a fault as being too stiff; and from being too 
 small there, is, of course, more liable to be top 
 heavy, which nine rods in ten are. Tbe consequence 
 is, they tire the hand, and do not drop the % so 
 neatly. I have seen some Irish rods, which, if they 
 had not been too pliant, would have been worth 
 any money. 
 
 " Keel. — Put on your reel with a plate and 
 wax-end, fifteen inches from the bottom ; and handle 
 your rod close below it, keeping the reel uppermost, 
 as the line then lies on, instead of under, your 
 rod, and is, therefore, less likely to strain the top 
 between the rings. The closer the rings are put 
 together on the top, the less chance, of course, you 
 have of straining or breaking it between them. 
 Use a multiplying click reel, without a stop; and, 
 by not confining it with the hand while throwing, 
 you are sure never to break your rod or line, by 
 happening to raise it suddenly, at the moment you 
 have hooked a large fish or weed. Let your reel be 
 
rLT-FisHnra. 105 
 
 full large in proportion to the quantity of line, or it 
 will not always go pleasantly with it in winding up. 
 
 " Gut and Flies. — Use about eight feet of 
 gut, and the addition of that on the tail fly, will 
 bring the whole foot-line to about three yards. Put 
 on your bob fly a few inches below the middle ; or, 
 if in a very weedy river, within little more than a 
 yard of the other; lest, while playing a fish with 
 the bob, your tail fly may get caught in a weed. 
 More gut than is here prescribed will be found an 
 incumbrance when you want to get a fish up tight ; 
 insomuch that, of the two, I would rather have a 
 little less than more of it. 
 
 " A small fly book may, of course, be taken ; 
 and I should recommend it on my plan, which is of 
 Eussia leather, in order to repel the moth. This 
 no one will do better for you than Chevalier,* 
 Bell-yard, Temple Bar. A common beaver hat is 
 the best thing to hook and keep flies on; and, if 
 you have not two rods by the river side, always 
 keep a gut length and flies ready to put on round 
 your hat, in order to avoid the waste of time and 
 torment which you would have, if you had much 
 entangled your line. 
 
 * Several others are equally excellent performers in making 
 rods, tackle, and flies; among whom may be mentioned 
 Bowness, Willingham, Ustonson, and Holmes, all of London. 
 
106 AET OE Al^GrLma. 
 
 " The beauty of fishing is to do the business 
 quick (though not in a hurry), because this sport is 
 every moment dependent on the weather. Walton 
 says, " before using, soak what lengths of gut you 
 have in water for half-an-hour." In the new school, 
 I should rather say, draw what lengths you want 
 through Indian rubber for half-a-quarter of a minute. 
 Let ji gut length or two (ready fitted up with flies), 
 and also a few spare tail flies be thus prepared to go 
 on in an instant, and put round your hat. For flies 
 (as Barker observer for his night angling), take 
 white for darkness; red in medio; and black for 
 lightness. The Yellow Dun=^ and Eed Palmer, 
 which has a black head, partake a little of all, and 
 therefore, with the addition of a White Moth for 
 dark nights, the angler may, in what few rivers I 
 have ever fished, do vastly well. No doubt, how- 
 ever, that an occasional variety of flies might answer 
 a little better, and particularly if these had been 
 too much hacknied by other people. But in the 
 long run, I have never found sufficient advantage 
 from variety to be troubled with taking more than 
 
 * The Yellow Dun is a beautiful insect, and is to be used 
 in the morning and evening, during the months of April and 
 May, and again in September. The body is made of yellow- 
 yarn unravelled, and mixed with a little pale ash-coloured fur ; 
 the wings from the under part of a snipe's wing, to be made 
 upright, with a pale dun hackle for legs. 
 
rLT-EISHING. 107 
 
 two or three kinds of flies. And as to carrying, as 
 many do, a huge book of flies, nearly as large as a 
 family bible, for common Trout streams — it is like a 
 beginner in drawing, who uses twenty cakes of 
 colour or more, where a quarter the number, if 
 properly managed, would answer the same purpose. 
 The Piscator, however, has a right to take what he 
 pleases. He may go to the river side with a book 
 of this sort, or even twelve pounds of lead in his 
 pocket; they will both, perhaps, be equally neces- 
 sary. But who has a right to find fault ? If he is 
 determined to go well laden to the river — why let 
 him. With regard to hooks, I have always found 
 the Irish ones far superior to ours. The best, I 
 believe, are bought in Limerick. 
 
 " Now I have given the outline as to tackle, I 
 will proceed as to throwing ; not in my chair, with 
 a pen and ink ; but with a pencil and a book, on 
 the banks of the river. 
 
 "THEOWiNa A Fly. — I am just returned from 
 the river (and, by the way, not badly repaid for my 
 trouble), and as near as I could there bring the 
 matter to paper, shall now say as follows : In throw- 
 ing a fly, raise the arm well up, without labouring 
 with your body. Send the fly both backwards and 
 forwards by a sudden spring of the wrist. Do not 
 draw the fly too near, or you lose your purchase for 
 
108 ART or ANGLINa. 
 
 sending it back, and therefore require an extra 
 sweep in the air before you can get it into play- 
 again. If, after sending it back, you make the 
 counter-spring a moment too soon, you will whip off 
 your tail fly, and if a moment too late your line will 
 fall in a slovenly manner. The knack of catching 
 this time is, therefore, the whole art of throwing 
 well. The motion should be just sufficiently circular 
 to avoid this ; but if too circular, the spring receives 
 too much check, and the gut will then most probably 
 not drop before the line. In a word, allow the line 
 no more than just time to unfold before you repeat 
 the spring of the wrist. This must be done or you 
 will hear a crack, and find that you have whipped 
 off your tail fly. For this reason, I should recom- 
 mend beginners to learn at first with only a bob ; 
 or they wiD soon empty their own or their friend's 
 fishing book. And at all events, to begin learning 
 with a moderate length of line. 
 
 " I have observed that those young men who 
 have supple wrists, and the power to whip off flies, 
 ultimately make better anglers than those who do 
 not, because in this action, like most things, there 
 is really but one step between the sublime and the 
 ridiculous ; and the poor fellow who makes no 
 attempt with energy, will most probably, in this, as 
 in other pursuits, remain all his life in the back 
 ground. 
 
FLT-riSHING. 109 
 
 " Walton, in speaking of throwing a %, says, 
 "we should fish fine and far off";" but we must 
 except very windy weather, or the result of a very 
 long line may, with a very good angler, be crack and 
 whip off. If, therefore, you have got into a par- 
 ticular current of wind, where this is the case, wind 
 up your line a few turns, or you may soon lose 
 another fly. Sometimes the wind blows very strong, 
 directly across you from the right, insomuch that it 
 becomes an exertion to raise the rod enough to 
 prevent the line from being blown back. Throwing 
 with the left hand is then a convenience ; but for 
 those who are not able to do this, I can suggest no 
 better makeshift than to raise the rod over the left 
 shoulder, and throw the line by a motion similar to 
 that used with a whip, when lightly hitting a leader 
 on the near side. (Any one who has driven in 
 double reins will know what I mean.) I make a 
 point of killing some fish this way, in order to try 
 the experiment, which is, of course, a mere substi- 
 tute for the best method of throwing. So much for 
 throwing. Now for what few finishing touches I 
 can think of. Avoid, if you can, going too close to 
 the edge of the water. Throw, if you are au fait 
 enough to do it well, rather for the fly to become, 
 for a moment, suspended across the wind, than 
 directly down the wind ; as it then falls still lighter, 
 
110 ART or AKGLING. 
 
 and from this circumstance, is, of course, more likely 
 to deceive a large fish. Prefer dropping the fly just 
 under a bush or edge, or in an eddy, to the open 
 river, because your line is then more obscured from 
 the light, and the largest fish generally monopolize 
 the possession of such' places, in order to find and 
 devour the more flies and insects ; and, also, to be 
 near their places of security. If the spot is quite 
 calm, watch the first good fish that rises, avail 
 yourself immediately of the ripple that has been made 
 by the fish himself, and drop in your fly a little 
 above where he last rose. !N'ever let your line lie 
 too long, as, by so doing, you either expose your 
 tackle to the fish by leaving it stationary, or draw 
 the line in so close, that you lose both the power of 
 striking your fish, if he rises, and that of getting a 
 good sweep for your next throw. The first fall of 
 the fiy, in fishing, is like the first sight of a bird in 
 presenting a gun — always the best. 
 
 " Killing- toue jfish. — A small fish is, of 
 course, not even worth the wear and tear of a reel. 
 But if you happen to hook a good one, wind up 
 immediately; and the mc^ent you have got him 
 under command of a short line, hold your rod well 
 on the bend, with just purchase enough to keep 
 him from going under a weed, or rubbing out your 
 hook by boring his nose into the gravel. (Observe 
 
TLT-nSHING. Ill 
 
 a fish, and you will always perceive, that after he 
 finds he is your prisoner, he does all he can to get 
 down, as the best means of escape.) After getting 
 your fish under the command of a short line and 
 well-bent rod, let him run, and walk by the side of 
 him, keeping a delicate hold of him, with just 
 purchase enough, as I before observed, to prevent 
 his going down. "When he strikes, ease him at the 
 same instant ; and when he becomes faint, pull him 
 gently down stream; and, as soon as you have 
 overpowered him, get his nose up to the top of the 
 water; and when he is nearly drowned, begin to 
 tow him gently towards the shore. Never attempt 
 to lift him out of the water by the line, but haul 
 him on to some sloping place, then stick the pike of 
 your rod in the ground, with the rod a little on the 
 bend; crawl slily up as quick as possible, and put 
 your hands under him, and not too forward, as a 
 Trout thus situated is apt to slip back; so that 
 handling him this way must be rather a different 
 touch from that of weed-groping. If you use a 
 landing net (which, for saving time, and particularly 
 where the banks are steej), is sometimes a necessary 
 appendage), let it be as light as possible, very long 
 in the handle, and three times as large as what 
 people generally carry. Take care that neither 
 that nor the man who may assist you with it, goes 
 
112 AET OE ANGLING. 
 
 even in sight of the water till the fish is brought 
 well to the surface, and fairly within reach ; and 
 then you have only to put the net under him, or 
 keep his eyes above water, and tow him into it. 
 Mind this, or the landing net and your man will 
 prove enemies, instead of assistants, to your sport. 
 JSTothing will so soon, or suddenly, rouse a sick fish 
 as the sight of a man, or a landing net. 
 
