UC-NRLF 
 
Jks 
 
 
 
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS 
 
 ON 
 
 ANGLING. 
 
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS 
 
 ON 
 
 5 
 
 IN THE 
 
 RIVER TRENT. 
 
 BY 
 
 A GENTLEMAN RESIDENT IN THE 
 NEIGHBOURHOOD, 
 
 And who has made the Amusement his Study for 
 upwards of Twenty Years. 
 
 Tor dear and precious as the moments are, 
 Permitted man, they are not all for deeds 
 Of active Virtue. Give we none to vice, 
 And heav'n will not strict reparation ask 
 For many a summer's day and winter's eve 
 So spent as best amuses us. 
 
 ViLLAGB (JURATS. 
 
 NEWARK: 
 
 Printed and Sold by S. and I. Ridge. 
 
 Sold also by Robinsons, Paternoster-Row, and 
 
 Crosby and Letterman, Stationers'-Court, 
 
 London. MDCCCI. 
 
 
To Robert Lowe, Esq. Oxton. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 i 
 
 Have ventured to dedicate 
 the following observations on An- 
 gling to you, an amusement which 
 in an age of fashionable dissipation 
 like this, has few advocates, I am not 
 vain enough to believe they contain 
 any thing which has escaped your 
 attention, or that the few hours lei- 
 sure which I have devoted to the 
 subject, will be considered by you 
 of greater importance, than to in- 
 struct the young angler in the pur- 
 suit of a diversion, rational, manly, 
 and entertaining, and which on mi- 
 nute investigation, will be found 
 worthy the attention of sensible men, 
 as it comprehends so considerable a 
 portion of Natural History,. 
 * 3 
 
IV DEDICATION. 
 
 Your politeness and liberality (to 
 which I could mention glaring con- 
 trasts) will, I am convinced, con- 
 duce more to the preservation of 
 your game and fish, than the most 
 rigorous statute promulgated from 
 the bench, or the unwearied vigilance 
 of your gamekeeper, and domestics. 
 
 Your knowledge of angling is one 
 of my motives in dedicating this 
 book to you, but I have another, 
 which is to assure you, with what 
 respect I subscribe myself, 
 
 Sir, 
 Your obedient humble Servant, 
 
 THE AUTHOR, 
 May 1, 1801.. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 will, I believe, be readily admit- 
 ted, that hum,an nature is incapable 
 of intense application, and requires 
 some pursuits which may unbend 
 the mind from care, and the more 
 important duties of life; amongst 
 the variety of amusements eagerly 
 sought after by mankind, there is 
 perhaps none better calculated for 
 this purpose, than angling. The 
 solitude, and retirement, inseparable 
 from the diversion, naturally dispose 
 us to meditation, calm and subdue 
 those passions which assail us in 
 crowded cities, and diffuse a peace- 
 ful tranquillity, unknown amidst the 
 splendor of courts or the bustle of 
 active life. In contemplating the 
 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 works of nature, we shall be lost in 
 admiration, at the wisdom and good- 
 ness of God, who has made nothing 
 in. vain, and our hearts will be full 
 ef gratitude for the blessings we en- 
 joy ; the change of seasons, with the 
 decaying verdure will remind us 
 continually of our frail existence, 
 and after having passed through the 
 few fleeting years allotted us here, 
 with meekness content and humility, 
 we shall be better prepared to par- 
 take those joys which never fade. 
 
 In offering the following observa- 
 tions to the world, on an amusement 
 already crowded with instructions, 
 from the pen of the pious Isaac Wal- 
 ton, and more modern authors, it 
 may be necessary to remark, thatia- 
 vention has introduced various me- 
 thods of angling, in different rivers? 
 
PREFACE. Vli 
 
 \vliich are established by long prac- 
 tice, and every one thinks his own 
 mode the best merely because he has 
 been accustomed to it. Being fond of 
 retirement and rural scenes, I have 
 had frequent opportunities in my 
 walks by the River Trent, of observ- 
 ing the absurd methods of angling, 
 not only in the choice of hooks and 
 baits, but in places and at times im- 
 proper for the diversion, and which 
 must have been productive of dis- 
 appointment, and vexation, and 
 which have given rise to the many 
 jokes and sarcasms bestowed on the 
 angler. This induced me to attempt 
 a* short treatise on the subject, ap- 
 propriated to the use of those who 
 were not proficients in the amuse- 
 ment, and to such I flatter myself it 
 will not be unacceptable. 
 
Viii PREFACE. 
 
 Notwithstanding I have endea- 
 voured to render the following in- 
 structions clear and concise, yet I 
 am sensible (however copious the 
 English language) some difficulties 
 may arise in the application, and 
 which experience only can remove. 
 I have confined myself closely to the 
 subject, avoiding every thing which 
 was not necessary to elucidate the 
 method of angling I have recom- 
 mended; thus the opinions of the 
 ancients, with many other conceits, of 
 eels being bred from mud, pike from 
 the pickerel weed, and some fish from 
 rain and dew, have been unnoticed 
 since the doctrine of equivocal gene- 
 ration has been justly exploded; 
 these digressions though suited to the 
 time of honest Walton, can be of lit- 
 tle use, encrease the size cf the book, 
 
PREFACE. ' IX 
 
 and render the art of angling more 
 difficult and prolix. 
 
 In the works of various authors 
 on angling, much useful information 
 may be gained, but I fear, they have 
 given to the world, more than was 
 confirmed by their own experience, not 
 content with confining their instruc- 
 tions on angling, to fish natives of 
 their own country, we have remarks 
 on every kind of fish, from the di- 
 minutive minnow to the enormous 
 whale, and the attention of the aston- 
 ished reader is, in a very few pages, 
 hurried from the milder climate of 
 Britain, to the frozen banks of New- 
 foundland. 
 
 The excellence of an angler con- 
 sists in combining strength and fine- 
 ness of tackle, proportioned to the 
 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 size, and exertions of the fish he in- 
 tends to take, he will meet with many 
 disappointments in accomplishing 
 this desirable end, and the utmost of 
 his inventive faculties may be cm- 
 ployed in the assemblage of the vari- 
 ous materials which nature and art 
 so liberally contribute to his assist- 
 ance. 
 
 Though the observations are local 
 and intended for anglers in the Trent, 
 yet I flatter myself they will be found 
 successful in other Rivers, abound- 
 ing with the same kinds of fish. 
 Should my labours contribute in the 
 least to the pleasure of this rational 
 and innocent amusement, or encrease 
 the number of its votaries, I shall be 
 amply rewarded, 
 
 C *b- 
 
 Ntwark % April, i8oit 
 
OBSERVATIONS ON 
 
 ANGLING. 
 
 SALMON. 
 
 .S this fish is constantly found in the 
 River Trent, and many are caught hy the 
 Seine, I shall give some directions for taking 
 them by angling, to such as chase to try, 
 I confefs I never caught one, but several 
 have been taken in angling for other fish 
 particularly barbel. 
 
 They frequent the deepest parts of the ri- 
 ver, where the stream is moderate, near the 
 piers of bridges, and where high banks are 
 worn by floods; for there the water has 
 made a kind of pool by its action upon the 
 
 B 
 
12 OBSERVATION'S 
 
 bank. The baits for salmon are the artifi- 
 cial fly, and lob-worm; it is of little con- 
 sequence what colour your fly is, provided 
 it is large and gaudy, ribbed with gold or sil- 
 ver twist. The best times for angling for 
 salmon, are in a morning from nine to ele- 
 ven, and in an evening from six to sun-set, 
 especially when there is a moderate breeze 
 upon the water. Your rod for this pur- 
 pose ought to be fine and strong, with rings 
 for the running line,* which may be made 
 of silk or hair, and ought to be forty yards 
 long at the least, that when hooked, you 
 may, by giving him line, sufficiently tire him; 
 it will, however, require great skill, for he 
 is very strong and will not be easily subdued. 
 
 The method of fishing with a lob -worm 
 is most likely to succeed, and is as follows : 
 Take a lob -worm that has been well scoured, 
 and run your hook through the middle, 
 
 * It may be necefsary here to observe, that when 
 the running line is directed, it will be proper to have 
 a winch or reel upon the butt end of the rod, they 
 arc of various sizes and should be proportioned to the 
 coarsened or finenefs of the line. 
 
ON AN'CLING. 13 
 
 drawing it above the shank, then take an- 
 other, and bait your hook in the usual way, 
 by putting it into the worm about an inch 
 below the tail, drawing it on the hook about 
 three-fourths of the length, the head of the 
 worm being at the point of the hook, then 
 draw the first worm down to the other, for 
 salmon are fond of a large bait. It will be 
 necefsary to have a piece of lead with a 
 small hole through it, and which is called a 
 plumb, fastened upon the line about two 
 feet above the hook, by which means you 
 will be able to keep your bait in any certain 
 place, and drawing your line tight, you will 
 feel the plumb at the bottom, your bait with 
 the link below the plumb, playing with the 
 current; when your bait has remained a 
 few minutes, draw it gently up the stream, 
 about a yard, and let the plumb rest again 
 at the bottom, this will excite the attention 
 of the fish, and frequently tempts them to 
 take the bait; when hooked, the fame cau- 
 tion must be used as was directed for the 
 fly, by allowing him plenty of line, only 
 B 2 
 
14 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 observing your tackle may he considerably 
 stronger. Lines of silk or hemp are proper, 
 and three silkworm-gut twisted together 
 make an excellent bottom link ; for this pur- 
 pose,, chuse three of equal strength, round 
 and free from flaws, and tying the root ends 
 together, let them soak in water for twelve 
 hours, they will be then soft and bed well 
 together, make double knots on the loose 
 ends to hang on the hooks of your twisting 
 engine, do not twist them too hard, a link 
 thus made (when held between your eye and 
 the light) will appear very regular and beau- 
 tiful. The angler ought to have several of 
 these links ready twisted for various sized 
 nooks, and in cases of accident. 
 
 Salmon being a fish of prey, a gudgeon 
 used as directed in trowling for pike, or a 
 large minnow as directed with two hooks for 
 perch, may be tried with great probability 
 of succefs. 
 
 As salmon fry are caught by angling in 
 the Trent, I shall give some directions for 
 
ON ANGLING. 15 
 
 taking them, though the practice is thought 
 to be destructive to the breed of salmon ; 
 they appear the latter end of March, and 
 continue till May, unlefs a rise of water 
 happens, which enables them to pafs the 
 weirs, and they are carried into the sea. 
 They are caught with the artificial fly, and 
 gentles. Your rod ought to be very fine, 
 your line not much longer than your rod, 
 the lower links should consist of single hair, 
 the flies must be exceeding small, and you 
 may fish with three or four at about a foot 
 distant from each other. As they rise very 
 quick, they will deceive your eye, so that 
 it will be necefsary to draw the flies rather 
 quick on the surface of the water and they 
 will hook themselves.. Gentles may be 
 shed with in the same manner, using very 
 small hooks, and putting a single gentle on 
 each. The links on which these hooks are 
 tied should not exceed three inches, as they 
 are apt to entangle the line if longer.. Great 
 quantities have been caught in the Cotton 
 Mill dam, at Newark, and they are universal- 
 ly esteemed for their fine flavour- 
 
 M 
 
16 OBSERVATION* 
 
 PIKE 
 
 Spawn in March and April, are bold fish, 
 afford the angler good sport, and may be 
 fished for all the year, but the best months 
 are September and October. From March 
 to the end of May, they resort to back waters 
 that have immediate communication with 
 the River; from May to the beginning of 
 October, are to be found in sharp streams, 
 under theRanunculus aquaticus whichfloats 
 on the surface of the water, particularly 
 ^vhen in flower ; near flags, bulrushes, and 
 water docks ; as the season grows colder, and 
 the weeds rot, they retire into the deeps, and 
 arc to be found under clay banks, and bushes 
 that hang over the water, stumps and roots 
 of trees, piles of bridges, and decayed water- 
 works that have been made for the protec- 
 tion of land against floods. There are vari- 
 ous methods of taking pike, but I shall con- 
 fine myself to those of angling, deeming the 
 other below the angler's attention ; these are 
 by trowling, and the live and dead snap. 
 