 " "With regard to the time and weather for fishing, 
 it is now well known to almost every school-boy. 
 But it may be proper just to observe, that however 
 favourable the time may be to all appearance, yet 
 Trout will seldom rise well just before rain, or when 
 they have been filled by a glut of flies. More- 
 over, Trout will frequently cease to rise well, even 
 at the best of times, from being every day whipped 
 at by anglers from the same bank. My plan, in 
 this case, is to go to the opposite side, and throw 
 against (or rather under) the wind. A friend and I 
 once caught two and twenty brace by this means, 
 while a whole tribe of professed anglers, who were 
 fishing from the windward side, caught (as we after- 
 wards heard) but three fish between them." 
 
 An experienced fly-fisher will use three or four 
 flies at the same time: the leading fly should be 
 fastened to the gut bottom by a water knot, in 
 preference to a loop 5 the first dropper about a yard 
 
rLT-riSHiNG, 113 
 
 from the leading fly; the second dropper about 
 eighteen inches above the first, and the third, if 
 required, about a foot from the second. It may be 
 observed, that flies of an orange or yellow colour 
 may be used with success at the clearing of rivers 
 after they have been disturbed by heavy rain ; such 
 as the Cowdung, Fern Ely, Cadis, &c. 
 
 *' Now when the first foul torrent of the brooks, 
 . Swell' d with the vernal rains, is ebb'd away ; 
 And, whit'ning, down their mossy tinctured stream 
 Descends the billowy foam : now is the time, 
 While yet the dark brown water aids the guile, 
 To tempt the Trout. The well dissembled fly, 
 The rod fine tapering with elastic spring, 
 Snatch' d from the hoary steed the floating line, 
 And all thy slender wat'ry stores prepare." 
 
 Thomson. 
 
 " After giving ample instructions for the pre- 
 paration of the tackle requisite for fly-fishing, the 
 first point that presents itself for the consideration 
 of the angler, as to his movements, is, which bank 
 of the river he is to go down ; and this often proves 
 of more moment than may at first sight be apparent. 
 He generally arrives on the banks of the river where 
 there is a bridge, and has then a choice in his power. 
 If he be on known ground, of course he has no 
 difficulty in deciding. If a stranger to the river, the 
 case is diflerent ; and as his day's sport, or, at any 
 rate, a large portion of his time depends on his 
 decision, he should ponder well. In the absence of 
 
114 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 other considerations, in a stream running east or 
 west, I would prefer the north side, to avoid having 
 your own shadow, and that of your rod, cast on the 
 stream, in case of sunshine, and to make in any 
 event a less conspicuous figure. In streams lying 
 north and south, I would prefer the east side for the 
 same reason ; both because the sun is generally 
 pretty well south before the fisher begins his sport, 
 and because the afternoon may be considered the 
 most valuable part of the day. In a wide river you 
 must, of course, choose the bank on which you have 
 access to the best streams. In one which can be 
 fished across, if a still and oozy river, choose the side 
 opposite to the favourite bank, because a fhollow 
 bank is best fished from the further shore. But if 
 it should abound with rapid streams, choose the 
 bank under which the fish harbour, because flies 
 cannot be kept stationary for a sufficient length of 
 time across a rapid run which is at any distance 
 from you. In the absence of any of these con- 
 siderations, and if ignorant of the localities, prefer 
 the bank on which the path seems most frequented. 
 Where bridges are frequent, or the stream shallow, 
 the decision on this point may be of little conse- 
 quence : but on deep and formidable streams, with 
 few bridges or fords, the angler will find it worthy of 
 some reflection, else the consequence may be that 
 
FLT-riSHIKG, 115 
 
 he will find his forenoon spent rather as if he were 
 beating for woodcocks than fishing for Trout. 
 
 MATERIALS FOR MAKING ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 
 
 '' To frame the little animal provide 
 
 All the gay hues that wait on female pride ; 
 
 Let nature guide thee. Sometimes golden wire 
 
 The shining bellies of the fly require ; 
 
 The peacock's plumes thy tackle must not fail, 
 
 Nor the dear purchase of the sable's tail. 
 
 Each gaudy bird some slender tribute brings, 
 
 And lends the growing insect proper wings ; 
 
 Silks of all colours must their aid impart. 
 
 And every fur promote the fisher's art." 
 
 Gay. 
 
 The articles necessary for the fly maker to be 
 furnished with, are, a variety of feathers of every 
 colour, from the most gaudy to the most dusky 
 tinge ; particularly hackle feathers from the domestic 
 cock and hen ; hackles and wings of the bittern, 
 mallard, grouse, pheasant, woodcock, partridge, snipe, 
 landrail, plover, starling, thrush, blackbird, swallow, 
 fieldfare, and watercoot. The fur of seals, squirrels, 
 moles, water-rats, and hare's ears in the natural 
 state, and dyed yellow ; camlets and goat's hair, 
 commonly called mohair, of every colour ; the latter 
 is serviceable in all flies, as it prevents the fur of 
 which the bodies are made from absorbing too much 
 moisture. Ostrich and peacock's harl is also re- 
 quisite, the former of every possible colour. Provide 
 I 
 
116 ART or ANGLING. 
 
 also gold and silver flatted wire or twist ; sewing 
 silk of every colour, and of different thicknesses ; a 
 pair of sharp-pointed scissors, and a pair of small 
 spring pilars are absolutely necessary. 
 
 DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING, TYING, OR DRESSING 
 THE ARTIFICIAL FLY. 
 
 After having enumerated the materials for making 
 the artificial fly, we will proceed to give directions 
 for its formation. Whether a common hackle or 
 winged fly is to be manufactured, it is invariably 
 necessary to have the whole of the materials in 
 readiness previous to commencing operations; viz. 
 the hackles stripped of the soft fibres which grow 
 near the quiU; the gut carefully selected and ex- 
 amined; the dubbing mixed to the exact colour of 
 the body of the natural fly ; the silk, of the same 
 colour as the body, well waxed; and the hooks 
 properly selected in point of size. 
 
 Every thing being thus prepared, the hook must 
 be tied to the finest end of the gut ; beginning, if 
 for a hackle fly, at the bend, and working towards 
 the end of the shauk ; within a few turns of which 
 the hackle must be fastened in, and the winding of 
 the silk continued until it reaches the end ; when, 
 by two or three turns back again, towards the hackle, 
 the head of the fly will be formed. The dubbing 
 
TLT-nSHINa, 117 
 
 must now be twisted round the silk and wrapped on 
 the hook about half the proposed length of the body, 
 when it may be fastened by a single loop, in order 
 that both hands may be at liberty for the better 
 management of the hackle. When sufficient feather 
 is wound upon the hook, the remaining part should 
 be held firmly under the thumb of the left hand, and 
 the fibres which may be entangled picked out by a 
 needle; the silk, with the dubbing, must then be 
 wound over the end of the hackle, which the thumb 
 kept down, until the body of the fly is of the size 
 required, and then fasten. If gold or silver twist be 
 necessary, fasten it at the lower end of the body 
 before you apply the dubbing to the silk, and, after 
 forming the body with the dubbing, wind the twist 
 neatly over it, but not too close. 
 
 To make a winged fly, the same method may be 
 observed in tying on the hook ; then take the feather 
 which is to form the wings, and place it even on the 
 the upper side of the shank, with the roots pointed 
 towards the bend of the hook; after fastening the 
 feather by winding the silk over it, cut the root ends 
 close with a pair of scissors, and divide the wings as 
 equally as possible with a needle, passing the silk 
 twice or thrice between them, which will make tliem 
 jstand in a proper position ; then carry the silk 
 from the wings down the shank of the hook, about 
 
118 ART OF ANGLING. 
 
 the proposed length of the body, and, after fastening, 
 apply the dubbing to the silk, and form the body by 
 warping towards the wings ; when within a turn or 
 two of the wings, fasten in the hackle for legs, and 
 wind it neatly under the wings so as to hide the 
 ends of the cut fibres ; fasten above the wings. 
 
 No directions can well be given for making a fly, 
 the way in which it is done varying according to the 
 fancy of the artist ; yet these instructions, with a 
 little practice, will assist an ingenious angler. It is 
 strongly recommended to the young angler, atten- 
 tively to watch some skilful fly-maker, and in the 
 progress of his work, make such inquiries and obser- 
 vations as he may deem requisite ; from which 
 greater facility and neatness are to be acquired than 
 from any written description whatever. 
 
 A DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE ARTIFICIAL FLIES 
 USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 
 
 EED ELY.— No. 1.* 
 
 This fly, which is the first for the season, appears 
 about the middle of February, and continues on the 
 water till April. It has four wings, and generally 
 flutters on the surface of the water. It is thus 
 
 * These numbers refer to the Flies in the Frontispiece. 
 
BLUE DIJN, 119 
 
 made artificially ; the wings of a dark drake's feather, 
 the body of the red fur of a squirrel, and a red cock's 
 hackle wrapped twice or thrice under the wings for 
 legs ; the hook No. 7 or 8. This fly is to be fished 
 with from ten o'clock in the morning till three in 
 the afternoon. 
 
 BLUE DTJJSr.— No. 2. 
 
 This fly is found on most rivers, and is in 
 appearance one of the most delicate insects that 
 frequent the water; and, what is rather extraor- 
 dinary, it is more numerous, and the fish take it 
 best, in dark cold weather, being but seldom seen 
 when mild and warm. Et appears early in March, 
 and is a good fly throughout the year. The wings 
 stand upright on the body, and are to be made of a 
 feather from a starling's wing, or a pale blue feather 
 from under the wing of a duck widgeon ; the body 
 of the blue fur of a fox, or water rat, or squirrel, 
 mixed with a small proportion of yellow or lemon- 
 coloured mohair ; and a fine blue cock's hackle for 
 legs ; the tail is forked, and is to be formed with 
 two fibres from the same feather as the wings are 
 made of; the hook No. 9. It may be used from ten 
 o'clock in the morning till three in the afternoon ; 
 but the best time of the day is from twelve tiU two, 
 partipularly in March and April. 
 
120 ART OF ANGI/ITfG. 
 
 MAECH BROW]^.— No. 3. 
 
 About the middle of March this very excellent 
 fly makes its appearance, and continues till the end 
 of April. The wings are upright, and made of a 
 feather from a pheasant's wing, or a dark mottled 
 feather from the tail of a partridge ; the body of fur 
 from a hare's ear, mixed with squirrel's fur, and 
 ribbed up with yellow silk, or hare's fur, mixed with 
 a little yellow worsted; a partridge's or grizzled 
 cock's hackle for legs; and two fibres of the feather 
 which compose the wings to form the tail ; the hook 
 No. 7 or 8. This fly may be used with great success 
 in warm gloomy days, from eleven o'clock till three ; 
 and when the Brown fly is on the water the fish 
 will refuse all other kinds. There cannot be too 
 much said in commendation of this fly, both for its 
 duration, and the extraordinary sport it affords the 
 angler. A reduced fly, of the same form and mate- 
 rials, will be found very killing in the month of 
 August. 
 
 COWDUJSra fly.— No. 4. 
 
 This fly will be found on the excrement of cattle, 
 about the same time as the Brown fly appears on 
 the water ; the principal time to angle with it is from 
 itis first appearance to the end of April, although it 
 
GRANAM FLY. 121 
 
 will raise fisli until September. The wings lie flat 
 on the body, and are made of a featlier from the 
 wing of a landrail; the body of lemon -coloured 
 mohair, mixed with a little brown fur to give it a 
 dusky appearance; and a ginger hackle for legs; 
 the hook No. 8. This fly is chiefly to be used in 
 cold stormy days, as it is seldom seen upon the 
 water unless driven there by high winds. 
 
 STONE ELY.— No. 5. 
 
 In the beginning of April the Stone Fly escapes 
 from the husk, or case, before its wings are suffi- 
 ciently grown to enable it to fly, and creeps to 
 crevices in stones, from which circumstance its 
 name is derived. It is seldom in perfection before 
 the beginning of May. The wings, which are four 
 in number, lie flat on the back, and are made of a 
 dusky blue cock's hackle, or a mottled feather from 
 a hen pheasant, or peahen ; the body of dark brown 
 and yellow camlet or mohair mixed, and a grizzled 
 hackle for legs ; the hook No. 4 or 5. This fly may 
 be used at any time in the day, and will be found 
 very destructive in the most rapid parts of rivers 
 and small brooks. 
 
 GEANAM, OB GEEEN-TAIL.— No. 6. 
 
 If the weather be warm, this fly makes its 
 
122 AET OE ANGLING. 
 
 appearance in the beginning of April, and it con- 
 tinues on the water about a fortnight ; it is a delicate 
 fly, and but seldom seen on cold days. It derives 
 the name of Grreen-Tail from a bunch of eggs, of a 
 green colour, which it deposits on the water while 
 floating on the surface. The wings lie flat on the 
 body, and are made of a shaded feather from the 
 wing of a partridge or hen pheasant ; the body of 
 the dark fur of a hare's ear, and a yellowish grizzled 
 cock's hackle for legs ; a small quantity of bright 
 green wax (or green harl from the eye of a peacock's 
 tail), about the size of a pin's head, may be applied 
 to the lower part of the body, after the fly is 
 completed, for the tail, and it has a very natural 
 appearance ; the hook Xo. 9. This fly is to be 
 fished with from seven o'clock in the morning till 
 eleven, at which time the March Brown comes on, 
 and so long as the Brown continues, the fish will 
 not take the Qranam ; from five in the evening till 
 dark it may again be used with success. 
 
 SPIDEE rLT.—No. 7. 
 
 This fly appears in the middle of April, and 
 continues about a fortnight ; and at this period the 
 gravel or sand, near the water side, in which these 
 insects are bred, is covered by incalculable numbers. 
 
BLACK CATEEPILLAB. 128 
 
 It is an extremely delicate fly, and therefore seldom 
 visible on cold days, although it is known to meet 
 with the greatest success when rather cold. The 
 wings are made of a feather from the wing of a 
 woodcock, or landrail, the body of lead-coloured silk, 
 with a black cock's hackle, or ostrich's harl, wrapped 
 under the wings ; the hook No. 9 or 10. It may be 
 fished with at any time of the day. 
 
 BLACK aNAT.— JSTo. 8. 
 
 About the same time as the Spider Ely appears 
 the Black Gnat, and it continues till the end of 
 May. The body is made of black ostrich's harl, 
 and the wings of a dusky or pale dun cock's hackle, 
 or a pale starling's feather; it must be dressed 
 rather short and thick ; the hook No. 10 ; it is to 
 be used in cold stormy days. This is a favourite fly 
 with some persons, and is generally considered a 
 good killer, especially when the water is low. 
 
 BLACK CATEEPILLAE.— No. 9. 
 
 This insect appears early in May, and remains 
 about a fortnight. The wings are made of a feather 
 from a jay's wing, the body of black ostrich's harl, 
 with a brownish or black cock's hackle for legs ; 
 the hook No. 8. It is to be used in the evening, 
 after a warm day, and is very killing in small rivers. 
 
124 ARt OF ANGLIKG. 
 
 LITTLE lEON BLIJE.— No. 10. 
 
 In cold stormy days, about the tenth of May, 
 this fly frequents the water in considerable numbers, 
 and continues till the middle of June. Its wings 
 stand upright, and are made of a dusky feather from 
 under the wing of a blue hen, or cormorant, or a 
 feather from the tail of a tomtit ; the body of water 
 rat's fur, ribbed with yellow silk, or pale blue fur, 
 ribbed with purple silk, and a blue cock's hackle for 
 legs ; the tail is forked, and the same colour as the 
 wings ; the hook No. 10. This is a very neat small 
 fly, and cannot be dressed too fine; it is to be 
 fished with from eleven o'clock in the morning till 
 ^ve in the afternoon. 
 
 YELLOW SALLY.— No. 11. 
 
 The Yellow Sally, or Little May Ely, may be 
 seen early in May, and it continues till the end of 
 June ; it resembles the May Ely, or Cadow, in shape, 
 but is much smaller. The wings are made of a 
 white cock's hackle dyed yellow, and the body of 
 yellow worsted unravelled, and mixed with a small 
 portion of fur from a hare's ear ; the hook No. 9 or 
 10. This fly will sometimes be successful previous 
 to the appearance of the Cadow. But in those 
 rivers where the Cadow is abundant, fly-fishing may 
 
SHOE]!?^ PLY. 125 
 
 be said to be in abeyance for a fortnight before its 
 appearance; the fish are then no doubt feeding 
 upon it at the bottom. 
 
 CANON, OB DOWN-HILL FLY.- No. 12. 
 
 This fly is frequently seen on the trunks of oak, 
 ash, and willow trees ; it is invariably found with 
 its head pointing downwards, from which circum- 
 stance it derives the appropriate name of the Down- 
 hill My. It appears about the twentieth of May, 
 and continues about a week in June. The wings 
 lie flat on the back, and are made with a feather 
 from the wing of a partridge, or bittern ; the head 
 of fur from a hare's ear ; the body of dun fur, mixed 
 with a little orange and yellow mohair; the hook 
 No. 8 or 9. This fly is bred in the oak apple, and, 
 like the Cow dung, is seldom seen on the water. 
 Two of these flies, when alive, are an excellent bait 
 to use in bobbing or dibbing for Trout. 
 
 SHOEN FLY.— No. 13. 
 
 The Shorn Fly, or Marlow Buz, appears on the 
 water about the same time as the Canon, and 
 continues till the end of July ; it is a small cater- 
 pillar, with reddish-brown wings, and is frequently 
 
126 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 seen in grass fields. There are three kinds, but the 
 two following are the most useful. The wings of a 
 red cock's hackle, and the body of peacock's hat-l; 
 or thus, the wings of a dark blue cock's hackle, the 
 body of peacock's harl, and a small bit of orange 
 worsted at the tail; the hook No. 6 or 7. The 
 Shorn Fly is in its greatest perfection in June, but 
 it may be used successfully during the whole season ; 
 for the early spring it should be made larger ; many 
 anglers consider this the best Trout fly for general 
 use of the whole catalogue, and always have one for 
 a dropper. The first of these is much used in 
 Wales, and is better knowTi there by the name of 
 Coch-a-bonddu, that is, red with a black body. 
 
 YELLOW MAY PLY, or CADOW.— No. 14. 
 
 This is the most important fly for Trout fishing 
 of any, because at this period the Trout is in its 
 greatest perfection; it is bred from the cad-worm, 
 and is found in considerable numbers at the sides of 
 most small gravelly rivers, on bushes which overhang 
 the water; to which places they resort when they 
 change from their chrysalis state. Its wdngs, which 
 are single, stand upright like the wings of a butterfly ; 
 the body is yellow (some are darker than others) 
 ribbed with green; the tail consists of three dark 
 
CADOW. 127 
 
 whisks, and is turned up towards the back; from 
 the green stripes on its body, it is sometimes called 
 the G-reen Drake. The naturalist may be highly 
 gratified during a fine warm day, in the end of May, 
 by observing the manner in which this singular 
 insect breaks through and fiies from the case in 
 which it has been enveloped while in the state of a 
 maggot. The wings are formed artificially of the 
 light feather of a grey drake, or wild mallard, dyed 
 yellow ;* the body of yellow ram's wool, seals fur, or 
 amber-coloured mahair, mixed witli a little fox-down, 
 or hog's wool, ribbed with pale yellow and green 
 silk, or the feather of a heron or bittern, to imitate 
 the legs and joints of the fly's body; the head of 
 peacock's harl, and the tail of three long hairs from 
 a sable muff*, or the whiskers of a black cat ; the 
 hook No. 6. The body may also be made thus, and 
 it has a more natural appearance than the preceding ; 
 in the first place, fasten near the bend of the hook a 
 small thin piece of white Indian rubber, then wjirp 
 
 * The following are the most approved Receipts for staining 
 feathers yellow ; . . . . Scrape a small quantity of the bark of 
 the barberry tree, or bruise in a mortar the root, add to it a 
 lump of alum, and two or three dozen grey feathers of a 
 mallard ; boil them in a pint of rain water, in an earthen 
 pitcher, about an hour, and you will find them the colour you 
 wish. Or, 
 
 Gamboge dissolved in spirits of wine, will impart a fine 
 yellow to the feathers, if they be first boiled in strong alum 
 water. 
 