ONf ANGLING. I/ 
 
 For trowling, the rod ought to be fourteen 
 feet long, with rings for the running line, 
 these must be fixed upon the rod in a straight 
 direction, that the line may run freely, as any 
 sudden check after the pike has taken the 
 bait, would prevent his gorging it ; the line 
 should be at least thirty yards long, of either 
 silk or hemp, if the latter, and new, it will 
 be proper to let it trail after you on the grafs, 
 (as they are in general too hard twisted and 
 apt to kink) by which means it will gra- 
 dually untwist, be soft, and pafs freely 
 through the rings. Hooks for trowling 
 (called dead gorges) may be bought at every 
 shop where fishing tackle is sold, in the 
 choice of them, take care they are not too 
 large, that their temper is riot injured by the 
 lead on the shanks, and that the points do 
 not stand too proud. They are usually sold 
 on wire, but I would advise the wire to be 
 cut off about an inch from the shank, and 
 with double silk well waxed, fasten about a 
 foot of good gimp to the wire, with a noose 
 at the other end of the gimp, to hang upon 
 
l8 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 your tine. The best baits are gudgeons and 
 dace, of a middling size, if these are not to 
 be had, roach, bleak, small trout, or salmon 
 fry will do very well ; I know some anglers 
 who prefer salmon fry, but these are only 
 to be procured in the River Trent in the 
 spring, and though I have tried them repeat- 
 edly never found them equal to dace or 
 gudgeons. In order to bait your hook, you 
 must be provided with a fish-needle (which 
 may be had at any of the shops) they have 
 open eyes and are of various sizes ; put the 
 needle in at the mouth of the bait, and out 
 at the middle of the tail, drawing the gimp 
 and hook after it, fixing the point of the hook 
 near the eye ; some sew up the mouth of the 
 bait, it will however be necefsary to tie the 
 tail close to the gimp, not only to keep it in a 
 proper position, but to prevent the tail catch- 
 ing against weeds and roots in the water ;. 
 the hook thus baited, hang upon your line, 
 which ought to have a noose large enough 
 to admit the bait, and will save time and 
 trouble. Thus ecjuipt, drop your bait gen- 
 
ON ANGLIKG. jg 
 
 tly in, near the side of the river, where it is 
 moderately deep, and where pike are likely at 
 that season to resort ; let it sink to the bottom 
 and draw it gently up, imitating in the motion 
 a fish hurt or dying, after trying two or three 
 times to the right and left, throw your bait 
 further in, and if you do not meet with sue- 
 cefs, you may conclude there is not a piko 
 near the place, or that he is not in the hu- 
 mour. When a pike seizes the bait, if you 
 do not see him you will easily perceive it, 
 by your line being drawn tight, and some 
 resistance, you must give him line, and let 
 him go where he will, when he has reached 
 his harbour (which you will know by his 
 not drawing more line) lay down your rod 
 and give him time to gorge the bait, which 
 he will generally do in five minutes, then 
 take up your rod, and draw your line gently, 
 till you see the pike (which he will permit 
 though he has not gorged) if you find the 
 bait acrofs his mouth, give him more time, 
 but if he has gorged govern him with a gen- 
 tle hand, keeping him however from roots 
 
2O OBSERVATIONS 
 
 and stumps, which he will endeavour to 
 make to, and fasten your line, but if the 
 river is clear, you may allow him line till he 
 is sufficiently tired, when with the afsistancc 
 of a friend, or the convenience of a landing 
 net, "you will easily secure him, but you 
 must not by any means, lift him out of the 
 water with your rod and line only, for 
 though to all appearance he may be suffici- 
 ently tired, yet the moment he quits the 
 water, he will open his mouth and by tearing 
 his stomach with his own weight, get quit 
 of the hook, and you will have the mortifica- 
 tion not only of losing the fish, but of know- 
 ing he will inevitably* die in the water. 
 
 In trowling, when the pike has gorged it 
 is unnecefsary to strike, as the hook is in the 
 stomach of the pike and cannot return with- 
 out some violence, such as attempting to 
 throw him out without drawing him gently 
 to shore when tired, or using the landing 
 net. 
 
 It frequently happens, that a pike will 
 
t>N ANGLING. ft 
 
 repeatedly seize the bait in trow ling, run out 
 a considerable length of line, and afterwards 
 de&ert it, should yau find this the case, you 
 must use the live or dead snap, which will 
 in all probability take him. In trowling, I 
 must caution the angler against throwing 
 the bait too far, in- small rivers you may 
 fish the opposite bank with ease, but the 
 breadth of the Trent will make such an at- 
 tempt impracticable, and the bait will be 
 soon spoilt, as the violence with which it 
 falls on the water will rub off all the scales* 
 
 The Live Snap. The method of fishing 
 with a live bait, or what is called the live 
 snap, is very different from trowling, though 
 any mode of taking pike by angling usually 
 pafses under the latter denomination. Your 
 rod and line must be stronger, and the hooks 
 much larger, they consist of two hooks 
 joined back to back, with a smaller hook in 
 the middle of their shanks, on which the 
 live bait is hung, they are sold at the shops* 
 and the sight of one will enable a young 
 
2 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 angler to make them of what size he pleases ; 
 the bait is hooked by the small hook, just 
 under the back fin, the point and beard 
 coming out on the other side, and is fastened 
 by strong thread or silk doubled, hung on 
 the point of the small hook, brought under 
 the belly of the bait, and tied on the other 
 side, to the shanks of the large hooks, great 
 care and expedition are required in doing 
 this, otherwise the bait will be so injured, as 
 to be incapable of swimming briskly in the 
 water; roach, dace, or gudgeons are the best 
 baits, a cork float will be necefsary about the 
 size of a common burgundy pear, with a 
 small pistol bullet or two, net only to poise 
 it, but to keep the bait a proper depth, which 
 ought to be about two feet or three-quarters 
 of a yard. If a pike happens to be near the 
 place where the bait is put in, it will come 
 to the top of the water to avoid him, or 
 encrease the quicknefs of its motion, these 
 signs will prepare you to be on your guard; 
 when you perceive your float drawn under 
 the water, be not too eager, but suffer it to 
 
ON ANGLING. $3 
 
 be taken a good depth, then strike with a 
 smart stroke, directly contrary to the course 
 the pike appears to take, and govern him 
 with a tight line, for though the hooks are 
 so much larger and stronger, than that for 
 trolling, yet having hold of the jaws of the 
 pike, which are very hard and bony, he will 
 sometimes escape. It will be prudent to 
 make use of the landing net, if the pike is 
 large, for it is not only a mark of an inex- 
 perienced angler, to throw the fish out by a 
 strong exertion, but it will certainly strain 
 the sockets of your rod. A tin bait-pan 
 (that will hold about a gallon) with the top 
 punched full of small holes to admit the air, 
 will be necefsary to carry your baits, which 
 in hot weather must have fresh water very 
 often. This method of angling for pike is 
 the most ancient of any, and is now only 
 practised by those who have neither skill or 
 addrefs to pursue the other. It requires 
 great patience, lias little exercise, and incon- 
 venient on account of the live baits that are 
 carried from place to place, and has given 
 a decided superiority to the dead snap. 
 
24 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 The. Dead Snap. This method of taking 
 pike will be found the pleasaritest, and most 
 succefsful of any; adapted to shallow and 
 deep waters, the still and rapid parts of the 
 river, will take pike at all seasons of the 
 year, when the water is in order and the 
 weather favorable ; and it will be no trifling 
 recommendation, to find it free from every 
 idea of cruelty, that fishing with a live bait 
 naturally imprefses. Your rod must be 
 longer than that for trolling, but as it would 
 be inconvenient and expensive to have dif- 
 ferent rods for these purposes, one rod may 
 be made to answer all, by the application of 
 different tops. Your line must be fine and 
 strong, twenty yards will be sufficient ; the 
 hooks are made thus : take three large hooks, 
 bigger than those for barbel, and having 
 ground the backs on a fine grinding stone, 
 place two of them back to back, and with 
 strong double silk well waxed, wrap them 
 round four or five times, beginning at the 
 bend, drawing the silk tight every round, 
 place the third hook upon the two first, in a 
 
ON ANGLING. 25 
 
 triangular direction ; the shank of this hook 
 must be shorter than the others (though 
 placed even with the ends of them), by 
 which means the point of the hook will be 
 higher; then take ten inches of good gimp, 
 and doubling it, place the two ends on the 
 inside of the two first hooks, and tie the 
 whole round with the silk, proceeding a 
 little above the shanks upon the gimp, which 
 will make it more secure and enable you to 
 bait the hooks easier. The hook when fi- 
 nished will resemble that used for the live 
 snap. The length f the gimp on which the 
 hooks are tied should be proportioned to 
 the size of the bait, and should be rather 
 longer than the distance from behind the 
 back fin, to the mouth, that the looped end 
 may be hung on a strong swivel, tied neatly 
 to about a foot more of gimp, with a noose 
 at the other end, to hang upon your line, 
 fastening a small piece of lead, weighing 
 about an ounce, shaped like a barley corn, 
 with a hole through it, about two inches a- 
 bove the swivel. The method of baiting is 
 
 C 2 
 
*6 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 as follows : take a middle sized dace (for 
 they are the best) and run your baiting needle 
 in immediately behind the back fin, and out 
 at the mouth, drawing the gimp upon which 
 the hooks are tied, after it, the short hook 
 must stand with the point upright behiiid the 
 back fin, the other will consequently be one 
 on each side, then hang it upon the swivel, 
 and try if it will spin, by drawing it against 
 the stream, if it does not, move the bait a 
 little to the right or left, (which you may 
 do without taking it from the hook) for the 
 whole of your succefs depends on its turn- 
 Ing round quick, when drawn against the 
 stream, when it does it is an irresistable bait 
 for pike, and you will be enabled to fish a 
 much greater extent of water than by the 
 other methods. 
 
 Large pike though bold in seizing the 
 bait, are very cautious in gorging it ; many 
 anglers have experienced, that * large pike 
 after having seized the troll, and taken a 
 considerable length of line, has mumbled 
 
ON ANGLING. 7 
 
 the bait to pieces 4 and deserted it (occasioned 
 very probably by the lead on the shank of 
 the hook*). This method remedies the dis- 
 appointment, and a pike has but to seize it 
 to be taken. The motion of the bait (if 
 judiciously managed) resembles a fish dis- 
 abled, and unable to escape. If the Con- 
 stitution can bear it, great diversion may be 
 had by going into the water and fishing the 
 weeds in the streams, in the hot months ; but 
 the practice is dangerous, not only on ac- 
 count of the partial immersion of the body 
 for any length of time, but to the sudden 
 vicifsitudes of heat and cold which prevail: 
 in this climate. 
 
 * The wisdom and goodnefs of the Creator are 
 conspicuous in the minutest part of his works, and 
 from a principle of humanity, it is reasonable to con- 
 clude, that the teeth of pike are so formed as not only 
 to secure their prey, but from their length to deprive 
 the small fish of all sensation the moment they are 
 seized; the lead on the shank of the trolling hook, 
 presents a great obstacle to this natural conclusion,, 
 and is doubtlefs the reason why the bait in trolling 
 is so often deserted. 
 
-8 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 BARBEL 
 
 Spawn in April, at which time they are 
 out of season ; the spawn and liver are very 
 unwholsome, and when eaten, occasion vio- 
 lent sicknefs. They frequent deep strong cur- 
 rents, and grow to a very large size, I have 
 seen them fi fteen and eighteen pounds weight, 
 and afford the angler nohle diversion. The 
 best times to angle for barbel, are August 
 and September; and in order to insure sue- 
 cefs, it will be necefsary to bait the place 
 with lob-worms, and new cheese (which is 
 cheap) cut it in small pieces, morning and 
 evening : for this purpose chuse a hole very 
 deep, where the current is moderately strong, 
 and the bottom even ; about a quarter of a 
 peck ot worms and one pound of cheese is 
 the proper quantity to be thrown in each 
 time ; great care must be taken to throw them 
 in high enough up the stream, that they may 
 rest at the place you intend to fish. A tin 
 vefsel made in the shape of a funnel, with a 
 ring soldered at the small end and a lid at 
 
ON ANGLING. 29 
 
 the other, that will not open with the weight 
 of the worms and cheese, will be found very 
 useful, tie a strong cord to the ring, and 
 fill it with the worms and cheese cut in 
 pieces, and with a light pole, let it sink to 
 the bottom, a sudden pull will open the lid 
 and leave the baits where you wish ; having 
 baited the place in this manner for about a 
 week, it will be fit to fish, and if a rise of 
 water does not happen, you may depend on 
 good diversion. They bite best from day- 
 break to nine in the morning, and from six 
 in an evening till darknefs obliges you to 
 give over. Your rod must be very strong, 
 a running line is necefsary, either silk or 
 hemp, the bottom link should be made of 
 gut, as directed for salmon, and the hook 
 large and well tempered; use a plumb about 
 two feet above the hook, of sufficient weight 
 to resist the action of so great a depth of 
 water, upon the line, a float is unnecefsary. 
 The baits for angling are lob-worms, and 
 new cheese cut in small squares ; the worms 
 must be well scoured, for barbel though 
 
3& OBSERVATIONS 
 
 they bite freely are nice feeders ; having 
 baited your hook, let your plumb sink gent- 
 ly to the bottom, about two yards from the 
 side, or nearer, if there are no oziers or 
 stumps to incommode you, draw your line 
 tight till you feel the plumb at the bottom, 
 which will bend the top of your rod a little, 
 and the bite of a very small fish will be easi- 
 ly felt ; when a barbel bites you will per- 
 ceive it by a sudden jerk, so strong as to 
 endanger your rod being pulled out of your 
 hands, this is the time to strike, not directly 
 upwards, buf in the direction your line lies 
 in the water, for instance, if the stream runs 
 from right to left, you will strike to the 
 right, and if the contrary, to the left, it be- 
 ing impofsible from the depth of the water 
 and strength of the current that your plumb 
 should be perpendicular, under the top ot 
 your rod ; when you have hooked him, he 
 will shew you ample diversion, and as he is 
 a leather mouthed fish it rarely happens that 
 the hook mifses its hold or tears out, govern 
 him with a tight line not only to keep him 
 
ON ANGLING, gi 
 
 from stumps and harbour, but to prevent 
 his throwing himself acrofs your line, which 
 he will endeavour, his back fin being very 
 sharp and indented like a saw, which will 
 cut your line or damage it very much. The 
 landing net will be requisite, it ought to be 
 so wide as to admit the barbel without trou- 
 ble, and so deep as to secure him from a 
 sudden spring. You may pursue this di- 
 version morning and evening for a day or 
 two, throwing in worms and cheese; it will 
 then be adviseable to desist for a week, and 
 let the fish have rest, baiting the place as 
 usual only more sparingly. 
 
 I must add one caution in angling for 
 barbel, which is, never to throw in further 
 than you are enabled by a gentle cast of 
 your rod, letting the plumb fall into the 
 water with as little violence as pofsible; it is 
 a vulgar error that large fish are in the mid- 
 dle of the river, experience will convince 
 you of the fallacy of this opinion ; fish na- 
 turally seek food near the banks, agitation of 
 
32 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 the water by an injudicious management of 
 the plumb, will certainly drive them away. 
 