128 ABT OF ANGLING. 
 
 a little yellow cotton round the shank, the proper, 
 length of the body, and wind the Indian rubber 
 neatly over it; fasten under the wings. This fly 
 appears in the end of Mhj, but the principal time 
 for using it is from the first to the twelfth of June, 
 from ten in the morning till seven in the evening. 
 
 GEEY DEAKE.— No. 15. 
 
 This fly appears at the same time as the last 
 mentioned, and very much resembles it in shape. 
 The wings are made of a dark grey feather of a 
 mallard ; the body of light goat's hair, or white 
 ostrich's harl, striped with dark silk; the legs of a 
 grizzled cock's hackle ; the head of peacock's harl, 
 and the tail of three hairs from a sable mufl" or 
 fitchew's tail ; the hook No. 6. Some anglers vary 
 the body of this fly by warping with ash-coloured 
 silk and silver twist. It is chiefly to be fished with 
 in the evening, after the yellow May Ely has disap- 
 peared, that is, from seven o'clock till dark. 
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS on EPHEMERAL FLIES, 
 APPLIED PARTICULARLY to the TWO PRECEDING^ 
 
 " This species of insect is named ephemeral, 
 because of its very short existence in the fly state. 
 
EPHEMEEAL ELIES. 129 
 
 It is one of tHe most beautiful species of flies, and 
 undergoes five changes. At first the egg contains 
 its vital principle ; it comes forth a small caterpillar, 
 which is transformed into a chrysalis, then into a 
 nympha, and lastly into a fly, which deposits its 
 eggs upon the surface of the water, where the sun's 
 rays bring them to life. Each egg produces a little 
 red worm, which moves in a serpentine manner ; as 
 soon as the cold weather sets in, this little worm 
 makes for itself a sliell, or lodging, where it passes 
 the winter; at the end. of which it ceases to be a 
 worm, and enters into its third state, that of a 
 chrysalis. It then sleeps till spring, and gradually 
 becomes a beautiful nympha, or a sort of mummy, 
 something in the form of a fish. At the time of its 
 metamorphosis the nympha at first seems inactive 
 and lifeless ; in six days the head appears, raising 
 itself gradually above the surface of the water ; the 
 body next disengages itself slowly and by degrees, 
 till at length the whole animal comes out of its 
 shell. The new-born fly remains for some minutes 
 motionless upon the water ; then gradually revives, 
 and feebly shakes its wings, then moves them 
 quicker and attempts first to walk, then to fly. As 
 these insects are all hatched nearly at the same 
 time, they are seen in swarms for a few hcmrs 
 flitting and playing upon the surface of the water. 
 
130 AET OF ANGLINa. 
 
 The male and female tlien unite and couple together 
 for two more hours, when they again return to 
 their sports, laj their eggs, and soon after die. 
 Thus the J terminate their short life in the space of 
 a few hours, and the same day that saw them born 
 witnesses their death. Sturm, 
 
 OEL TLT.— No. 16. 
 
 During the whole of June this fly may be seen 
 playing upon the top of the water, and is a good 
 killer at all hours of the day, especially after the 
 May Ply is gone. It has four wings lying flat on 
 the back, and which should be made of a dark 
 grizzled cock's hackle, or a feather from the wing of 
 a brown hen ; the body of peacock's harl, worked 
 with dark red silk, or the fur from a brown spaniel, 
 mixed with a little dark red mohair, and ribbed 
 with orange silk ; the hook No. 7. This fly is 
 principally used in warm weather, and when the 
 water is not very low. 
 
 SKY BLUB— No. 17. 
 
 This fly also appears early in June, and continues 
 till the middle of July. The wings stand upright 
 and are made of the light blvie feather of a hen, or 
 
TEEN FLY. 131 
 
 from the wing of a sea swallow; the body of pale 
 yellow mohair, mixed with a little light blue fur, 
 and a yellow cock's hackle for legs ; the hook No. 9. 
 This fly is only to be used when the water is very 
 low and fine. 
 
 CADIS FLY.— No. 18. 
 
 About the twelfth of June this fly appears, and 
 continues till the beginning of July; it is bred 
 from the cadis or cod-bait. The wings are made of 
 a feather from a bufl*-coloured hen ; the body of bufl* 
 mohair, warped with a pale yellow hackle ; the hook 
 No. 7. The Cadis is a fly worth but little notice, 
 as there are many others on the water at the same 
 time which are far preferable ; it is chiefly used at 
 the clearing of the river after it has been disturbed. 
 
 FEEN FLY.— No. 19. 
 
 This fly appears about the middle of June, and 
 confcinues good till the middle of July. The wings 
 are made of a woodcock's feather, or the under part 
 of a throstle, or fieldfare's wing ; the body of orange- 
 coloured silk, and a pale dun hackle for legs ; the 
 hook No. 6 or 7. It is a very killing fly, and may 
 be used at any time in the day. 
 
 K 
 
132 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 EED SPINNEE.— No. 20. 
 
 The Eed Spinner appears about the middle of 
 June, and is a good fly till the end of August. The 
 wings are made of a dark brown feather of a drake ; 
 the body of the red fur of a squirrel, ribbed with 
 gold twist, and a red cock's hackle for legs ; the tail 
 ia forked, and of the fibres of a red hackle. It may- 
 be varied thus : — the wings of a feather from the 
 wing of a starling, the body of dull red mohair, &c. 
 as above. The hook No. 8 or 9. This is an excel- 
 lent fly, but most killing when the water is dark, 
 and late in the evening after a hot day. 
 
 BLUE GNAT.— No. 21. 
 This fly appears at the same time as the Eed 
 Spinner, and continues about a fortnight. The 
 wings are made of a small blue cock's hackle, or a 
 feather from a snipe's wing ; the body of light blue 
 fur, mixed with a little yellow mohair; the hook 
 No. 11. It is also an excellent fly for Grreyling in 
 September and October, if the water is low and fine. 
 
 LAEQE EED ANT.— No 22. 
 If the weather be hot, this fly will be found on 
 the water in the middle of June, and will remain 
 till the end of July. The wings are made of a 
 
HAZEL FLT. 13»^ 
 
 starling's feather ; the body of copper- coloured pea- 
 cock's harl, and a ginger cock's hackle for legs ; the 
 hook No. 9. To be joshed with from eleven o'clock 
 in the forenoon till six in the evening ; and may be 
 used in still water as well as in streams. 
 
 LAEQE BLACK ANT.— No. 23. 
 About the same time as the Eed appears the 
 Large Black Ant. The wings are made of a very 
 light sky blue hackle, or the lightest feather from 
 under a snipe's wing ; the body of black ostrich's 
 harl, and a black or reddish cock's hackle for legs ; 
 The hook No. 9. This fly resembles the Eed Ant 
 in shape, and is to be used at the same period. 
 
 HAZEL ELY.— No. 24. 
 The Hazel Ely, or Welshman's Button, appears 
 in the end of July, and remains about ten days. 
 The wings are made of a red feather from the rump 
 of a partridge (but not too dark), or wing of a 
 landrail ; tlie body with peacock's and black ostrich's 
 harl mixed, and a black or bluish cock's hackle for 
 legs ; the hook No. 8. This insect is a small cater- 
 pillar, in form similar to a button ; it is equally 
 valuable for bobbing or dibbing with, as for fly- 
 fishing. 
 
134 AET OE ANGLING. 
 
 LITTLE EED ANT.— No. 25. 
 This % appears about the twelfth of August, 
 and remains on the water till the end of September. 
 The wings are made of a starling's feather; the 
 body of peacock's harl, with a ginger cock's hackle 
 for legs ; the hook No. 10. It is a good killer from 
 eleven o'clock till six, particularly in warm gloomy 
 
 LITTLE BLACK ANT.— No. 25. 
 The Little Black Ant appears at the same time, 
 and resembles in shape the Little Eed Ant. The 
 wings are made of a very light sky-blue cock's 
 hackle ; the body of black ostrich's harl, and a black 
 or reddish cock's hackle for legs ; the hook No. 10. 
 This fly is to be used at the same time as the Little 
 Bed Ant. 
 
 WHIELINa BLUE.— No. 26. 
 
 This fly appears about the twelfth of August, 
 and continues till the end of the season. The 
 wings stand upright, and are made of a feather from 
 the wing of a starling or jay ; the body of squirrel's 
 fur mixed with yellow mohair, and a red cock's 
 hackle for legs; the tail the same colour as the 
 wings ; the hook No. 9. It is an excellent fly, and 
 may be fished with at any time of the day. 
 
WHITE MOTH. 135 
 
 LITTLE PALE BLUE.— No. 27. 
 
 This fly may be met with about the same time 
 as the Whirling Blue, and continues till the end of 
 the season. The wings are made of a feather from 
 the wing of a sea swallow, the body of very pale 
 blue fur, mixed with yellow mohair, and a pale blue 
 hackle for legs; the hook No. 9. This fly is 
 excellent for Greyling fishing, and may be used 
 from ten in the morning till dark. 
 
 WILLOW ELY.— No. 28, 
 
 In the beginning of September this fly appears, 
 and is very killing during the remainder of the 
 season. The wing's are made of a dark grizzled 
 cock's hackle ; the body of blue squirrel's fur mixed 
 with yellow mohair ; the hook No. 8, This is a very 
 destructive fly in stormy weather. 
 
 WHITE MOTH.— No. 29. 
 
 This moth appears in June and July, flitting 
 about at the edge of night. The wings are made of 
 a feather from the wing of a white owl; the body 
 of white cotton, or white ostrich's harl, and a white 
 cock's hackle wrapped over the body; the hook 
 No. 3 or 4. This moth is only used in night 
 
136 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 angling, and after this manner; the line should be 
 strong and about a yard longer than the rod; on 
 the bend of the hook put two or three maggots, or a 
 well-scoured worm; then throw in the bait, either 
 in a stream or still water, with as little noise as 
 possible ; and when you feel a bite, strike, and lift 
 the fish out instantly. The best time for using this 
 bait is in a dark gloomy night, from eleven o'clock 
 till day break: if the stars or moon shine the 
 attempt will be nearly fruitless. 
 
 EEOWlSr MOTH. 
 
 This moth appears at the same time as the 
 former. The wings are made of a feather from the 
 brown owl; the body of brown mohair, with a 
 grizzled or brown cock's hackle wrapped over the 
 body ; the hook No. 3 or 4. To be used precisely 
 in the same manner as the White Moth. 
 
 DEAaOJSr ELY, LIBELLA oe LIBELLIJLA. 
 
 This fly is used only in Salmon fishing; it 
 frequents most rivers during the months of July 
 and August. The head of this insect is a beautiful 
 object for the microscope ; it wears a mask as per- 
 fectly formed as those worn in a masquerade ; and 
 
' king's risHER. 137 
 
 this mask, fastened to its neck, and which it moves 
 at will, serves to hold its prey while devouring it. 
 This insect flies verj swiftly, and feeds while on the 
 wing, clearing the air of innumerable small flies. 
 The wings are made of a reddish brown feather 
 from the wing of a cock turkey, the body of auburn- 
 coloured mohair warped with yellow silk, and a 
 ginger cock's hackle wrapped under the wings ; the 
 hook ]^o. 2 or 3. Or it may be varied thus ; the 
 wings of a rich brown feather from a heron's wing; 
 the body drab, or olive-coloured mohair, a bittern's 
 hackle under the wings, and a forked tail. This fly 
 is about two inches in length. 
 
 KING'S nSHEE, oe PEACOCK FLY. 
 
 This is also a Salmon fly, and is seen at the 
 same time as the Dragon Fly. The wings are made 
 of a feather from the neck or tail of a peacock ; the 
 body of deep green mohair, warped with light 
 green silk; and a jay's feather striped blue and 
 white, wrapped under the wings ; the hook No. 2 
 or 3. It may be thus varied ; the wings of a dark 
 shining green feather from a drake's wing; the 
 body of green mohair warped with chocolate silkj 
 and a bittern's hackle under the wings. 
 
138 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 PALMER WOEMS. 
 
 The Palmer Worm is a small worm covered with 
 hair, supposed to be so called because it wanders 
 over all plants. There are several kinds used for 
 fishing ; the following are the most killing. 
 
 EED PALMEE.— No. 30. 
 
 The body of the Eed Palmer is made with dark 
 red mohair, ribbed with gold twist, and warped 
 with a blood red cock's hackle over the whole body ; 
 the hook No. 6 or 7. 
 
 GOLDEN PALMEE. 
 
 The body of orange-coloured silk, ribbed with 
 peacock's harl and gold twist, and warped with a 
 red cock's hackle. 
 
 BEOWN PALMEE. 
 
 The body of amber-coloured hog's down, ribbed 
 alternately with gold and silver twist, and warped 
 with a red cock's hackle. 
 
 BLACK PALMEE, 
 
 The body of black ostrich's harl, ribbed with 
 silver twist, and warped with a black cock's hackle. 
 
 These Palmers will kill fish every month from 
 Eebruary to October, and are to be used in the 
 same manner as the artificial flies. 
 
OBSEETATIONS OK TLY EISHIKG. 139 
 
 Captain Hazard considers the following obser- 
 vations on Ely-fishing, as the grand arcanum of the 
 art; at all events they are very concise, and well 
 worthy the notice of the most skilful angler. 
 
 "February and March. — Dark blue hackle, a 
 body of the fur of the hare's ear, tied with yellow 
 silk well waxed. 
 
 About the 20th of March — use a lighter hackle 
 with the same body. 
 
 2nd. — Dun or blue hackle, the body of water- 
 rat's fur — the hackle rather lighter than the former. 
 
 3rd. — The same hackle with squirrel fur body — 
 the fur from the back of the squirrel, a mixture of 
 brown and blue : — or, change the body to yellow 
 silk only, which in fine clear weather kills well. 
 
 Lastly. — for the months of May, June and July, 
 the red cock's hackle, the body of peacock's harl 
 (tlie copper-colour), and ribbed with gold plate. 
 This fly will kill in the brightest day and fine water. 
 Hooks No. 8, 9, and 10. 
 
 I never use wing flies — if the hackle be good, 
 when wet, it forms a wing. — The finer the water, 
 the finer the flies." 
 
140 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 WOEM-FISHINa. 
 
 " You must not every worm promiscuous use ; 
 Judgment will tell the proper bait to chuse ; 
 The worm that draws a long immod'rate size 
 The Trout abhors, and the rank morsel flies ; 
 And if too small, the naked fraud's in sight, 
 And fear forbids, while hunger does invite. 
 Those baits will best reward the fisher's pains. 
 Whose polish'd tails a shining yellow stains ; 
 Cleanse them from filth, to give a tempting gloss, 
 Cherish the sullied reptile race with moss ; 
 Amid the verdant bed they twine, they toil, 
 And from their bodies wipe their native soil." 
 
 Gay. 
 
 WoRM-nsHiNG begins early in February, and is 
 good throughout the year. During spring worms 
 may be used any time of the day ; when the summer 
 is advanced, only early in the morning and late in 
 the evening ; and in the autumn they may again be 
 used all day ; if the rivers are disturbed, this is the 
 only bait that can be used at all. The necessary 
 tackle for worm-fishing is described on page 25 ; 
 and, as this bait is most killing in rapid streams, 
 the lead should be sufficiently heavy to keep the 
 bait on the ground. A float is quite unnecessary, 
 unless you angle in ponds or still water. There are 
 several kinds of worms fit for the angler's purpose ; 
 the following are the most useful. 
 
 LoBWQTiMS. These worms, which are the largest 
 used in angliag, are generally found in gardens, in 
 damp evenings, during the spring and summer, on 
 
BEANDLINGS. 141 
 
 the surface of the earth in great quantities ; or they 
 may be procured by digging in any place where 
 manure has laid for any length of time ; they may 
 also be got by infusing bruised walnut-tree leaves, 
 or salt, in water, and strewing it upon the ground ; 
 they then soon come to the surface. These worms 
 are good baits for Salmon, Trout, Barbel, Eels, 
 and large Perch ; they are particularly adapted for 
 laying night-lines for Eels during the summer 
 months. 
 
 Eed "Wobms are a smaller species of lobworms, 
 and are usually found in similar places, or in old 
 rotten dunghills; they are an excellent bait when 
 taken from a good dry loamy soil, being then of a 
 strong red colour throughout. Some red worms 
 are more yellow than others towards their tails, and 
 which are generally to be preferred. These are the 
 most killing worms of any for Carp, Tench, Barbel, 
 Chub, Dace, Perch, Trout, Eels, Gudgeons, Bream, 
 &c. Too much praise cannot be given to red 
 worms, indeed hardly any fish will refuse them, 
 especially during spring, autumn, and winter. 
 
 Brandlings are striped with red and yellow 
 across the whole body, they are chiefly found in 
 dunghills where the dung of horses, cows, and pigs 
 
142 AET or AKGLING. 
 
 is mixed together; the largest and best are to be 
 met with in tanner's bark after it is thrown by; 
 they should be kept several days in moss, to scour 
 out the bitter pungent mixture with which they 
 abound. 
 
 Maesh Woems are so called from their being 
 partial to low marshy places; they are toleraby 
 good baits, but very tender ; however they generally 
 become more tough after a few days scouring among 
 moss, and, if not then tough enough, they may be 
 scalded in milk; in colour they are dark brown, 
 with a bluish gloss, and red heads; they are good 
 for Trout and Perch. 
 
 TO CLEANSE OR SCOUR WORMS. 
 The best method of cleansing or scouring worms 
 is by putting them into damp moss in an earthen 
 jar ; the moss should be fresh gathered, and all the 
 earthly particles well washed out, then squeeze it, 
 but not too dry, and put both moss and worms into 
 the jar, changing the moss every three days in 
 summer, and once a week in winter. K the worms 
 look sickly, wash the moss and sprinkle a table- 
 spoon full of new milk over it, this will revive them. 
 The following is an excellent plan to preserve a 
 
MAGGOT-EISHINQ. 143 
 
 stock of worms for several months ; — procure them 
 in March or April ; take a pound of beef or mutton 
 suet, chop it into small pieces, and put it into a 
 saucepan with about a quart of water; let it boil 
 until the suet is dissolved ; then take a piece of 
 hop-sack, or other very coarse cloth, wash it clean 
 and let it dry; dip it in the liquor, and wring it, 
 but not so as to press all out; put the worms in 
 this cloth when dry, and lay them by in an earthen 
 pot. After the worms have remained in this state 
 two days, it becomes necessary to wash the cloth 
 and again dip it in the liquor as before ; this should 
 be repeated every three or four days during the 
 heat of summer. The jar must be kept in a cool 
 damp place. Observe, that the lobworms, red 
 worms, and marsh worms, will bear more scouring 
 than any others, and are better for long keeping. 
 When worms are taken out for angling, put them 
 in fresh moss that has been washed, and not wrung 
 quite dry. 
 
 MAGGOT-EISHIXa. 
 
 Maggots, or gentles, can seldom be procured 
 before the beginning of May ; they are certainly 
 the best and most killing ground bait of any ; they 
 may be bred from any animal substance, either flesh 
 
144 AET OF ANaLING. 
 
 or fowl, by exposing it for the flies to blow on 
 during spring and summer. After they are full 
 grown put them in a vessel containing a quantity of 
 bran and house sand mixed; the sand should be 
 damp, or otherwise the maggots in summer will 
 soon enter into their chrysalis state, when they are 
 of no use to the angler. A correspondent, upon 
 whose veracity we can rely, informs us that having 
 to start early upon a fishing excursion, he prepared 
 over night a bag of maggots, all of which were quite 
 lively, but on opening the bag at the water-side the 
 next day, he was much annoyed to find them nearly 
 all in a dormant state. With a view to cool and 
 preserve lively what few maggots were left, he 
 dipped the bag into the river, and on looking at 
 them an hour afterwards, he found the whole of 
 them quite lively again, as on the previous night. 
 The tackle proper for maggot-fishing is described 
 on page 27. 
 