 It is incredible the quantities of barbel 
 that are sometimes caught by this method. 
 I have been told by persons of great veracity, 
 that they have taken upwards of one hundred 
 weight in one morning; but the diversion 
 of angling is considerably diminished since 
 fisheries are let to greedy men. I should 
 be tempted to enlarge on this subject, by 
 pointing out the great resourse fish would 
 afford in times of scarcity would the Legisla- 
 ture interfere and protect the breed from 
 the illegal and rapacious methods of destroy- 
 ing them, but as the discufsion would ex. 
 ceed the limits of my undertaking, and con- 
 sidering myself unequal to the task, I shall 
 leave it to some abler pen, not without hope 
 of seeing it accomplished. 
 
 I find the following note in Walton's 
 Complete Angler, part i, page 188, "Fish- 
 " ing for barbel is at best a dull recreation. 
 
ON ANGLING. 33 
 
 ** They are a sullen fish, and bite but slowly. 
 44 The angler drops his bait in, the bullet* 
 44 at the bottom of the line fixes it to one 
 44 spot of the river; tired with waiting for 
 44 a bite, he generally lays down his rod, 
 44 and exercising the patience of a setting 
 11 dog, waits till he sees the top of his 
 " rod move ; then begins a struggle between 
 " him and the fish, which he calls his sport ; 
 41 and that being over, he lands his prize, 
 44 fresh baits his hook, and lays in for an- 
 44 other." I cannot reconcile this descrip- 
 tion of barbel fishing with my own experi- 
 ence, I know not any fish which affords the 
 angler so much diversion, and I am con- 
 vinced that his annotator would expunge 
 the observation, should he ever angle Tor 
 barbel in the Trent, in the way, and at the 
 times I have directed. I can smile at the : 
 perseverance of the sea captain, (mentioned 
 in the same page) who got into his boat on 
 
 * In places proper for barbel, a bullet is not of suffi- 
 cient weight to keep the bait in one spot at the bottom, 
 and the roundnefs of its shape adds not a little to 
 the inconvenience, aflat plumb is greatly preferable. 
 
34 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 a monclay morning and fished till Saturday 
 night, and sometimes for a month without 
 a bite: surely his afsiduity with Friendly 
 advice might have been better rewarded. 
 Probably he began late in the morning, and 
 gave over early in the evening, and all this 
 without the caution of previous bititing; 
 under these glaring disadvantages he may 
 fish for barbel till time shall be no more, 
 with as little prospect of succefs. I have 
 caught three barbel weighing upwards of 
 thirty pounds, before breakfast, but it is to 
 be remarked, that those of about five or six 
 pounds weight afford the best diversion. 
 
 Barbel though they afford good diversion 
 to the angler, are little valued by the epicure ; 
 they .are, however, firmer and better eating 
 than chub. 
 
ON ANGLING, 35 
 
 PERCH 
 
 Spawn in February and March, and are 
 esteemed for their fine flavour. They fre- 
 quent gravelly scours, in an eddy where the 
 stream is gentle and a tolerable depth, near 
 hollow banks, and stumps of trees. They are 
 caught in the Trent as large as three pounds, 
 and contrary to the nature of all fish of prey, 
 in fresh waters, swim in shoals. Perch bite 
 all day, especially if cloudy and a little wind, 
 but the best times are from seven to .eleven, 
 in the morning, and from three to six in 
 the afternoon. The best baits are small lob 
 worms, which have no ring round them, 
 brandlings, and the worms found in tanners' 
 bark, and rotten thatch. Use a cork float, 
 and fish about six inches from the bottom ; 
 should you meet with a good shoal, you may 
 take them all, for they are very greedy, un- 
 lefs one escapes that has been hooked, then 
 all is over, the fish that has been hooked 
 becomes restlefs and uneasy, and soon oc- 
 casions the whole shoal to leave the place, 
 
 D 
 
36 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 You may angle with two or three rods, lay>. 
 ing them upon the bank, you need not be 
 in a hurry to strike, they are sure to gorge. 
 Minnows are good baits, you may use them 
 as directed for the dead snap for pike, your 
 tackle being much finer, the lead lighter, and 
 the hooks and swivels smaller. The link 
 on which the hooks are tied, may be three 
 fine gut twisted together, one alone would 
 be strong enough, but the shanks of the 
 hooks would soon fret it to pieces ; fine 
 gimp may be used, as you will frequently 
 meet with a pike, and a very small one will 
 damage the gut, if not bite it to pieces : the 
 baiting needle must be shorter than that di- 
 rected for pike, and finer wire ; you ought 
 to have several of different sizes. The 
 minnow is baited exactly in the same man- 
 ner as a dace for pike. By this mode of 
 angling with a minnow, you will be more 
 certain of hooking the fish : all fish of prey 
 seize the bait by the middle, where the hooks 
 are placed, and in such directions that they 
 rarely mifs, and are more certain than the 
 
ON ANGLING. 37 
 
 common method of fishing with a large hook 
 and a smaller above it; but as the trouble 
 of making and baiting these hooks are lefs, 
 I shall give directions for making and baiting 
 them. Take a hook, No. 3, which tie to a 
 link of silkworm gut or fine gimp, and about 
 three-quarters of an inch above it tie a small- 
 er, about No. 9, there are small square hooks 
 (called lip hooks) adapted to this purpose 
 only, in order to keep the minnow in a proper 
 position; join this link (which should be 
 about eight inches long) to another, by a small 
 swivel closed at both ends, fastening a small 
 lead weight of the shape directed for pike, 
 about an inch above the swivel : these swi- 
 vels are to be fastened to the links with fine 
 double silk well waxed, and the end of the 
 upper link formed into a noose (by the same 
 means), to fix to your line. Put the point of 
 the large hook in at the shoulder of the min- 
 now, and down as far as the bend of the hook 
 will permit, bringing the point out so that the 
 tail may be a little curved with the bend of 
 the hook, it will cause it to spin better; 
 p 2 
 
38 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 fasten the head with the small hook by run- 
 ning it through the middle of the bottom '' 
 jaw, and out at the top of the upper jaw. 
 The recommendation of this mode, is the 
 readinefs of baiting the minnow, though the 
 other is more certain of hooking the fish. 
 
 Perch are also caught in streams, by go- 
 ing in and stirring up the sand and gravel 
 with your feet, in the way directed for gud- 
 geons, using a small cork float, and baiting 
 \vith red worms. There are few baits 
 perch refuse. 
 
 CARP. 
 
 Though very few of these fish are caught 
 an the Trent, yet as many ponds in the 
 county of Nottingham are stocked with 
 them, it may not be improper to give some 
 instructions for taking carp by angling, as 
 they constitute one of the principal dishes at 
 genteel tables : though it is universally 
 believed that the encomium bestowed upon 
 them by epicures, is more owing to the 
 
ON ANGLINCf. 39 
 
 richnefs of the sauce and the mode of cook- 
 ing them, than to any superior flavour of 
 their own. All authors agree that carp are 
 very shy and subtle, on which account it 
 will be advisable to keep out of sight, and 
 use a long rod, with the running line. 
 Having chosen the deepest part of the pond, 
 near the side, where the bottom is free from 
 roots, weeds, and rubbish ; it should be bait- 
 ed with lob- worms, boiled malt, and crusts 
 of white bread cut in small pieces and soak- 
 ed in milk, at least three or four days before 
 you begin to angle. Your tackle must be, 
 strong and fine, the bottom links three fine 
 sil kworm gut twisted together, the hook pro., 
 portioned to the size of the carp, with which 
 the pond is stocked.. Carp in some ponds 
 are very large, I have seen them eight pounds 
 weight, The best times to angle for carp, 
 are the months of May, June, and July, if 
 the weather is warm,, from day-break to 
 eight o'clock in the morning, and from sun- 
 set till night. A variety of baits are recom- 
 mended for carp ; I never found any 
 
 a 3, 
 
4& OBSERVATIONS 
 
 rior to a well scoured lob-worm of a mid- 
 dle size; it will be adviseable to fish with 
 two hooks, the one within an inch of the 
 bottom, and the other a foot above it, using 
 a small cork float, which I believe is far 
 preferable to a quill float, as the cork in its 
 natural colour resembles a decayed piece of 
 wood, which is often seen floating near the 
 sides of a pond, and a quill float will not 
 sustain the weight of a lob-worm. Carp 
 will suck the bait some time before they 
 gorge, and when hooked must be governed 
 with a tight line, to prevent them entangling 
 your line in the weeds and roots of the water 
 dock, which are very tough. A landing 
 net will be very useful. Boiled peas but- 
 tered are said to be good baits,* I do not 
 approve of them for large carp, as a single 
 pea will not sufficiently hide the hook, and 
 more than one have a clumsy, and very un. 
 natural appearance : a ripe cherry is much 
 
 * See Brooke's art of Angling, where butt e reel peas 
 are strongly recommended, the advice has this advan- 
 tage, that if carp will not take them, the angler may. 
 
ON ANGLING. 41 
 
 more likely to succeed, on account of the 
 size of the bait. 
 
 CHUB 
 
 Spawn about March, are in season the 
 rest of the year, but best in winter ; they 
 frequent sharp streams, and deep holes un- 
 der oziers, with clay or gravelly bottoms ; 
 the large ones bite best very early in a morn- 
 ing, and are to be caught by dibbling with 
 a black beetle humble bee, or any large fly ; 
 but the best bait for this purpose, is the 
 brown beetle or cockchafer. Your rod and 
 line must be strong, and it will be conveni- 
 ent to use a running line, the better to enable 
 you to fish under bushes.. Having procu- 
 red some brown beetles, which are plentiful 
 in June and July, they may be found in the 
 day-time resting on the maple, oak, or ozi- 
 ers, and are to be seen flying about in the 
 evening.. You should be at the river by 
 day-break, and having baited your hook, 
 wave it two or three times near the surface, 
 as in the act of flying, then let it drop softly 
 
42 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 on the water, and shake your rod gently, 
 which will give it the appearance of strug 
 glingto escape, this will attract the attention 
 of the chub, and tw or three will rise at a 
 time, for they are remarkably fond of this 
 bait. His resistance when hooked, is great 
 at first, but he is soen subdued ; his weight 
 however, will make the landing net necefsa- 
 ry, and useful, as the likely places for chub 
 are those where you cannot get to the water 
 side to land him with your hands. 
 
 They bite at gentles, paste, grafshoppers, 
 worms, snails, wasps, and dock grubs, and. 
 the artificial fly, which should be gaudy; 
 black and dun flies, ribbed with gold or sil- 
 ver twist, will succeed very well in streams. 
 Minnows, small dace, and gudgeons, are 
 excellent baits for the large ones, and may 
 be fished with as directed for perch. Chub 
 will also take small gudgeons in the way 
 you troll for pike, the hook ought not to be 
 so heavy leaded upon the shank ; they gorge 
 immediately on taking the bait, The spinal 
 
ON ANGLING. 43 
 
 marrow of a beast is said to be a good bait 
 in winter, they who angle for chub at that 
 season richly deserve them. 
 
 All the caution necefsary in angling for 
 chub, is to keep out of sight, for they are 
 very timid. Chub stewed as carp, will de- 
 ceive a connoifseur. 
 
 GRAYLING 
 
 Are good all the year, but in high seasoa 
 in December. They frequent rapid streams, 
 particularly those at Hazleford Ferry and 
 Fiskerton ; they will take all the trout baits 
 except the minnow, particularly small arti* 
 ficial flies, red worms, and gentles, as these 
 fish are more apt to rise than descend; in 
 fishing with gentles use two or three hooks, 
 and fish with them as with the artificial fly, 
 they are very simple, and will rise repeatedly 
 at the bait should you chance to mifs them ; 
 small hooks are necefsary, and great caution 
 must be used in landing them, as they are very 
 tender mouthed, I have frequently caught 
 
44 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 them in fishing for gudgeons, by going in 
 and stirring up the sand and gravel. I never 
 caught one with a minnow, probably those 
 I used were too large ; very small minnows 
 with hooks proportioned to their size, might 
 be tried with some prospect of succefs, 
 though I do not recommend this bait,, not- 
 withstanding Walton's authority. 
 
 FLOUNDERS 
 
 Spawn in June and July, and are in sea-- 
 son the rest of the year ; they are to be found 
 near eddies where the stream is gentle, with 
 a gravel or sandy bottom, especially if there 
 is a gentle declivity, where they delight to 
 sun themselves. They bite all day, but best 
 in warm weather with a little wind ;, the bait 
 for them is a lob-worm well scoured, your 
 hook must be as small as you can conveni- 
 ently bait, and you must fish at the bottom ; 
 if you use a float, the lead to poise it being at 
 the bottom, it will lie flat on the water ; when 
 it cocks up, you may conclude a flounder 
 has hold of the bait, ease the rod for he will 
 
ON ANGLING. 45 
 
 Suck the bait some time, but is greedy and 
 sure to gorge it. Flounders are fish of prey 
 and will take minnows, and other small fish. 
 I have caught many in the way directed ibr 
 perch, using smaller hooks, fishing closer 
 to the bottom, and drawing the baited fish 
 more gently up the stream ; as they have 
 small mouths you will sometimes mifs them, 
 but they will bite again immediately. 
 