 TO PRESERVE MAGGOTS IN WINTER. 
 In the beginning of November procure a beef's 
 liver, or two or three sheep's heads, and expose 
 them for the flies to blow on ; and when the fly- 
 blows are become full-grown maggots, put them, 
 together with the remains of the liver or heads, 
 
OOD-BAIT-FISHING. 145 
 
 into a cask or large jar, having first strewed in the 
 cask a little fresh mould, mixed with half-dried 
 cowdung, and then put the same quantity of mould 
 and dung over them ; keep them in a cool place, and 
 when the mould becomes dry at the top sprinkle a 
 little water over it. As maggots are so valuable a 
 bait, the angler should not object taking a little 
 trouble to procure them ; and by observing these 
 directions, he may be well supplied in February and 
 March, at which time they are particularly useful. 
 
 WASP-aEUB-EISHINa. 
 
 The wasp-grub is a very choice bait, and which 
 many fish take extremely eager. To prevent them 
 from coming forward too fast, keep the wasp-comb 
 in a very cool place; or bake them a little in a 
 half-cooled oven; or smoke the upper side of the 
 comb with sulphur; and, for immediate use, boil 
 them about three or four minutes, putting them 
 into the water when boiling. 
 
 COD-BAIT-EISHINa. 
 
 The cod-bait, or cad, is principally to be found 
 at the sides of gravelly or stony brooks, on the 
 bottom, in small husks composed of sand ; the largest 
 are most fit for use, and which generally adhere to 
 
146 AET OF AN&LING. 
 
 the stones. This insect produces the Stone Ply, 
 and is about three quarters of an inch in length ; it 
 is an excellent bait for Trout, Grreyling, Eoach, 
 Dace, or Chub, from the middle of May till June. 
 The line for this purpose should be fine, and a 
 ISTo. 4 hook leaded on the shank ; when you bait 
 with it you must carefully break the case in which 
 it is enclosed ; put two on, one to cover the leaded 
 shank of the hook, and the other to cover the point 
 and bend. The way of using this bait is by sinking 
 and drawing, that is, moving it continually up and 
 down within a foot of the bottom. 
 
 There is a great advantage in this mode of 
 angling, inasmuch as it enables the angler to fish in 
 holes in rivers encumbered with bushes; also, in 
 bubbles, curls, and other places in which he cannot 
 angle with any other bait, and where generally the 
 largest fish lie. This bait is much improved by 
 being kept in a linen bag for a few days, dipping 
 the same in water at least once a day. It may 
 be made artificially with straw-coloiired silk on the 
 shank of the hook, putting only one cod-bait upon 
 the bend. 
 
 aElSSHOPPEE-FISHINa. 
 
 Grasshoppers are very abundant during the 
 months of June, July, and August. It is a capital 
 
PASTES. 147 
 
 bait, and is to be used precisely in the same way as 
 the cod-bait; it will^ake many kinds offish. 
 
 The fly called Harry-long-legs is equally as good 
 a bait as the grasshopper, and may be fished with 
 in the same way. Both these baits are readily 
 procured by persons residing in the country, and 
 are easily kept alive in a tin box, having holes in 
 the top to give them air, with a few green leaves. 
 Some anglers make both artificially, but the live 
 baits are always to be preferred. 
 
 CABBAaE-GlRUB-EISHIJSra. 
 
 There are three kinds of cabbage grubs, the 
 green, the speckled, and the brown; all which the 
 fish are remarkably fond of; they appear in gardens 
 in June, and continue successively till October. 
 These are to be fished with in the same way as the 
 cod-bait and grasshopper. 
 
 PASTES, &c. 
 
 Paste is a general bait for many kinds of fish, 
 but it requires care and skill in using it, and must 
 be made with clean hands. 
 
 Sweet paste for Carp, Tench, Chub, and Eoach, 
 is made of the crumb of white bread, dipped in 
 honey, and worked with the fingers in the palm of 
 the hand until it is of a proper consistency. When 
 
 L 
 
148 AET or ANGLING. 
 
 honey cannot be procured, you may use lump sugar 
 dissolved in warm water, which will answer nearly 
 as well. 
 
 Plain paste is made of white bread dipped in 
 water, then squeezed as dry as possible, and worked 
 as above until it becomes very smooth and stiff. 
 This paste is valuable, because it is easily made 
 while at the water side. 
 
 A paste made of old rotten Cheshire cheese 
 and the crumb of white bread is an excellent bait, 
 particularly for Chub. 
 
 A good paste for Barbel may be made by dipping 
 the crumb of white bread in water that chandler's 
 greaves have been boiled in, and kneaded stiff. A 
 small quantity of the greaves may be mixed with 
 the bread. 
 
 When paste is angled with for Carp, Bream, and 
 Chub, let the bait be of the size of a hazel nut ; but 
 for Eoach and Dace, the size of a large pea. Paste 
 is considered more attractive when a little vermillion 
 is mixed with it, to make it of a pale pink colour. 
 
 Salmon spawn is described by some writers as a 
 superior bait for Trout, Chub, Eoach, &c. the best 
 way to preserve it is this : — take a pound of spawn, 
 put it in warm water, and carefully wash from it all 
 the particles of skin and blood; then rinse it by 
 pouring on cold water ; and hang it up in a bag to 
 
WEATHEE TABLE. 149 
 
 drain for twenty-four hours; then put to it about 
 two ounces of bay salt and a quarter of an ounce of 
 saltpetre, and hang it up again for twenty-four 
 hours more ; then spread it on a dish to dry, in the 
 sun or before the fire, until it becomes stiff; and 
 then put it into a small jar, and run melted suet on 
 the top ; the jar must be covered with a bladder to 
 keep out the air. If this be put in a dry cool place 
 it will keep good for two years. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS ON THE WEATHEE. 
 
 As the sport of the angler in a great measure 
 depends on the weather, the following observations 
 are here introduced that he may be enabled to form 
 an opinion thereon. 
 
 DR. HERSCHEL'S WEATHER TABLE. 
 
 The following Table, constructed upon philo- 
 sophical considerations of the attraction of the sun 
 and moon, in their several positions respecting the 
 earth, and confirmed by experience of many years 
 actual observations, furnishes the observer, without 
 further trouble, with the knowledge of what kind of 
 weather there is the greatest probability of suc- 
 ceeding, and that so near the truth, that it will in 
 very few instances be found to fail. 
 
150 
 
 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 
 rr^r^ 
 
 '^ r-; 
 
 
 fl fl 
 
 rd H 
 
 
 •g^ 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
 
 a.S 
 
 'i 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 A rt 
 
 p 
 
 o 
 
 
 't3 jh 
 
 . • <i^ SI 
 
 tf 
 
 «^-( . 
 
 ^ ^ .":^- 
 
 w 
 
 •'^ W 
 
 . or S. 
 
 •osty. 
 unless 
 
 tormy. 
 
 inifW 
 gh win 
 
 
 
 % 
 
 >w or rai 
 
 mgeable 
 
 to 
 
 r and ft 
 
 e N. 0] 
 
 tiow if S 
 
 to. 
 
 r and Fi 
 
 rd frost, 
 
 !. or W. 
 
 )W and s 
 
 to. 
 
 rmy. 
 
 d and ra 
 
 d and hi 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •^ : 
 
 
 
 
 : : : 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 •t^i : 
 
 
 
 
 CO 1 
 
 
 
 P5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ; 1 : 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 a 
 
 1; 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CtS O • 'i-i >-» 
 
 
 rt • rf CD S 
 
 
 
 o ^ c 
 
 
 
 CD ^ • -1 CS ^ 
 
 ."t^ 'j3 ."t: 
 
 
 
 T- O 0) . . . 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 grC!^ . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 82-^ :^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ g . o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Saloi 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 , '!> aj O o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "^ 
 
 O rt ^ g-^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 O CT >- Q 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 new 
 oon 
 last 
 .2 at 
 nth 
 
 
 
 o ■ 
 
 bJ 
 
 ) 
 
 
 O (M 
 
 
 be a 
 the m 
 5t or 
 irof 1 
 >etwee 
 and 4 
 and 6 
 and 8 
 
 
 Tt^COOOr-H^ 
 
 r^ nd 'Ti T? nd 
 
 
 g-a^a 
 
 § 5 S S S * 
 
 C3 CC CO CO CO 
 
 
 H^ ;h ?H 0^(N ^C£) 
 
 00 O <N 
 
 (M '!^ y^ 00 O 
 
 
 •-^ Oq^^ ^- 
 
 
 r-H 
 
 
 ^ O 
 
 
 
WEATHEE. 151 
 
 BAROMETER. 
 The following rules may, in a certain degree, be 
 relied on as corresponding generally in the concomi- 
 tant changes in the barometer and the weather : — 
 
 1. Generally, the rising of the mercury indicates 
 the approach of fair weather ; the falling of it that 
 of foul weather. 
 
 2. In hot weather the fall indicates thunder. 
 
 3. In winter the rise indicates frost, and in frost 
 the fall indicates thaw, and the rise snow. 
 
 4. If fair or foul weather immediately follow 
 the rise or fall, little of it is to be expected. 
 
 5. If fair or foul weather continue for some 
 days, while the mercury is falling or rising, a con- 
 tinuance of the contrary weather will probably 
 ensue. 
 
 6. An unsettled state of the mercury indicates 
 changeable weather. 
 
 By these rules it mil be seen that the words 
 engraved on the plate are frequently calculated to 
 mislead the observer. Thus, if the mercury be at 
 much rain, and rise to changeable, fair weather is 
 to be looked for. Again, if it be at set fair, and 
 fall to changeable, foul weather may be expected. 
 
152 AET OF ANGLING. 
 
 SIGNS OF RAIN. 
 Forty reasons for not accepting the invitation of 
 
 a friend to make an excursion with him. 
 