 Flounders are caught by pin lines, which 
 are made as follows: Take good strong 
 twine (not two hard twisted) of what length 
 you chuse, but twenty yards is the most 
 convenient, as they may be more easily 
 thrown in, and fasten links of nine hairs 
 each, at somewhat lefs than a yard distant 
 from each other, allowing at each end of 
 the twine sufficient length to fasten a weight 
 or flat stone; tie pins to the loose ends of 
 the links, beginning at the middle of the pin, 
 and proceeding to the head, cutting off the 
 hair close before you fasten, and wrapping 
 the silk over the ends of the hair, or it will 
 
46 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 prevent the worm pafsing on the pin. The 
 pins are baited with half a lob- worm, by 
 putting the point of the pin into the end of 
 a crow quill, and drawing the piece of worm 
 upon it nearly to the end which is not bro- 
 ken, you will easily feel the pin head, which 
 holding between the finger and thumb nails, 
 draw the quill out, the point of the pin will 
 prevent the worm coming off, you may by 
 this means bait the pins very expeditiously. 
 Tie a weight to each end of the line, and 
 throw it in rather slanting acrofs the river, 
 that the stream may carry the baits free of 
 the line ; take care the worms do not trail 
 on the ground, which would cause the points 
 of the pins to come out. You may either 
 fasten a yard or two of twine to the end of 
 the line, and peg it to the bank with a short 
 stake, or you may draw it out with a drag, 
 which is used when the lines are left, to 
 prevent their being stolen. This drag is 
 made by running about half a pound of 
 melted lead upon three pieces of iron wire, 
 placed in fine moist sand or clay, so that 
 
ON ANGLING* 47 
 
 they may stand in a triangular direction ; a 
 piece of wire about ten inches doubled, and 
 the ends turned again, will form two of these 
 hooks, and a loop to fasten the dragline, the 
 the length of which may be fifteen yards, 
 more will be uselefs, as the flounder line 
 ought not to be so far from the side ; the 
 wire should not be too strong, as the drag 
 frequently catches against stones, weeds, 
 and stumps of trees ; the wire by bending 
 will riot endanger the lofs of your drag, and 
 yet be sufficiently strong to draw the flounder 
 line .and weights to shore. These lines may 
 continue in the water -two hours,. and if you 
 have a score will keep you in constant em- 
 ployment through the day, to bait and draw, 
 beginning at the first that was thrown in, 
 and continuing to draw and bait them again, 
 in the order they were laid. To get the 
 flounders off, take short hold of the link and 
 pull gently, the pin will bend and come out 
 easily, and may be straightened again with 
 your fingers. The worms you intend that 
 day for baits must be sprinkled with sand 4 
 E 
 
48 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 which will enable you to bait the pins more 
 readily. A boat will be useful in laying 
 these lines, but you must be careful to free 
 the flounder line after the first weight is 
 thrown in, or it will drag with the boat, and 
 the line will not lie in the place you wish. 
 
 Flounder lines will take eels, but not large 
 ones, they must be well dried or they will 
 soon rot. 
 
 I cannot quit the subject without remark- 
 ing an error, which even the learned annotator 
 on Walton, has committed in his Complete 
 Angler, sixth edition, page 182, (a book I 
 have read with great satisfaction, not only 
 for the instructions it contains on angling, 
 but for the simplicity and unaffected piety, 
 which is so conspicuous in every page) he 
 there observes, that flounders are seldom 
 caught by angling. Every schoolboy who 
 has angled in the Trent , can contradict this 
 assertion ; I have known ten pounds weight 
 taken by two anglers in one afternoon, and 
 
ON ANGLING. 49 
 
 a much greater quantity in the same time by 
 flounder lines. I have caught them by ang- 
 ling with lobworms, nearly a pound weight 
 each; and with a minnow, I caught one in 
 1799, that weighed twenty three ounces. 
 
 EELS. 
 
 It has long been a matter of doubt how 
 eels are produced, the general opinion is, 
 that they are viviparous ; however, leaving 
 this disputed point to be settled by naturalists, 
 I shall instruct the angler how they may be 
 caught. In the day-time they delight in 
 still waters, amongst weeds, under roots of 
 trees, and large stones ; the best bait for 
 angling is the lobworm, your hook should 
 be small, about No. 3 or 4, and it will be 
 proper to use a small plumb, or pistol bullet. 
 They bite best in dark cloudy weather, after 
 showers attended with thunder and light- 
 ning; use a running line, and be not too 
 hasty when they bite. The large ones are 
 caught in the night, by lines as directed for 
 flounders, except having small strong hooks 
 
 2 
 
,5O OBSERVATIONS 
 
 instead of pins, and the links should consist 
 of twelve hairs. It is a matter of little con- 
 sequence where they are laid, for they will 
 succeed in streams as well as still waters. 
 Eels rove about in the night, especially in 
 streams, in search of prey, and there is scarce 
 a bait but they will take; such as frogs, 
 black snails, worms, roach, dace, gudgeons, 
 bleak, minnows, loaches, pieces of lamprey, 
 and millers' thumbs. The following is the 
 best method of taking large eels. Having 
 made a sufficient quantity of links of twelve 
 hairs, double them and tie a small strong 
 hook to each link, (the common small barbel 
 Iiook is best for this purpose) having an 
 equal number of strong whipcord lines about 
 twelve or fifteen yards each, which have 
 been used and are soft, such as old trolling 
 and barbel lines ; fasten one end to a small 
 stake of ash or hazel, about a foot long and 
 pointed at one end, make a noose at the 
 other end of each line large enough to admit 
 a dace or gudgeon, and fasten a bullet about 
 3 foot from the noose; take the links and 
 
ON ANGLING. 1 
 
 bait them with gudgeons, roach, dace, or 
 minnows, (but gudgeons are best) by making 
 an incision with the point of the baiting 
 needle at the shoulder, running it under the 
 skin and out at the middle of the tail, draw- 
 ing the link after it ; the point of the hook 
 should be upright towards the back, and it 
 matters not how proud, for eels are very 
 voracious. Having baited the whole, wrap 
 them in a wet linen cloth, and put them 
 carefully at one end of your pannier,, the 
 stakes with the lines being at the ther ; take 
 them in the evening to the river, and un- 
 winding a line from the stake, peg it fast to 
 the ground near the side ; take one of the 
 links baited, put the noose of the link upon 
 the line, and drop the bait through the noose 
 upon the line; thus all is fast, without the 
 trouble of tying knots, or what is worse the 
 trouble of untying them, .after the lines have 
 been in the water. Throw the bait in a 
 good way, but not to the extent of the line,. 
 as eels will run a little before they gorge:, 
 you may lay one hundred of these lines in a 
 
 * a 
 
2 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 short time : an eel lefs than a pound will 
 gorge the baits, but what you take in general 
 will be large. You must rise early in the 
 morning to draw them, and you will find 
 such of the lines as have eels at them, 
 drawn exceeding tight ; the large ones sel- 
 dom fasten the lines, but the small ones will 
 twist themselves so fast that you will have 
 some trouble to disentangle them. Dark 
 nights in July, August, and September, arc 
 the best for this diversion. 
 
 It may with some propriety be observed, 
 that this method of taking eels does not come 
 within the province of the angler ; I have to 
 remark, that it is the only way of taking large 
 eels, except by nets, and these are not allow- 
 ed but to proprietors and renters of fisheries : 
 another reason more forcible is, that eels are 
 transitory like woodcocks, continually mov- 
 ing from place to place, and are fair game 
 to the pofsefsor or first fortunate captor ; 
 besides these lines seldom take any other fish, 
 exce.pt eel-pouts and chub; pike do not 
 
ON ANGLING. 33 
 
 prey in the night, so that a fishery cannot be 
 injured by them, 
 
 EEL-POUTS 
 
 Are esteemed preferable to eels, though 
 in appearance a very unpleasant fish ; the 
 places of their resort the same, and are caught 
 with small gudgeons, loaches, and minnows 
 with single lines, as directed for large eels, 
 they prey only in the night, and on this ac- 
 count are seldom taken by angling. 
 
 TENCH 
 
 Delight in still waters, with muddy bot- 
 toms, they are however a beautiful fish, and 
 esteemed for their flavour ;. they are caught 
 in the Trent,, though not frequently, but 
 seldom exceed three pounds weight. The 
 baits for tench are the same as directed for 
 carp ; red worms dipped in tar, and the in- 
 side of a roll made into paste with honey, are 
 said to be good baits ; the best times to angle 
 ior them are in the hot months, very early* 
 or- after sun-set ; the place ought to bepre-. 
 
,54 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 viously baited, with lobworms, and boiled 
 malt ; you must fish at the bottom, they bite 
 freely and are easily taken. I cannot pafs 
 unnoticed the general opinion, that the slime 
 of -the tench is of a healing nature, on which 
 account it is said, pike will not prey on 
 them. I fear this observation is given to 
 the world without any evidence to support 
 it, and I attribute this supposed self-denial 
 of the pike to a different cause: tench are 
 fond of mud and are constantly at the bottom, 
 where they are probably secure from the 
 attacks of their voracious neighbour. 
 
 BREAM 
 
 Spawn in June and July, and are best in 
 season in September ; they grow to a very- 
 large size, I have seen them five and six 
 pounds. The large ones are called carp, 
 bream, as they are yellow,, resemble the carp 
 in colour, and are supposed to be a distinct 
 species from the white bream. They fre- 
 quent the broadest parts of the river, where 
 it is deep, and the stream gentle. The best 
 
ON ANGLING. 55 
 
 months are August and September, very- 
 early in the morning, or after sun-set. The 
 lobworm is the best bait for large ones, and 
 the place ought to be baited with them sonic 
 time before you angle. Use a running line, 
 and a plumb as directed for barbel, the hook 
 must be smaller, No. 2 or 3, will be the 
 proper size. 
 
 They afford excellent diversion, being 
 very strong, and from their shape draw a 
 great deal of water. 
 
 White bream are caught by using boiled 
 malt alone, as a ground bait, baiting your 
 hook with gentles or well scoured red worms; 
 and are found in the same places, and fished 
 for exactly in the same manner as directed 
 for roach and dace, observing to fish nearer 
 the bottom. 
 
 In the year, 1787, upwards of eleven 
 hundred weight of carp-bream were caught, 
 by one draught of the seine, a little above 
 
56 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 the Lawn, belonging to Roger Pocklington 
 Esq. at Winthorpe, and it was supposed that 
 a greater quantity escaped, by means of a 
 large hawthorn tree being inclosed in the 
 net, which rolling over, prevented that part 
 of the net reaching the bottom. This place 
 is an excellent nursery for fish, and can only 
 be drawn with succefs, when the river is 
 very low. 
 
 ROACH AND DACE. 
 
 Roach spawn in May, Dace in March* 
 and are in season all the year. As the me- 
 thod of fishing for them with a ground bait 
 is the same, I have clafsed them together. 
 They frequent deep water, near piles of 
 bridges, and water-works, where the stream 
 is gentle : by baiting a hole a day or two, 
 with half a peck of boiled malt, you may 
 expect good sport. They bite best from 
 three in the morning, to nine ; and from . 
 four in the afternoon, till night obliges you 
 to give over. Your tackle must be fine 
 and strong, as roach in the Trent grow to 
 
ON ANGLING. 57 
 
 a good size. I have caught them upwards 
 of" a pound. Use a rod not exceeding six 
 feet, a line something shorter, of six hairs, 
 and about two feet of silkworm gut for the 
 bottom links, a swan quill float, and small 
 hooks, about No. 11 or 12, though they 
 should be stronger wire than those usually 
 sold of these sizes. Roach seldom break 
 the hook in the water, yet they frequently 
 break the beard when pulled out, by spring- 
 ing about, their mouths being very bony. 
 The baits for roach and dace are very nu- 
 tnerous ; the best are gentles, red paste and 
 boiled wheat and malt ; the gentles of a pale 
 red colour, used with a white one, are often 
 taken by roach and dace, in preference to 
 any other bait ; gentles are not so good after 
 sheep-washing time. Red paste is an ex- 
 cellent bait; but it will be prudent to take 
 more than one kind of bait, roach ajnd daec 
 are very capricious, and in the course of a 
 morning or evening, will shun the bait they 
 had taken just before, and after a short time, 
 return to it again with great avidity, reject- 
 
 - 
 
58 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 ing all others. In angling with paste, you 
 must be attentive and strike quick ; when 
 you use boiled wheat or malt, chuse those 
 corns that are plump and soft, one is suffi- 
 cient, put your hook into it so that the 
 point may lie where it is burst and where 
 the white appears, you will hok the fish 
 more easily. Roach and dace with fine 
 tackle afford good diversion, and great quan- 
 tities are caught at a time. When you be- 
 gin, throw a good handful of the boiled malt 
 into the hole, and continue to throw in some 
 whilst you fish, but sparingly. 
 
 A small landing net will he very useful.; 
 in landing the large ones, draw them a yard 
 or two below the place where you fish, it 
 will occasion lefs disturbance in the hole. 
 
 In summer, dace also frequent sharp 
 gravelly scours, and may be caught with 
 small artificial flies, particularly the ant fly. 
 and black and dun ones. 
 
ON ANGLING. $$ 
 
 RUFF, OR POPE 
 
 Delight in deep holes that are quiet ; they 
 bite very freely, and will take gentles and 
 * white paste, but the best bait is a red worm. 
 Use a small cork float, two or three hooks 
 about six inches distant from each other, and 
 having found their haunts, you may take 
 forty or fifty at a standing, as they swim in 
 shoals. They seldom exceed five or six 
 inches in length, but are well tasted, and 
 very nourishing. 
 
 BLEAK 
 
 Are seldom angled for, being a fish little 
 valued, except for want of better baits for 
 other fish ; they may be caught in the place 
 baited with boiled malt for roach and dace, 
 by using a small hook with a single gentle, 
 fishing about half a yard deep. They will 
 take artificial flies, they must be very small. 
 and you may fish with three or four as direct- 
 ed for salmon frv. 
 
6O OBSERVATIONS 
 
 GUDGEONS 
 
 Spawn in March, and are in season all 
 the year; they bite freely. The best baits 
 are small red worms; they are caught in 
 swift streams with a gravelly or sandy bot- 
 tom, by going into the water and stirring 
 up the sand and gravel with the feet, but as 
 I hinted before, the practice is dangerous. 
 A small flat bottomed boat will be useful for 
 this kind of fishing, and avoid the bad con- 
 sequences ; it may be kept in a certain place 
 by a small anchor or large stone, stirring up 
 tne gravel and sand with a boat hook ; this 
 is an agreeable amusement for ladies fond 
 of angling, as they bite all day, and to them 
 will afford good diversion- Use a short rod 
 and line, with a quill float, the hook must 
 be small, and let the worm drag at the bot- 
 tom. 
 