 BY THE LATE DE. JENNEB. 
 
 1. The hollow winds begm to blow, 
 
 2. The clouds look black, the glass is low ; 
 
 3. The soot falls down, the spaniels sleep, 
 
 4. And spiders from their cobwebs peep. 
 
 5. Last night the sun went pale to bed, 
 
 6. The moon in haloes hid her head ; 
 
 7. The boding shepherd heaves a sigh, 
 
 8. For see a rainbow spans the sky : 
 
 9. The walls are damp, the ditches smell, 
 
 10. Closed is the pink-eyed pimpernel. 
 
 11. Hark how the chairs and tables crack, 
 
 12. Old Betty's joints are on the rack ; 
 
 13. Loud quack the ducks, the peacocks cry ; 
 
 14. The distant hills are seeming nigh. 
 
 15. How restless are the snorting swine, 
 
 16. The busy flies disturb the kine ; 
 
 17. Low o'er the grass the swallow wings ; 
 
 18. The cricket, too, how sharp he sings ; 
 
 19. Puss on the hearth, with velvet paws, 
 
 20. Sits wiping o'er her whisker'd jaws. 
 
 21. Thro' the clear stream the fishes rise, 
 
 22. And nimbly catch th' incautious flies. 
 
 23. The glow-worms, numerous and bright, 
 
 24. lUum'd the dewy dell last night. 
 
 25. At dusk the squalid toad was seen, 
 
 26. Hopping and crawling o'er the green ; 
 
 27. The whirling wind the dust obeys, 
 
 28. And in the rapid eddy plays ; 
 
 29. The frog has changed his yellow vest, 
 
 30. And in a russet coat is drest. 
 
 31. Though June, the air is cold and chill, 
 
 32. '1 he mellow blackbird's voice is shrill. 
 
 33. My dog, so alter' d in his taste, 
 
 34. Quits mutton bones on grass to feast ; 
 
 35. And see yon rooks, how odd their flight, 
 
 36. They imitate the gliding kite, 
 
WEATHER. 153 
 
 37. And seem precipitate to fall, 
 
 38. As if they felt the piercing ball. 
 
 39. 'Twill surely rain, I see with sorrow, 
 
 40. Our jaunt must he put off to-morrow. 
 
 We have now completed our undertaking; and 
 having led our readers through a regular course of 
 instruction, founded on experience, teaching the 
 true art of making artificial and selecting natural 
 baits, with a plain and comprehensive account of 
 the best mode of so arranging all the necessary 
 appendages of the art, as to secure to the adven- 
 turous fisherman the pleasures of his favourite 
 amusement, in all seasons, regularly as they succeed 
 each other ; we take leave of our readers and pupils 
 by quoting an extract from " Songs of the Chace." 
 
 " The Angler envies no man's joys 
 But his who gains the greatest sport ; 
 With peace he dwells far from the noise 
 And bustling grandeur of a court " 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 FISHINa STATIONS IN NOETH WALES. 
 
 Abridged from a very interesting Hand Book to North Wales, 
 by William Cathrall. 
 
 CAEENAEYON^SHTEE . 
 
 The Conway is the chief of the numerous rivers in this 
 County. It flows about twenty miles, and is joined by 
 many fine streams, such as the Machno, the Ceirio, and the 
 Llugwy. The Seiont is a small and rapid stream, rising in 
 a lake on the eastern side of Snowdon, and flowing towards 
 the Lake of Llanberis. A similar stream, abounding in 
 Salmon Trout, takes a course nearly parallel with it, and falls 
 into the Menai. 
 
 Bettws-y-Coed, three miles south from Llanrwst, is near the 
 confluence of the Llugwy and the Conway. There are several 
 magnificent cascades, with good fishing grounds below the falls. , 
 
 In the neighbourhood of Capel Curig are a great number of 
 rivers and brooks, besides several noble lakes ; and Salmon and 
 Trout may be obtained in great plenty. 
 
 Bettws Garmon^ near Caernarvon, is frequented both by 
 anglers, on account of its excellent sport, and by artists, 
 attracted by its picturesque and romantic scenery. 
 
 Lla7ivihangel-y- Pennant is situated on a beautiful stream 
 in a valley, five miles from Tremadoc and Llannor, at the 
 junction of two streams, two miles from Pwllheli. Llanystyn- 
 dwy, six miles from the same place, stands in a fine vale, 
 watered by the river D wyvawr. Trevriw, between Aberconway 
 and Llanrwst; Dolgarrog, on the Conway; Yspytty Evan, 
 near its source; Llanbedr and Dolwyddelan, near Llanrwst, 
 may also be named. 
 
APPENDIX. 155 
 
 Pont Aberglaslyn Salmon Leap, more usually called the 
 Devil's Bridge, is a remarkable spot. The river at this place 
 abounds with Salmon and Trout. It is situated about a mile 
 beyond Beddgelert. A few yards above the bridge the river 
 is precipitated in a fall of eight or ten feet over a range of 
 rocks. This cataract is the famous Salmon leap, and is only a 
 few miles from the sea. Twenty or thirty heavy fish may be 
 seen attempting to spring over this barrier within an hour. 
 The general weight of Salmon caught here varies from one to 
 eighteen pounds in August and September, but they are much 
 larger in October. 
 
 The cataract of the Llugwy, a few miles from Llanrwst, 
 affords good sport. The fish are smaller than those found in 
 the Conway 
 
 Snowdon is surrounded by numerous lakes, the whole of 
 which, and the streams that issue from them, are bountifully 
 stored with fish. 
 
 Ogioen Lake contains a great number of Trout of surpassing 
 beauty of colour, and delicacy of flavour. They are externally 
 of a bright yellow, and cut as red as Salmon in full season. 
 The Ogwen also contains excellent Trout, Salmon and Eels. 
 
 Lake of Cwm Idwal, Llyn Cwm Cowlyd, Llyn Gwynant, 
 Llyn LlydaUy Llyn Bochlwyd, and Llyn-y-Dinas, on the east of 
 Snowdon, and Llyn Ffynnon Llugwy, are all well stored. 
 
 Nant Gioynant is a grand cascade, descending from Ffynnon 
 Lias, a large pool in one of the chasms of Snowdon. The fall 
 is about three hundred feet, and forms the river Glaslyn. Near 
 this is the vale of Nant Gwynant, containing two ponds, 
 covering upwards of two thousand acres of ground. In both of 
 these, and in the rivers, very fine fish may be found. 
 
 Llyn Cwellyn, in addition to a good stock of common Trout, 
 is remarkable for its Red Char, a scarce species of fish, which 
 may be caught plentifully during the winter season, 
 Llyn-y-Gader is a favourite station. 
 
 DENBIGHSHIRE. 
 
 The Dee, the Clwyd, the Elwy, and the Conway^ are the 
 principal rivers. There are, however, in addition to these, 
 many small streams descending from the mountains. Amongst 
 the tributaries of the Dee (which enters the county near 
 Corwen, and, after flowing through the vale of Llangollen, 
 forms the boundary between England and Wales) are the 
 Alwen to the West ; the Ceiriog^ a torrent from the slat* 
 
 / M 
 
156 ART OF AT^GLING. 
 
 mountains in the Hundred of Chirk; the Alyn, which rises 
 near Llandegla ; and the Clyweddog^ near Bangor. 
 
 The principal fishing stations of Denbighshire lie in the 
 picturesque Vale of Llangollen. The river Dee, winding 
 through it, presents in some places a broad and unruffled 
 surface, and in others rushes impetuously over shelving rocks. 
 In this river Salmon, Trout and Grayling are found in great 
 abundance. The flies which may be used with most success 
 are the Blue Dun, the Coch-y-bondy, the Iron Blue, the Pale 
 Blue, and the Wren's Tail. 
 
 Llanrhaiadr-yn-Mochnant is situated twelve miles from 
 Oswestry, on the river Moch, and from its vicinity to the 
 admired waterfall of Pistill Rhaiadr, is a place of much resort 
 during the summer. Trout are found close under the fall 
 (four miles from the village). The bridge just below is also a 
 fine spot for angling. 
 
 Salmon, Trout, and Greyling may be taken at Abergele, near 
 the Chester and Holyhead railway, where two tributaries of 
 the Geleu, both excellent streams, meet ; at Glyn Traian, on 
 the Dee, at Llanarmon, four miles and a half from Ruthin ; at 
 Llangedwin, on the Tanat ; and Llanelidan, in the vale of 
 Clwyd. 
 
 Ijlangerniew, eight miles from Denbigh, on the Elwy, has 
 several rivers in its vicinity, and is an excellent spot for angling. 
 The same may be said of Cyfeiliog, on the Clwyd, near which 
 are numerous small streams. 
 
 At Llanymynech, seven miles from Oswestry, are Trout and 
 Samlets. This is a most inviting station. Within a few miles 
 are the Tanat, the Cynlleth, and the junction of the Vymwy 
 with the Severn. 
 
 Among other places where good sport will be found we may 
 mention, Dyffryn, Llansilin, near Oswestry; Llanvair Clwyd, 
 near Ruthin ; Llanvair Tolhairn, at the confluence of the 
 Elwy and Aled, seven miles from Abergele; Pontruffydd, at 
 the meeting of the Clwyd and Wheeler ; Pentre Voelas, on the 
 Conway ; and Eidda, at a distance of four miles ; Wigvair, 
 near St. Asaph; Pont Ryd Meredydd, on the Tanat; and 
 Gwytkerin, near Llanrwst, in the vicinity of three rivers (the 
 Elwy, the Aled, and Alwen), and of three noble lakes. 
 
 Of the lakes of Denbighshire the following are the principal : — 
 , Llyn Alwen, Llyn Aled, and Llyn Moelvre, in the parish of 
 Llansilin. Ihe last named lake is about a mile in circum- 
 ference, and is stocked with Carp and Pike. 
 
APPENDIX. 157 
 
 Other lakes are Llyii Llymbraii, near Nant Llyn ; Llyii-y- 
 Cwrt, and Lyn Caws, a small pool seven miles from Llan- 
 rhaiadr-yn-Mochnant. 
 
 rLINTSHIEE. 
 