 MINNOWS, LOACHES, AND MIL- 
 LERS' THUMBS. 
 
 These small fish complete the list of fish 
 caught in the Trent, they are used for baits, 
 
ON ANGLING. 6l 
 
 and a small meshed casting, net will be very 
 serviceable, and save a great deal of trouble, 
 as plenty for a day's diversion may be caught 
 at a throw or two, in shallow streams. Min- 
 nows are prefered to either loaches or mil- 
 ler's thumbs. I have used small dace instead 
 of minnows (which are sometimes difficult 
 to procure) with such succefs, as induces 
 me to believe they are superior for chub ; 
 they are doubt lefs brighter, and of course 
 more easily discerned. If you are not in 
 pofsefsion of a minnow net, they may be 
 caught with a piece of small red worm, a 
 very small hook, and a crow quill float; 
 minnows will hang to the end oi the worm* 
 and thus suffer themselves to be pulled out. 
 Loaches and miller's thumbs may be used 
 for want of better baits ; they may be seen 
 sunning themselves on flat stones in a bright 
 day, in shallow streams, and will bite at a 
 small red worm put near them. 
 
6'3 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 TROUT. 
 
 Notwithstanding Mr.Tay lor's Authority,* 
 very few of these excellent fish are caught in 
 the river Trent, yet as the river Greet near 
 Southwell, abounds with trout, which are 
 said to equal those in the lake of Geneva, in 
 ilavour ; I cannot resist the temptation of 
 giving some instructions for taking them hy 
 angling. There are few fish that afFojd the 
 angler such diversion, or require such skill 
 and circumspection to take them. It will 
 be in vain to angle when the water is low, 
 by being kept up at the mills ; they then 
 retire under the banks and roots, and refuse 
 all kinds of baits: they are at all times exceed- 
 ingly shy, quick-sighted, and circumspect; 
 on this account it will be necefsary to use 
 a long rod, and keep out of sight. In a 
 dark cloudy day after a gentle shower, when 
 die mills are going, there are few baits they 
 refuse ; such as minnows, worms, gentles, 
 snails, the young brood of wasps, and hor- 
 nets, dock grubs, and flies of all kinds, in 
 * Taylor's Angling, page 30. 
 
ON ANGLING. 63 
 
 their proper season. The baits I have found 
 most succefsful, are, minnows, small dace, 
 brandlings, marsh, and red worms, the may- 
 fly or green drake, the grey drake, the ^tone- 
 fly, the bracken clock, and the brown beetle. 
 These flies must be dibbled with ; the river 
 being much incommoded with trees and hop 
 plantations, you cannot use a long line ex- 
 cept in very few places. 
 
 Minnow Fishing. The rod for this pur- 
 pose, as well as every other method of ang- 
 ling for trout, must be long and light in 
 hand, with rings for the running line, which 
 may be either silk or hair, (fine raw 'silk 
 twisted together, makes excellent lines for 
 this purpose) and about three feet of stout 
 silkworm gut for the bottom links, with two 
 or three small swivels which will prevent 
 the line from twisting, arid cause the min- 
 now to spin better ; if you use three hooks 
 as directed for pike, the bottom swivel must 
 be open at one end, that the link on which, 
 the hooks are tied, maybe taken off occasion/ 
 * 3 
 
*>4 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 ally to be baited, the proper size of these 
 hooks, is No. 7, the succefs I met with in 
 adopting this method for pike, induced me 
 to try it for perch, and afterwards for trout, 
 and can afsure the reader, it exceeded my 
 expectations. If you prefer the old method 
 of a large hook and a smaller above it, the 
 proper sizes will be No. 2 and 6, the man- 
 ner of making and baiting these hooks has 
 been already described. As minnows are 
 sometimes difficult to procure, in order to 
 prevent an unneeefsary waste, they may be 
 taken to the river alive in a bait pan, and 
 what are not used may be put into a stone 
 trough or other vefsel in which they fcre 
 "kept ; those of a middle size are best, and 
 such as are caught in streams are brighter 
 and greatly preferable to those caught in 
 ditches, and stagnated waters. 
 
 The best places for trout, are, the upper 
 part of a deep hole, under bushes which 
 overhang the water, under banks where the 
 violence of the stream causes an eddy, and 
 
ON ANGLING. 65 
 
 the water runs round in whirlpools ; a little 
 experience will soon point out the likely 
 places, much better than any pen can pofsi- 
 bly describe. With a running line you may 
 permit the minnow to be carried by the 
 stream under bushes and cover, where you 
 could not fish with a common line : when 
 the minnow has been carried to the place 
 you wish, which is not to be done all at once, 
 but by suffering the stream to gain upon it 
 as you draw it back, which prevents it sink- 
 ing to the bottom, and entangling the hooks ; 
 draw it gently against the stream, favouring 
 the direction you would have the minnow 
 take, it will of course spin round very quick, 
 and this is the time that a trout usually takes- 
 it ; by holding the rod firm he will infallibly 
 hook himself, spring out of the water several 
 times, and by an astonishing strength and 
 agility endeavour to get quit of the hook; 
 do not be too hasty, or attempt to throw 
 him out ; lower your right hand, which will 
 raise the top of your rod, and keep it bent ; 
 by this means you may humour him till he. 
 
66 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 is completely tired, but it will be some time 
 before he will suffer you to take him out 
 with the landing net, and therefore I must 
 caution you against bringing him to the top 
 of the water as soon as hooked, for being 
 exceedingly shy, he will spring and plunge 
 violently, endanger your rod and line, or 
 break the hooks if high tempered : the only 
 way of preventing such a disappointment, 
 is, to keep him in the water as deep as you 
 can. 
 
 In angling with the minnow, various hooks 
 are made use of, that most in vogue with 
 fashionable anglers, consists of a large hook 
 as directed for perch, with two very small 
 hooks fastened back to back, to a short piece 
 of gut about two inches long, with a small 
 hook to another piece of gut something short- 
 er, to fasten the head of the minnow ; these 
 pieces of gut are attached to the link at such 
 distances, that the two small hooks may be 
 about the middle of the minnow, when bait- 
 ed and the other reach the head ; a small lead 
 
ON ANGLING. 67 
 
 cap slides upon the link, keeps the short 
 pieces of gut close, and falls upon the head 
 of the minnow ; no other weight is necefsary. 
 The advocates for this plan , boast of the cer- 
 tainty of hooking the trout with the two 
 small hooks ; this may be true, but I would 
 ask if these small hooks are sufficient to kill 
 a trout of any size, as they seldom exceed 
 No. 12, and when a fish is hooked by these,, 
 the other hooks are entirely uselefs, from 
 the situation in which they are placed; 
 another objection is, that when the gut to 
 which they are tied has been in the water a 
 short time, it will not sustain the weight of 
 the hooks, but they will sink below the min- 
 now, and are continually catching against 
 weeds and pieces of rubbish lodged at the 
 bottom of the river ; besides the lead cap 
 falling on the head of the minnow, totally 
 conceals the eyes, parts of the bait adding 
 life and attraction to it, and on that account 
 $o efsential to be seen. 
 
 Worms are good baits throughout the 
 
68 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 year, especially small lob worms, red worms,, 
 marsh worms, and brandlings, well scoured ^ 
 use a running line, and silkworm gut for the 
 bottom, the hook No. 4 or 5, and the shot 
 about a foot distant from the hook ; a float 
 is seldom used, the bait being suffered to be 
 carried down by the stream : if you use 
 small red worms, put two or three on the 
 hook, but one lobworm is sufficient ; dock 
 and wasp grubs, gentles, and white snails,, 
 may be fished with in the same way, they 
 are sometimes used with a worm, but the 
 two first are very tender* 
 
 In the year 1779, I was fishing in the 
 Greet, in company with two very expert 
 anglers, and at that time knew very little o 
 any other mode of angling for trout but with 
 a worm; my companions had plenty of 
 minnows, and knowing the superiority of 
 the bait, proposed several trifling wages on 
 their skirr, which I was induced to accept, 
 from a perfect knowledge of the. river, hav- 
 ing fished there when a schoolboy. I had 
 
ON ANGLING. 69 
 
 little chance with them at first, but some 
 heavy showers having fallen the preceding 
 evening, the water became discoloured, and 
 their minnows uselefs ; they had recourse to 
 worms, and the stock was soon exhausted: 
 we had taken eight brace of trout, and about 
 fourteen pounds weight of eels, and were 
 pretty equal in succefs. Thus circumstan- 
 ced, we sought for baits under cow dung, 
 and large stones : in the course of my search, 
 I found two white snails, which I was de- 
 termined to try ; I had scarce put in my hook 
 baited with one, when I perceived a fine 
 trout dart from under a tree root at the bait, 
 which I caught, he weighed about two 
 pounds; with the addition of a small bad 
 worm to the remainder of the snail, I soon 
 caught another trout, near the same size, 
 and immediately in the same spot a third, 
 mach larger, with the remaining snail ; and 
 I could discover evident signs of envy and 
 chagrin in the countenance of one of my 
 companions, who afsisted me in landing it : 
 tiiis gave me a decided superiority over 
 
?0 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 them both, and was productive of many 
 jokes, though I did not then discover the 
 secret cause of my succefs. I have intro- 
 duced this short digrefsion, to prove from 
 what trifling circumstances information may 
 be gained, and I believe that these recitals 
 constitute a principal part of the pleasure 
 arising from all rural amusements. 
 
 As I hinted that the situation of the river 
 winding between plantations of hops, and 
 the banks crowded with alder trees, would 
 preclude the idea of using the long line and 
 artificial fly, and as the natural flies are all 
 (except the bracken clock and brown beetle) 
 too tender to be used with the long line, I 
 shall give directions how they may be used 
 to more advantage., by dibbling ; a mode of 
 angling with natural flies, by waving them 
 over the water, and letting them fall gently 
 on the surface, under bushes, and where it 
 would be impofsible to make use of the 
 long line and. artificial fly, though this mode 
 of angling has lefs exercise to recommend if,, 
 
ON ANGLING. 71 
 
 yet larger fish are taken by it. It requires a 
 stiff rod, and a stronger line maybe used, as 
 the line is never in the water except you have 
 hooked a fish ; the bottom part ought to be 
 stout silkworm gut, and the hook propor- 
 tioned to the size of the fly, about No. 3 for 
 the brown beetle, and No. 7 for the other 
 flies ; it will be adviseable to put on two flies 
 when they are small, as in this state they 
 frequently fall into the water, they will not 
 only have a natural appearance but better 
 hide the deceit. 
 
 My reason for recommending stronger 
 tackle is, that the best divers on may be had 
 in very confined situations, where skill and 
 management can be of little use, your de- 
 pendance must be entirely on the strength 
 and goodnefs of your tackle. In the list of 
 natural flies, the hawthorn fly, the green and 
 grey drake (or may flies as they are generally 
 called), the stone fly, the canon or downhill 
 fly, the brown beetle or cockchafer, and the 
 bracken clock, used this way will be found 
 v ery killing baits. 
 
7*3 OBSERVATION'S 
 
 Trout being so beautiful, the angler will 
 
 be ambitious of exhibiting the spoils of the 
 
 day, in as favorable a light as he can ; for 
 
 this purpose, his fishing pannier should be 
 
 large enough to admit them their full length, 
 
 strewing a little hay or grafs between them. 
 
 Many anglers (who have no other object in 
 
 view than a lounge) put the fish in their 
 
 pockets, which after a hot 'day and a long 
 
 walk, have so disgusting an appearance, that 
 
 it -would puzzle an able naturalist to say, at 
 
 first sight, to which clafs in the creation they 
 
 properly belonged. 
 
 The river Greet is as fine a trout stream 
 as any in the kingdom, and trout weighing 
 upwards of five pounds have been caught in 
 it, but owing to the unaccountable neglect 
 of gentlemen and proprietors of land residing 
 in the neighbourhood of this beautiful river, 
 it has suffered considerably from the depre- 
 dations of poachers, and the many unfair and 
 illiberal practices which have been used, to 
 take and destroy. the fish. 
 
ON ANGLING. 7$ 
 
 RUB. 
 
 The rud is very scarce in many counties ; 
 (hey are frequentlycaught in theTrent, though 
 it is believed they are bred in the fleets,* and 
 escape in high floods into the river ^ they a?e 
 doubtlefs a distinct species, though an opin- 
 ion prevails, that they are produced by the 
 bream and roach. They delight in pon ds and 
 still waters, where they breed uncommonly 
 quick, and grow to a good size, I have seen 
 them above a pound weight each ; they are 
 strong, and with fine tackle afford good sport ; 
 they are to be caught exactly in the same way 
 as directed for roach and dace, using aground 
 bait of boiled malt, and baiting the hook with 
 a small red worm, or gentles, but the red 
 worm is the best bait. They are firmer and 
 much better eating than roach. 
 
 *The fleets are large pieces of standing water, and 
 are supposed to have been the ancient course of the 
 river Trent; they are very deep, and abound with 
 pike, perch, eels, carp, tench, roach, and rud, 
 
 G 2 
 
74 
 
 THINGS NECESSARY AND USEFUL 
 
 IN ANGLING. 
 
 jUL Twisting engine. 
 
 Hooks of various sizes, untied to bottom 
 Jinks. 
 
 Hooks, tied to bottom links, of coarse and 
 fine gimp, twisted and single silkworm gut, 
 and of white and sorrel horse hair. 
 
 Small pistol bullets and shot cleft to poise 
 your floats, which are put on the bottom 
 links and neatly closed. 
 
 Cork and quill floats. 
 
 Two pocket books with partitions^ one for 
 fine tackle, for trout, perch, roach, dace, 
 bream, gudgeons and smaller fish, the o- 
 ther for pike, barbel, chub, and eels. 
 
 Two casting nets, one for roach, dace, 
 and gudgeons, baits for pike and eels, the 
 
ON ANGLING. 75 
 
 other a very small mesh, for minnows, loach- 
 es and smaller fish, baits for trout, chub, 
 perch, and flounders. 
 
 Bait pans of different sizes, the tops 
 punched full of holes, and not so large that 
 the baits may escape, when the bait pan is 
 put into the river, which keeps them cool, 
 and supplies them with fresh water. 
 
 Two landing nets, one proportioned to 
 the size of pike, barbel, and chub, and a 
 smaller for trout, bream, roach^ and eels ; 
 these are preferable to landing hooks in se- 
 curing fish, when sufficiently tired, though 
 the latter are useful to disengage the line 
 from weeds and stumps in the water, and 
 irorn branches of trees growing on the banks. 
 
 Canvafs and woollen bags of various sizes, 
 for large and small worms, and boiled malt. 
 
 Tin boxes of various sorts, for gentles, 
 paste, and natural flies ; those for natural 
 flies, with- the tops punched full of small 
 holes to admit the air. 
 
 c a 
 
76 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 Two pannier s> one to carry pike, barbel, 
 and cbub, the other for trout, perch, roach, 
 dace, bream, and gudgeons. As these pan- 
 niers are very'light, chuse them large enough 
 to admit the fish their whole length. 
 
 Baiting ntedlts of various sizes, from 
 three inches to six inches long. 
 
 Lead plumbs, for barbel and eel fishing, of 
 different sizes, proportioned to the depth of 
 the water and strength of the current, they 
 are sold of various shapes, but the flat ones 
 are best. 
 
 Plummets of tea lead, to find the depth, in 
 angling for perch, flounders, chub, roach, 
 dace, ruff, and gudgeons, when a float is 
 used. 
 
 Silk of various colours, hooks for worm 
 fishing are usually tied on with scarlet silk, 
 and those for gentles, yellow paste, and 
 grubs with straw coloured* 
 
ON ANGLING. 77 
 
 Wax pitch tempered with tallow, makes 
 the best wax. 
 
 A clearing ring to free the hook when 
 entangled. These are made of brafs or lead, 
 and are put on the butt end of the rod, and 
 conducted down the line by a piece of strong 
 twine to where the hook is fastened, moving 
 the clearing ring gently, and slackening the 
 line. 
 
 A disgorger. When the fish has swallow- 
 ed the bait, this instrument is made use of 
 to disengage the hook, by putting it down 
 the throat of the fish, upon the hook, hold- 
 ing the line tight. 
 
 A drag, for flounder lines. 
 
78 
 HINTS & OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 angling is a rational and healthful 
 amusement, it should be followed only when 
 leisure from more important pursuits, and 
 the weather permits. Cold stormy weather, 
 independant of the danger of taking cold, is 
 by no means proper for the diversion. A 
 cloudy day is preferable to a bright one, and 
 the south and west winds better than the 
 north ; it is to little purpose to angle with 
 the wind in the east, though I know not if 
 this maxim holds good, in rivers running 
 from east to west, it is an universal rule 
 never to angle with the wind up the stream.* 
 
 * Mr. Taylor sets these niceties at defiance; but 
 waving his opinion, I shall appeal to the experience 
 of every good angler, who would confirm the truth 
 of my remark, that there are days in \f\\\c\ijish will 
 not bitt) and in which the greatest skill will not insure 
 succefs. 
 
ON ANGLING. 79 
 
 The air near rivers being cooler and briskr 
 cr than in other places, occasioned by the 
 motion of the water, great care must be 
 taken not to heat yourself, by walking too 
 fast ; but as the angler's thoughts in his walk 
 to the river, are generally occupied by his 
 probability of succefs, this will influence his 
 pace, if the distance is considerable, and the 
 weather warm, it will be impofsible to avoid 
 it ; I would therefore recommend flannel to 
 to be worn next the body, which will guard 
 against the dangerous consequences arising 
 from a sudden check to perspiration. 
 
 The soles of the shoes should be thick, 
 and the leather well seasoned, they should 
 now and then be rubbed over with mutton 
 fat by the fire, this will not only keep out 
 the wet, but render them soft and easy to 
 the feet. 
 
 Water and all flatulent liquors should be 
 studiously avoided. Thirst is scarcely to be 
 allayed by these, though taken in large quan- 
 
80 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 titles ; a little good brandy will answer the* 
 purpose much better, and may be drank with 
 safety. 
 
 Avoid sitting upon the ground, though it 
 may appear dry, yet the heat of the body 
 will cause a moisture, which soon cools, and 
 may be sensibly felt. If the angler through 
 age or infirmity is incapable of standing long, 
 a piece of coarse woollen cloth, doubled two 
 or three times, may be carried in the pannier, 
 and will be very useful to sit upon, especial- 
 ly in fishing for barbel, roach, and dace, 
 where the angler is confined to one spot. 
 
 Never continue in the water long. Gud- 
 geons are caught by going in and stirring up 
 the sand and gravel ; this is very pernicious 
 to the constitution, medical men will tell 
 you why. I have been in the water six 
 hours together, fishing for pike, and expe- 
 rienced the bad effects of it, by violent pains 
 in my head. 
 
 It is improper to angle when- a river is 
 
ON ANGLING. 8* 
 
 high, and discoloured by long continued 
 rains. The reason is very obvious, the fish 
 are then dispersed in every part of the river, 
 in search of food, and have left their usual 
 haunts. It is unnecefsary to add a caution 
 against angling in stormy weather, or when 
 it snows, hails, or rains ; few will attempt 
 the amusement in such unfavorable seasons* 
 
 The best times are, after a moderate show* 
 er, in dark cloudy weather, with a gentle 
 breeze, especially after a bright night, and 
 in small rivers when the sluices of mills are 
 drawn up; though it is impofsible to say 
 when fish will bite with certainty (let seasons 
 be ever so favorable), yet skill and neatnefs in 
 your tackle, a proper knowledge of the vari- 
 ous baits, and the resorts of the different 
 kinds of fish, will insure the best prospect of 
 succefs, and give you a decided superiority 
 over the inattentive bungler. 
 
 Warm weather is the only time for ma- 
 king all kinds of tackle where wax is used, 
 
82 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 as the silk will then draw freely, and wrap 
 closer; pitch tempered with tallow is the 
 best for the purpose; shoemakers' wax has 
 rosin in it, which makes it brittle, and it will 
 soon wash off. 
 
 Oil your rods in summer with linseed oil, 
 drying them in the sun, taking care the parts 
 lie flat ; they should be often turned, to pre- 
 vent them from warping: this will render 
 them tough, and prevent them being worm- 
 eaten ; in time they will acquire a beautiful 
 brown colour. Should they get wet, which 
 swells the wood and makes it fast in the 
 sockets, turn the part round over the flame 
 of a candle a short time, and it will be easily 
 set at liberty. 
 
 Never wind your lines on your reel wet, 
 at least when you get home wrap them round 
 the back of a chair, and let them be thorough- 
 ly dried, otherwise they will soon rot and 
 cannot be depended on ; with this care they 
 will last a considerable time. 
 
ON ANGLING. 83 
 
 It is good angling for chub, perch, and 
 eels, when there is a gentle rise of the river, 
 and the water begins to Le discoloured ; and 
 for pike, in summer when the river is clear- 
 ing after a flood. 
 
 Some attention should be paid to the co- 
 lour of an angler's drefs ; it is natural to 
 conclude that green would be moil eligible, 
 as it would vary little from those objects 
 with which fish are familiarized, such as 
 trees growing near (he shies of rivers, and 
 herbage on the banks, yet as this particular 
 colour might be disagreeable, I would ad- 
 vise the angler to avoid all strong contrasts 
 to those objects, particularly scarlet, very 
 light colours, and black. 
 
 In the foregoing pages, I have given in- 
 structions for angling for those fish, with 
 which the Trent abounds, but as some diffi- 
 culties may occur in the application, I shall 
 add some short observations on rods, lines, 
 and hooks, which may tend to remove them 
 by considering those articles feparately. 
 H 
 
?4 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 I may here observe, that the mode of 
 angling with the dead snap for pike, is ex- 
 actly upon the same principle as angling 
 with the minnow for trout, the tackle for 
 pike being proportionably stronger. I am 
 tempted to make the observation here 
 (though omitted in the proper place), from 
 a conviction that the method will be better 
 understood by the angler, for trout, than if 
 I had written a folio volume on the subject* 
 
RODS. 
 
 *NGLE rods should be proportioned in 
 length and strength, to the different fish you 
 design to angle for, they ought to bend re- 
 gularly, and taper gradually, be light in hand, 
 and spring from the but end to the top. 
 The great error in most rods is, that the play 
 of the rod is in the middle, owing to that 
 part being too weak, and like a waggoner's 
 whip, it is impofsible with a rod of this 
 kind to strike or command a fish of any 
 size. The best rods are made in London, 
 not only on account of the superiority ot* 
 the workmanship, but the materials are so 
 good and thoroughly seasoned, that London 
 rods recover their shape after the exertions of 
 a large fish, and it will be found the least 
 expence to purchase good ones at first. 
 If a thorough knowledge of the amusement, 
 and strict integrity, joined to a very exten- 
 sive sale of every article of convenience 
 H 2 
 
86 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 and use, requisite for an angler, can require 
 a recommendation, I beg leave to mention 
 Mr. John Higginbotham, No. 91, Strand, 
 London, whose chearfulnefs, punctually, 
 and attention to businefs, will gain him more 
 customers than any panegyric I can pofsibly 
 compose. 
 
 As accidents, however, will unavoidably 
 happen, and no skilful artist may be near to 
 repair them, I shall give a few hints, which 
 may not be altogether uselefs : Various kinds 
 of wood are used in making angle rods: 
 deal and sallow for the but ends ; hiccory, 
 ash, and hazle, for the middle parts ; and 
 bamboo cane, cabbage tree, brier, and elder, 
 for the tops ; these for the tops are cut in 
 joints or lengths, of eight or ten inches, 
 spliced and glued together ; after which they 
 are property tapered, with double tbolea 
 planes, and fine rasps, finished off with sand 
 paper, and the joints wrapped with silk well 
 waxed ; a small piece of whale bone is added 
 to the top, spliced and wrapped in the same 
 
ON ANGLING. 87 
 
 manner. Whatever wood is made use of, 
 the shoots ought to be got in winter, when 
 the sap has descended to the root, and kept 
 a year or two in some dry place, oiling them 
 now and then, with linseed oil, and placing 
 them in such a position that they may not 
 warp. If they are crooked, they may be 
 made perfectly straight, by warming them 
 over a gentle fire. I speak here of ash or 
 hazel, the bamboo cane, brier, and elder 
 are cut into joints, and thick enough when 
 divided lengthways into four pieces, to form 
 the top of the substance required. Bam- 
 boo cane is preferable for fine tops ; brier is 
 cheaper and little inferior, plenty may be 
 found in hedges of ancient inclosure, which 
 have not been plashed for many years, but 
 it should be thoroughly seasoned before it is 
 split, otherwise the small pieces will be apt 
 to warp in drying ; elder is rather brittle, 
 and is never used when cane or brier can be 
 procured of sufficient substance when split, 
 to correspond with the part to which it is 
 intended to be joined. 
 H 3 
 
88 
 
 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 Yew is much recommended by many au- 
 thors on angling, but it is very brittle, full 
 of knots, and inferior to bamboo cane or 
 brier. 
 
 Rods for pike and barbel, ought to be 
 Mxteen feet long, the but ends may be made 
 of red deal, the middle parts of ash, and the 
 fops of hazel, which may be shorter than 
 the other, as it will be difficult to meet with 
 hazels of the length of the other parts suffi- 
 ciently strong. 1 must caution the angler 
 against the common practice of taking the 
 bark from hazels, I grant they will drefs 
 neater, but it weakens them considerably. 
 Small rings or loops must be placed in a 
 straight direction upon the rods, for the 
 running line; if they are oiled as directed, 
 paint will be unnecefsary. 
 
 Rods for trout, perch, chub, eels, bream, 
 and flounders, may be finer ; and rings on 
 these for the running line will be necefsary, 
 and enable you to fish under bushes, and on 
 eminences by the water. 
 
ON ANGLING. 89 
 
 Rods for roach, dace, gudgeons, ruff, 
 bleak, and the smaller tribe of fish with 
 which this river abounds, should not ex- 
 ceed eight or ten feet in length, but as it 
 would be troublesome and expensive to 
 have rods for all these purposes, two may be 
 made to answer every occasion by the appli- 
 cation of different tops, except those for the 
 artificial fly, which are made much lighter 
 and upon a different construction; the but 
 end is thick about two feet, and tapered sud- 
 denly, that the weight may lie behind as a 
 balance, and prevent the arm being tired by 
 throwing the fly ; it should be very elastic, 
 and spring from the but end to the top ; it is, 
 not necessary to have rings on this rod on 
 account of the size of the fish caught in the 
 Trent, as you seldom take a fish with the fly, 
 in this river, exceeding two pounds weight, 
 and these are chub, (which are easily mana- 
 ged) but the silk with which the rings are 
 fastened, strengthens the rod greatly. A 
 sharp spike screwed into the but end will be 
 particularly useful when you have tired a 
 
9 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 fish, for by retiring from the river, and fix- 
 ing the rod upright in the ground (by means 
 of the spike) you will keep a light line, your 
 rod will play with every stroke he makes, and 
 you will easily land him with your net. I 
 would recommend spikes to the but ends of 
 all your rods, proportioned to their strength ; 
 they will preserve them from many accidents, 
 which they often meet with when laid down, 
 and are no despicable weapon against dogs, 
 with which our villages swarm ; a great num- 
 ber which do not come under the descrip- 
 tion of game dogs, being kept by persons 
 not charged to the church and poor rates, 
 and on that account exempted the dog tax. 
 
 Rods should not be kept in too dry a 
 room, the practice of steeping them in water 
 is a bad one, and will soon spoil them. 
 