 The Dee^ the Clwyd, and the Alyn, are the chief rivers of 
 this county. 
 
 Excellent Salmon and Trout may be fished for at Bodvaris, 
 near the confluence of the rivers Clwyd and Wheeler, four 
 miles from Denbigh. 
 
 Hanmer, near Ellesmere; Hope, on the north side of the 
 Alyn ; Ysceiviog, on the Clwyd, five miles from Holywell ; 
 Rhuddlan, on the Clwyd ; iSt. Asaph, on the Elwy ; Cwniy 
 near Khuddlan ; Llanvair ; Dyserth, near Holywell ; and 
 Caergwrle, on the Alyn, are the principal fishing stations of 
 Flintshire. 
 
 There is but one lake of any importance. It is called Llyn 
 Ilelig, and is situated about five miles from Holywell. 
 
 MERIONETHSHIEE . 
 
 The chief fishing stations are— 
 
 Llanwchllyn, five miles from Bala, at the confluence of the 
 Twrch, the Llyw, and the Dee. The whole of this neighbour- 
 hood, which is very rich in scenery, affords fine angling. 
 
 Llansaintfraid Glyndyvrdwy, three miles from Corwen. 
 This station is on the Dee, and surrounded by numerous 
 tributary streams, having the appearance of a great number of 
 small scattered lakes, furnishes Salmon, Trout, Greyling, 
 Perch, and Jack. 
 
 Havodvadog, on the Trewem, is a good Trout station. 
 
 Llanbedr, on the Bychan, three miles from Harlech, and 
 Llyn-y-Cwm Bychan, five miles from the same town, are good 
 stations, where Trout and every kind of fish may be had in 
 abundance. 
 
 Llandrillo, on the Dee, near Corwen, may be fished for 
 Salmon, Trout, and Greyling. 
 
 Llangower, three miles from Bala, is finely situated, and an 
 excellent station. 
 
 Llanvachreth, near Dolgelley, is a tributary of the Mawddach. 
 
 Arthog Chapel, three miles from Barmouth. In this neigh- 
 bourhood are upwards of eleven fine streams, very near to 
 each other, the whole of them containing Salmon, Trout, 
 Sewin, Mullet, Eels, &c. 
 
158 ART OE ANGLING. 
 
 Hendre Llwyngwr, eleven miles south-west of Dolgelley, is a 
 fine river, abounding with Salmon, Sewin, 'irout, Eels, and 
 Mullet. 
 
 Ffestiniog is a village situated between the rivers Dwyryd 
 and Cynvael. Near it are two cataracts, and in the pools 
 below there are numbers of very fine Salmon and Trout. The 
 bottom of the fall and the river beyond are as capital spots for 
 sport as the most enthusiastic angler could desire, the fish 
 being present in such numbers as to give an appearance of 
 actual life to the stream. 
 
 Llynniau Gamallt and Llyn Manod, in the vale of Ffestiniog, 
 are much frequented by anglers ; the Trout and Eels caught 
 there being remarkably well-flavoured. 
 
 Bala Lake, called also Llyn Tegid and Pimble Mere, is the 
 most considerable in Wales, being four miles in length, and, in 
 some i^laces, almost a mile in width. Its greatest depth is 
 forty-six yards. It abounds with Pike, Perch, Trout, and 
 Eels. Roach are found in small numbers, and a species of fish 
 called Gwyniad, from the whiteness of their scales, in vory 
 large quantities. They resemble Whiting in flavour, and are 
 only caught in Alpine waters. This fishery is the property of 
 bir W. W. Wynne. It formerly belonged to the abbots and 
 monks of Basingwerk Abbey. 
 
 Llyn Meingul, a mile in length, and Llyn-y-Cal, a quarter 
 of a mile long, at the foot of Cader Idris, are situated in a 
 valley, and connected with each other by a small stream. 
 Three mountain streams flow into it. It contains two species 
 of fish : the large lake Trout, of eight or ten pounds weight, 
 and the common river Trout. So excellent is the sport here, 
 that it is not an unusual feat to take thirty or forty pounds of 
 fish in a single day's angling. 
 
 Dol-y-Gameddy three and a half miles from Dolgelley, and 
 Tal-y-Llyn (Cader Idris), eight miles from the same town, are 
 fine stations. 
 
 Llyn Bodlyn and Llyn Irddin, near Barmouth; Llyn Pair,, 
 three miles from Towyn ; Llyn Conglog, eleven miles south of 
 Bala ; and Llyn-y-Gader, a mile and a half from Dolgelley, all 
 contain fine Trout and Eels; Llyn Rhythlyn, near Trawsfynydd, 
 is remarkable for a variety of Perch with a distorted spine. 
 Llyn Geiriw, near Dolgelley, is connected with the Barmouth 
 harbour by a fine river, replenished with Salmon, Trout, 
 Sewiii, Eels, &c. 
 
 All the pools in the vicinity of the Arenig mountains abound 
 ^ith fine fish of various kinds^ 
 
a:ppenihx. 15rt 
 
 MONTGOMERYSHIEE. 
 
 Among the fishing stations in this shire the following may be 
 enumerated as the principal :— 
 
 Montgomery may be ranked among the best stations in the 
 county. 
 
 BerrieWy on the junction of the Rhiw with the Severn, about 
 four miles from Welshpool, and on the road between that town 
 and Newtown. 
 Llanidloes, fourteen miles from Newtown, and the neighbour- 
 hood within a compass of about five miles. Flowing by the 
 side of the Aberystwith road is a beautiful and well-stocked 
 Trout stream, and another, named the Clywedog, abounding 
 in Trout and Greyling, runs into the Severn close by. Five 
 miles from the town, near the source of the Wye, is another 
 station — Llangurig. 
 
 Bvdaioch, on the Tarannon, five miles from Llanidloes, is a 
 good station, as is also Llanmerewig, four miles from Newtown. 
 
 Llanvyllin, twelve miles from Welshpool; Llandysilio, eight 
 miles from that town ; and Trewern, are admirable stations. 
 
 Llanwddyn, in the Owddyn, a tributary of the Vyrnwy, 
 twelve miles from Llanvyllin, offers abundance of Salmon, 
 Trout, and Greyling. 
 
 Meivod may be described as an excellent fishing station. It 
 is situated five miles from Llanvair, at the union of the Banwy 
 and the Avon Llanwddyn. Some smaller streams, the Brogan 
 and the Colwyn, are in the neighbourhood. 
 
 Llangynyw, two and a half miles from Llanvair Caereinion ;. 
 the junction of the Owddyn, with the Banwy below Mathraval ; 
 Llangynog, on the Tanat; and Aberavesp, three miles from 
 Newtown, are all places of much resort. 
 
 BettwSf four miles from Newtown, is one of the most charm- 
 ing spots in the principality, rich in all that constitutes the 
 charm of wood and river scenery. Here, amid Nature's choicest 
 beauties, the angler may pursue his sport with every accessary 
 to contribute to his enjoyment. 
 
 The stations enumerated above are principally situated upon 
 the rivers and streams of Montgomeryshire. But, in addition 
 to these, the county contains numerous lakes, for the most part 
 amply supplied with Trout of various kinds. Carp, and other 
 fish. The principal are the following:— 
 
 Llyn-y-Bugail, on the Plinlimmon mountain. The Trout in 
 this pond are of a peculiar sort, generally called the ''great 
 lake Trout,'* the most powerful of fresh water fish, and oftei? 
 
160 ART OF ANGLING. 
 
 endangering the strongest tackle. A skilful angler, however, 
 may use tackle of moderate strength, and will find excellent 
 sport. The ordinary bait is a common Trout from three to ten 
 inches in length, baited on six or eight Salmon hooks, tied back 
 to back upon strong gimp. Some of the fish caught in this 
 lake have been known to weigh upwards of fourteen pounds. 
 Large fish, however, are now more rarely met with than 
 formerly, owing to the depredations of poachers. Those of 
 smaller size, two pounds and upwards, are still abundant, as 
 well as fine Eels. The Hog-back Trout, which has the 
 appearance of being much deformed, is also found here. 
 
 Llyn-y-Grinwydden (the pool of the withered tree) contains 
 only Eels and Carp. 
 
 Llyn Hir has excellent Red Trout, but is nearly dried up in 
 the summer. 
 
 In the immediate vicinity of Llanwynog, on the Severn and 
 Tarannon, are some beautiful lakes, surrounded by a rich 
 mountain country ; and Glyn Trevnant, at the junction of three 
 streams near Llanidloes; Llanddinam on the banks of the 
 Severn ; and Llandrinio, at the confluence of that river with 
 the Vyrnwy, are among the haunts most frequented by sports- 
 men. 
 
 The remaining lake stations, containing red and common 
 Trout and Eels, are Llyn MaAvr, or the great lake, near 
 Llanwynog; Llyn Tarw, the bull's lake; Llyn Dii, the black 
 lake to the south of Llyn Mawr; and Glas Llyn, the blue 
 lake, at the foot of Piinlimmon. 
 
 ANGLESEY. 
 
 The only fishing station is at Llyn Coron, in the parish of 
 Llangwff'en. Fine Trout are caught, but they must be dressed 
 quickly. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 E. JONES, PRINTEK, BROAD STREET, LUDLOW. 
 
JUST PUBLISHED, 
 
 IN ONE THICK YOL. 8V0. 
 Price 165. 6d, cloth gilt, or 18s. 6c?. half-bound calf 
 
 THE HISTOEY OF LUDLOW 
 AND ITS neighbourhood; 
 
 FORMING A POPULAR SKETCH OF THE 
 
 HISTORY OF THE WELSH BORDER. 
 
 BY 
 
 THOMAS WRIGHT, Esq. M.A. F.S.A. &c. 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 THREE LITHOGRAPHIC 
 YIEWS OF LUDLOW CHUECH, 
 
 2s. each plain, and 3s. coloured. 
 
 SIX YIEWS OF LUDLOW, 
 
 BY H. B. ZIEGLER, ESQ. 
 
 With Descriptive Particulars 7s. 6d —Single Prints Is. each, 
 size, 10| inches by 7. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 BERKELEY 
 
 Return to desk from which borrowed. 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
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