ON ANGLING. 9* 
 
 LINES. 
 
 Lines for salmon, pike, barbel, chub, 
 and large bream, are made of silk or hemp, 
 and should not be too hard twisted. In the 
 choice of them, take care that they are even, 
 and free from flaws, otherwise they will not 
 run freely through the rings. The whip, 
 cord lines sold in the country, are sized, 
 rubbed even, and tied very tight in hanks, 
 in this state they look well, but have a 
 very different appearance after they have 
 been in the water ; and out of a line of sixty 
 yards, it will be difficult to get twenty yards 
 cf one entire piece, even and good* Raw 
 silk makes very good lines, the finer sort 
 twisted together, for salmon, trout, perch, 
 chub, and large bream; and the coarser for 
 pike, barbel, and eels. These as well as 
 lines made of silk (when new) ought to be 
 tied rather tight at both ends, and rubbed 
 with elder or cabbage leaves, and afterwards 
 trailed upon the grafs, which will make them 
 soft, and prevent their kinking 
 
9* OBSERVATIONS 
 
 Hair lines are proper for roach, dace r 
 \vhite bream, gudgeons, ruflf, and bleak, anJ 
 may consist of six or nine hairs. In the 
 choice of hair, observe that it is round, 
 and springs when strained a little, white and 
 sorrel are the best, black being too coarse 
 for angling, independant of the colour. 
 
 In order to make hair lines, soak the hair 
 (being previously washed) in spring water 
 four or five hours, draw it out by the root 
 ends, which tie together, and cut off nearly 
 the whole of what appears weak at the other 
 ends, as the whole cannot be twisted, and it 
 will not diminish that part which is good ; 
 divide them into three parts (which are two 
 hairs each, if your line consists of six hairs, 
 and three if of nine),, tie a knot at the end 
 of each of these three parts, as regular in 
 distance from the end as you can, that the 
 weight in twisting may bear equally on all ; 
 hang eacb of the small ends on the hooks of 
 your twisting engine, screwed into a door 
 post or other piece of timber, a convenient 
 
ON ANGLING. 93 
 
 "height, tliat you may be able to turn die 
 engine with your right hand, and reach the 
 bottom of the link with your left, which by 
 dividing with your fingers, will prevent the 
 link from uniting till the parts are properly 
 twisted, hanging a small lead weight, about 
 three ounces, of a conical form at the bot- 
 tom ; when each part is sufficiently twisted, 
 advance your fingers slowly up the link, 
 (turning the engine at the same time) till it 
 is twisted to the top, take off the weight, and 
 knot the three parts together, straining the 
 link a little, which will discover a faulty 
 hair. When you have made links suffici- 
 ent for your line, (which with the silkworm 
 gut ought not to exceed the length of your 
 rod) let them soak in water two or three 
 hours, and tie them together; the weak ends 
 directed not to be cut off, will here be use- 
 ful ; wrap the ends neatly with waxed silk, 
 and make a noose at eacfe end of the line, 
 the one to fasten to your rod, and the other 
 for the link on which the hook is tied. 
 Should you want a line immediately, soak 
 
93 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 the hair in hot water, it will not injure it T 
 and ten minutes will be sufficient. 
 
 The links of lines for the artificial fly 
 should be softly twisted, they fall much 
 lighter on the water, and are greatly superior 
 to lines of si-Ik and hair ; the knots are not 
 a-n objection, as a running line is not neces- 
 sary in angling in the Trent with the artifi- 
 cial fly except for salmon; the two top links 
 should consist of twelve hairs, the three next 
 of nine, the four next of six, and the five 
 bottom links of three hairs, which with the 
 addition of a yard of silkworm gut, will 
 make the line long enough, and no 'other 
 number of hairs will twist regular, or bed 
 well together. 
 
 Many authors direct the root ends of the 
 hair to be turned to the small ones, that the 
 link may be ot equal thicknefs ; if the hair 
 be good this advice is unnecessary, and you 
 will find it very troublesome, the weak ends 
 being tied to the strong ones will continual- 
 
ON ANGLING. 95 
 
 Iy break in twisting. You may make links 
 of nine and twelve hairs, which will be 
 useful for pin and hook lines, for flounders 
 and eels. 
 
 I shall purposely omit giving receipts to 
 dye hair, from a thorough conviction, that 
 dyes (especially where copperas is used) ar 
 injurious to the hair and soon rot it; the 
 various shades of colour in sorrel hair will 
 furnish the angler with lines proper for most 
 waters discoloured by rain, or running on 
 sand or gravel, especially mixed with white, 
 and for clear waters the white alone will be 
 found sufficient. 
 
 Lines of silk or hemp may be coloured by 
 a strong decoction of oak bark, which it is 
 believed renders them more durable, and 
 resists the water, it gives them an excellent 
 rufset brown colour, and any shade of it may 
 be obtained, by the time they remain in the 
 decoction, which should be cold. 
 
9^ OBSERVATIONS 
 
 It may not be improper to observe that 
 the term " running line" is applied to a line 
 which may he lengthened or shortened at 
 pleasure, by means of a reel on the rod, and 
 not to the mode of fishing without a float, 
 suffering the bait to be carried with the 
 stream, which may be done with a common 
 line no longer than the rod, and which is 
 properly termed faking by hand. 
 
 FLOATS. 
 
 Cork floats are used for pike, barbel, 
 chub, trout, perch, eels, ruff, and flounders, 
 and quill floats for bream, roach, dace, rud, 
 gudgeons, and bleak. Cork floats are ne- 
 cefsary in deep water, where more lead is 
 required to sink the bait than a quill float 
 would bear, and are made thus : Take a 
 cork firm and free from flaws, and with a 
 small red hot iron bore a hole lengthways 
 through the centre, with a sharp knife cut it 
 acrofs the grain about two -thirds of the 
 length, tapering to the end where the hole 
 is bored, and the remaining third rounded 
 
ON ANGLING. 97 
 
 with it (which is the top of the float) in the 
 shape of an egg, the lower end tapering 
 more gradually, resembling in shape the 
 small peg tops children play with. For 
 pike, barbel, and large chub, these floats 
 should be about the size of a bergamot pear, 
 and for trout, perch, eels, flounders, and 
 ruffs, about the size of a small walnut when 
 the green rind is taken off! Some authors 
 direct cork floats to be proportioned to the 
 number of hairs the line consists of, and for 
 a single hair no bigger than a bean ; I could 
 never find cork floats so diminutive of any 
 use, for small floats quills answer the purpose 
 much better, and I am certain the two sizes 
 I have recommended will be found suffici- 
 ent. Quili rioats are made as follows: 
 Take any quantity of swan or goose quills 
 you want, cut off the barrel part from that 
 where the feathers grow, and with a thick 
 piece of wire, wrapped round the end with 
 cotton wool, clear the inside of the quill 
 irort the film, put in a small piece of pitch 
 about the size of a sweet pea, and with the 
 
 I 2 
 
98 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 wire force it to the end, ramming it close, 
 this will effectually keep out the water; put 
 a small piece of cotton wool upon the pitch, 
 sufficient when forced close into the quill, 
 to form a space of a quarter of an inch, and 
 upon the cotton add another piece of pitch 
 of the same size as the first, which will 
 secure the cotton, and make the float easily 
 discerned in the water; take a piece of sal- 
 low, hazle, or other soft wood, about the 
 same size as the circumference of the quill, 
 and about two inches long, fit it neatly 
 about three-quarters of an inch into the quill 
 and fasten it with a cement made of powder- 
 ed bee's wax rosin and chalk, melted over 
 the fire in a ladle, dip the plug in when it is 
 sufficiently melted and incorporated and put 
 it immediately into the quill, taper the lower 
 end of the plug, and with the help of a fine 
 straight awl put into it a piece of doubled 
 brafs wire the loop end formed into a round 
 eye, and the other twisted, which will pafs 
 into the plug like a screw, holding the wire 
 fast with a pair of small pliers, and turning 
 
ON ANGLING. 9 
 
 the float round ; the line pafses through the 
 eye of the wire, the top of the float is made 
 fast to the litre, hy a hoop made of the bar- 
 rel part of the quill, and rather wider than 
 the float to admit the thicknefs of the line ; 
 by means of this hoop the float may be shift- 
 ed at pleasure, according to the depth you 
 are inclined to fish; the loops may be dyed 
 red by the following method, Take some 
 stale urine, and put to it as much brazil 
 wood in powder, as will make it a deep red, 
 then take some fair water, and put ahandfiiJ 
 of salt into it, and a small quantity of argof, 
 stirring them till they are difsolved, boil 
 them over the fire in a saucepan, arid when 
 cold put in the quills well scraped, and let 
 them lie a while in it, then take them out, 
 and put them into the urine made red with 
 the brazil wood, and let them continue a 
 fortnight, when dry rub them with a wool- 
 len cloth and they will be transparent. The 
 hoops must be cut with a sharp knife or the 
 will split, 
 
 3 
 
too OBSERVATIONS 
 
 HOOKS. 
 
 The excellency of hooks depends on their 
 being properly tempered, not too high to 
 snap, or not sufficiently that they may be 
 bent with the fingers ; in the choice of them 
 take care that the points are sharp, the beards 
 of a good length, and the shanks not too 
 long; they are made of various shapes, 
 Ford's and Kirkby's hooks are in the highest 
 estimation ; the old hooks with the circular 
 bend will answer very well, if the points do 
 not stand paralel with the shanks. As fish 
 differ so much in size, a great deal must be 
 left to the judgment of the angler in the 
 choice of them, a little experience will soon 
 point out the proper size, but as some direc- 
 tions in a treatise on this subject may be 
 expected, the following table is added for 
 the information of young anglers, first pre- 
 mising, that it is a guide only, where single 
 hooks are used, those for pike and minnow 
 fishing having been before described. 
 
101 
 
 The Size of Hooks used in Angling in the 
 Trent. 
 
 No 
 
 Salmon 
 
 Barbel 
 
 Chub 
 
 Trout . 
 
 Carp 
 
 Tench . 
 
 Bream Carp 
 
 Bream White . 
 
 Perch 
 
 Eels and Eelpouts 4 
 
 Flounders . 5 
 
 Greyling 
 
 Ruff . . . 
 
 Roach . 
 
 Rud . 
 
 Dace 
 
 Gudgeons 
 
 Bleak . . 
 
 Salmon Fry 
 
 Miller's Thumbs 
 
 Minrfows 
 
 Loaches * smaller ' 
 
 3 
 3 
 3 
 3 
 9 
 4 
 
 to 
 
 9 
 11 
 
 9 
 is 
 
 12 
 
 and larger of varl. 
 ous sizes. 
 
 for night lines the 
 common double or 
 k single eel hook, 
 
lOfi OBSERVATIONS 
 
 BAITS 
 
 Are very numerous, I have recommend- 
 ed those that are natural, and such as fish 
 are accustomed to feed upon, rejecting the 
 amazing farrago, with which many books 
 are crouded; I grant they may catch fish, 
 but the judicious angler will attribute their 
 succefs, more to the resemblance of some 
 natural bait, than any intrinsic merit of 
 their own. Red paste, for instance, is an 
 excellent bait for roach, but it may be taken 
 for a currant or other red berry, or probably 
 for the spawn of salmon. I shall give some 
 instructions for procuring baits, and keep- 
 ing them in a proper state for angling. 
 
 Fish baits must be perfectly sweet and 
 fresh caught; roach, dace, and gudgeons, 
 may be wrapt in a wet linen cloth, and 
 taken to the place you intend to angle in, if 
 not very distant. Minnows must be kept 
 in bran, which dries up the moisture, they 
 will be stiff at first, and consequently not 
 
ON ANGLING, 103 
 
 opm* so well, the bran will adhere fast to 
 them, but after fishing a short time, it will 
 wash off, and they will be pliable. Very 
 small roach dace or gudgeons must be kept 
 in bran, or they will soon become putrid and 
 so tender that it will be difficult to bait them. 
 
 Worms. Lobworms are caught in the 
 night, after heavy showers, on grafs walks, 
 and sheep pastures, where grafs is short, 
 with the help of a candle and lanthorn ; you 
 must move cautiously, for they are quick 
 of apprehension ; draw them gently out of 
 their holes, without nipping them, and throw 
 away those that are broken, for they will 
 soon become putrid, and infect the others ; 
 
 *I was some time at a lofs for the reason why 
 the succefs of fishing -with a minnow or other small 
 fish depended on their turning round quick, until I 
 had frequent opportunities of observing ir: the shal- 
 lows in summer, the innumerable shoals of very 
 small fish, in which several of them were in the 
 same motion, as if sieved with a vertigo, but from 
 whatever cause it proceeded, whether from some 
 injury, or wanton spoit, they were doubtlefs at that 
 time lefs able to elude the pursuit of their vigilart 
 devourers, and therefore an easy prey. . 
 
104 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 an oyster barrel with a leather strap nailed 
 acrofs the top, will be useful to put them 
 in, when you have got as many as are neces- 
 sary, having ready a good quantity oi inols, 
 wet with rain or dew, put it into a large 
 pipkin, or other earthen vefsel, proportioned 
 to the quantity of worms, laying it regular- 
 ly, and forcing it down with your hands, 
 strew the worms on the surface, such as are 
 not injured will soon creep into the mofs, 
 and those that do not, must the next morn- 
 ing be picked off and thrown away ; it will 
 be necefsary to look at them every three or 
 four days, to pick out the dead ones, and 
 they will require fresh mofs, at least once a 
 week, or you may wash the mofs they were 
 in, squeezing out the water with your hands ; 
 they must be set in a cool place, in summer, 
 and with this care, they will keep a month, 
 be clean, tough, and fit to fish with. 
 
 Small worms. There are many kinds of 
 small worms (naturalists reckon upwards ot 
 two hundred) but out of this numerous 
 
ON ANGLING. 
 catalogue not many are used in angling. The 
 best are found in tanner's bark thrown up 
 on heaps after it has been used, rotten thatch, 
 grafs mown from garden walks after it has 
 lain some time. Brandlings are found by 
 the sides of old sewers, marsh or meadow 
 worms, in marshy ground by the banks of 
 rivers, and all when scoured are excellent 
 baits ; they must be kept in mofs as directed 
 for lobworms, a spoonful of cream sprinkled 
 now and then on the mofs will greatly re- 
 fresh them when they grow weak. 
 
 Gentles, may be procured at the tallow 
 chandlers, and should be kept in oatmeal 
 and bran, as bran by itself is too diy; in 
 order to prevent difsappointments, coarse 
 fish, such as chub and roach, may be laid in 
 an earthen pot in the shade, and will soon 
 be fly-blown, when the gentles are large 
 enough (but not before) put some oatmeal 
 and bran to them, and they will in two days 
 be well scoured, and fit to fish with, in 
 about four more they become hard, afsume 
 
106 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 a pale red colour, and soon after change to 
 flies ; do not throw the red ones away, roach 
 and dace frequently take the pale ones with 
 a white one in preference to all other baits. 
 As an angler is not always succefsful, you 
 will often catch a chub or roach, unfit to 
 cook, and unworthy of any body's accept- 
 ance, these may be appropriated to this 
 purpose. 
 
 Many authors recommend a piece of 
 bullock's liver, suspended by a stick over a 
 barrel of clay, into which the gentles fall, 
 and scour themselves ; this is a very bad 
 plan, clay will not scour the?n t and they 
 fall from the liver before they have attained 
 their full size. The plan I have recom- 
 mended, will be found preferable, and not 
 disgusting even to the squeamish angler, 
 for a short time after the oatmeal and bran 
 are put to the gentles, the fish in which they 
 were bred, will be found perfect skeletons, 
 and may be thrown away. 
 
ON ANGLING. 107 
 
 Pastes. Red paste is made thus : Take 
 a large spoonful of fine wheat flour, moisten 
 it with the white of an egg, and work it 
 with your hands, till it is tough, colour it 
 with a little vermilion, (as this is dear red 
 lead will be a good substitute) add a small 
 quantity of honey, or loaf sugar finely pow- 
 dered, and knead some cotton wool* spread 
 equally over the paste, when prefsed flat 
 with your hand, it must be then well worked 
 together, to mix the cotton thoroughly, 
 which will make it hang better upon the 
 hook; a small piece of fresh butter wil. 
 prevent it becoming hard, and it will keep 
 good a week. White paste is made, by 
 leaving out the vermilion, or red lead, and 
 yellow, by mixing a little turmeric with it. 
 Many authors recommend oil of anniseeds 
 and a variety of other efsential oils, to scent 
 paste with, these are communicated as se- 
 crets, and having an air of mystery, are 
 cagarly sought after by the young angler; 
 
 * Some authors reject the cotton wool in pastes, 
 it is however ncceisary. 
 
 K 
 
*>8 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 I have tried a variety, but never had reason 
 to suppose they were instrumental in taking 
 a single fish, and believe them all " wasteful 
 and ridiculous expence." 
 
 Various pastes are recommended, com- 
 posed of curious ingredients, such as the fat 
 of a heron, and the flesh of a cat or rabbit's 
 leg, the clotted blood of a sheep's heart, and 
 a thousand other fanciful nostrums, the ri- 
 diculous trumpery of dreaming ignorance. 
 I shall select a few excellent receipts as they 
 are called^ to allure and catch fish, extracted 
 from modern authors. I leave the proba- 
 bility of their succefs to the judgement of 
 the inteligent reader. 
 
 " Make up a paste with mulberry juice, 
 " hedgehog's fat, oil of water lilies, and a 
 " few drops of oil of penny-royal." Brookes, 
 page 176. A man might rack his invention 
 some time for such inconsistent ingredients. 
 
 " Take nettles, and cinque foil, chop them 
 
ON ANGLING; 1019 
 
 ** small ; mix some juice of houscleek with 
 " them; rub your hands therewith, throw it 
 " into the water, and keep your hands in it, 
 " and the fish will come to them.'* Best's 
 Art of Angling*. Who believes this would 
 be the case ? 
 
 The following is from the same author in 
 his own words. " I shall now give the 
 " reader the ne plus ultra of all these kinds 
 18 of ointments ; which he cannot set too 
 " high a value upon. Take cat's fat, heron's 
 " fat, and the best afsafaetida, each two 
 " drachms ; mummy finely powdered ditto, 
 44 cummin seed finely powdered two scru- 
 " pies, and camphor, galbannm, and Venice 
 " turpentine, of each one drachm, and civet 
 " two grains. Make them sccunaem artem* 
 " into a thinish ointment with the chemical 
 " oils of lavender, anniseed, and camomile, 
 " and keep it in a narrow mouthed, and well 
 " glazed gallipot, covered with a bladder 
 '* and leather, and it will keep two years. 
 " When you waat to use it, put some into a 
 K 2 
 
HO OBSERVATIONS 
 
 " small taper pewter box, and anoint your 
 41 line* with it, about eight or nine inches 
 
 LC from the hook, and when it is washed off 
 " repeat the unction, probatum est" Cour- 
 teous reader what think you of these won- 
 derful compositions ? 
 
 In Brooks is the following receipt. "Take 
 " goat's blood, barley meal, and lees of sweet 
 " wine, mix them with the lungs of a 
 " goat, boiled and pounded fine; make the 
 *' whole into pills, which throw into ponds 
 " or pits, and you may soon catch the fish, 
 " which are intoxicated by eating them. 5 ' 
 A man might very properly exclaim with 
 the carrier in Shakespere's first part of Hen- 
 ry IV. act 2, scene i, Ay % when, canst tellf 
 
 ' How to bring fish together/' Get the 
 <{ blood of an ox, a goat,"*' aad a sheep, with 
 
 * Surely the author has substituted the word 
 " line " for " bait " or |s it an error of the prefs ? 
 
 f It may reasonably be inferred that the author 
 resided in Wales, as the goat seems some how or 
 iher, to contribute to these wonderful nostrurrr, 
 
ON ANGLING. lil 
 
 " the dung of the same creatures, taken out 
 " of the small guts, with thyme, origanum, 
 " penny-royal, savoury, elder, garlic, lees 
 " of sweet wine of each a like quantity, the 
 " fat or marrow of the same creatures, a 
 " sufficient quantity, beat all these that they 
 " may mix together ; make the whole into 
 " lumps, and cast them into ponds, or where 
 " fish are, an hour before you purpose 
 "*' to catch them, at which time cast your 
 " nets upon them." Brookes, page 48..' 
 Enough! enough] gentle reader I will not 
 disgust you by transcribing more of these' 
 fulsome and abominable receipts : I would 
 ask with what appetite a man could sit down : 
 to fish fed on these nauseous mixtures, and 
 they differ little from the food directed to be 
 given to fish in ponds, such as blood, en- 
 trails, and dung: As the feeding of fish in 
 pondsi is usually entrusted to- the care o 
 servants, and as they will be desirous of 
 diminishing their labour the food will be 
 thrown into the pond, without much regard- 
 to .the size of the pieces, and the* fish being 
 
 * 3 
 
112 OBSERVATION 
 
 unable to feed upon it in this state, it will 
 of course become putrid, and the pond, in- 
 stead of that cleanlinefs, ancf purity, so es- 
 sential to the preservation of the fish, and 
 which constitutes the principal enjoyment 
 of the owner, will in a short time, resemble 
 the offensive slaughter house of a carcase 
 butcher. 
 
 The best food for carp and tench, (exclu- 
 sive of what they obtain in a natural way) 
 is corn of all sorts boiled, till it is soft, 
 crusts of bread, cut into small pieces, and 
 soaked in milk or water, and coarse flour 
 made into paste. Great care must be taken 
 not to give them more at a time than they 
 can soon consume, and whatever food is 
 thrown in, should be distributed in small 
 quantities in various parts of the pond, and 
 more particularly in those places difficult of 
 accefs to poachers. The reader will pardon 
 this long digression.- I return to the subject 
 of baits. 
 
 Boiled wheat and malt > must be simmer- 
 
ON ANGLING. llg 
 
 ed in milk over a gentle fire in a saucepan, 
 but it must not be suffered to boil fast, as it 
 will burst the corns, or it may be set in a 
 gentle oven all night, and the outward husk 
 taken off; either wheat, or malt, is an excel- 
 lent bait for roach, dace, and white bream. 
 
 Brown and black beetles, are excellent 
 baits for dibbling for large trout and chub, 
 the former have been very scarce for several 
 summers past, owing I apprehend to the 
 inclemency of the winters ; they may be 
 seen flying about in hot summer evenings in 
 the months of June or July, or found in 
 the day time, on the oak, maple, or ozier ;. 
 they must be kept in boxes, with holes to 
 admit the air, and will live two or three 
 days on the leaves of the trees they were 
 found upon. Black beetles are found in 
 the earth under fresh horse dung,, by remov- 
 ing the dung, and digging with a trowel i 
 they creep there to deposit their eggs, and 
 the holes they make in the ground, will di- 
 rect the searsh for them ; these must be kept 
 in an earthen pot, with a little of the earth* 
 
ii4 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 The young brood of wasps and hornets 
 are good baits for trout, roach, dace, and 
 chub, they are however very tender ; I omit 
 a long list of caterpillers and grubs, for the 
 same reason, they may be had recourse to 
 in cases of necefsity, but the baits I have 
 recommended will be found sufficient. 
 
 After having pointed out the baits best 
 calculated to insure succefs, I shall conclude 
 this subject by the following observation : 
 An angler ambitions of excelling in the 
 amusement will be convinced, that those 
 baits are best, which fish obtain in a natural 
 way, his province is to present them so as 
 best to hide the deceit, thus the natural fly 
 will seem fluttering on the surface; the 
 worm will appear to have dropt gently from 
 the bank, and to be crawling at the bottom ; 
 and the minnow to have received some inju- 
 ry, and exerting its utmost efforts to escape : 
 he must be an attentive observer of nature, 
 and his endeavours will be rewarded with, 
 succefs. 
 
ON ANGLING, 
 
 I intended to have concluded these obser- 
 vations with a short treatise on artificial fly 
 fishing, and a list of flies proper for the Trent, 
 and though I despaired of adding any thing 
 to the improvements made in this entertain- 
 ing part of angling, yet I flattered myself I 
 should be able (by consulting some of the , 
 best natural historians) to have given the flies 
 their proper names, arranged them under 
 their respective clafses, and to have obviated 
 many doubts which must arise in the mind of 
 every reader, on a perusal of all the authors^ 
 who have written on the subject, owing to 
 the diversity of names given to the flies, 
 which are (with very few exceptions) arbi- 
 trary and provincial ; most of the flies in 
 Walton, Bowlker, and even Taylor's j- 
 entific treatise, are called after the animal or 
 bird, whose fur or feathers contribute most 
 to the formation of the fly, as the dun fox* 
 the light fox, the hare's far, the wren's tail. 
 t\\z grouse hackle, the brown rail, and the 
 woodcock Jly ; several are distinguished only 
 by colour, as the dark claret, the golden 
 
*l6 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 sooty, and the Hack blue dun, with many 
 others which it might be thought invidious to 
 particularize. I do not mean to condemn 
 or depreciate these authors, whose united 
 labours in this particular branch of the 
 amusement, may be consulted with conside- 
 rable advantage ; but not having sufficient 
 leisure to accomplish the undertaking, I shall 
 only suggest the advantages resulting from 
 it; I relinquish the agreeable task with lefs 
 regret, as there are not any fish in the Trent 
 but what may be taken by the mode of 
 angling I have recommended, and which I 
 have followed with succefs; I will be 
 ingenuous enough to confefs, that the cir- 
 cumstances which have prevented my un- 
 dertaking it, did not occur, until a consider- 
 able part of these observations were printed 
 off. This will appear to have been my 
 original design from the remark in the 
 dedication, that angling connected as it is 
 with natural history, is a study of greater 
 importance than is generally believed, and 
 worthy the attention of sensible (and I will 
 
CN ANGLING. 1JJ 
 
 -add learned) men. I am well aware of the 
 criticisms which will be made by many, 
 who, not having any taste foi* this rational 
 recreation, or being susceptible of the tran- 
 quillity and content it diffuses, will infer 
 from the performance, that I have endea- 
 voured to dignify an art, truly insignificant, 
 and that my time has been misapplied, in 
 recommending a diversion puerile and 
 trifling. 
 
 -What art thou whose eye 
 
 Follows my pen, or what am I that write ? 
 Both triflers. Tis a trifling world, from him 
 That banquets daintily in sleeves of lawn, 
 To him that starves upon a country cure ; 
 From him that is the pilot of a state, 
 To him that begs, and rather begs than works. 
 
 I fear there are few amusements (out of 
 doors) so rational as angling, or which are 
 productive of that inward peace which it 
 
Il8 OBSERVATIONS &C. 
 
 inspires.* If the smallest blade of grafs ex- 
 cites our wonder, and mocks our feeble 
 imitation, what a rich and inexhaustible 
 fund of delight, must the whole animal and 
 vegetable kingdom afford when the volume 
 of nature, is presented to our view arrayed 
 in, the most captivating drefs. 
 
 Not a tree, 
 
 A plant, a leaf, a blofsom, but contains 
 A folio volume. We may read and read 
 And read again, and still find something new, 
 Something to please, something to instruct, 
 E'en in the kumbU weed. 
 
 
 * It is a general observation that anglers are men 
 of patient and quiet dispositions. Are such men 
 fond of angling, or has the amusement this influence 
 on the mind ? 
 
INDEX. 
 
 ANGLING closely connected with na- 
 tural history . . . . . . 116 
 
 Angler must be an attentive observer of 
 
 nature 114 
 
 Angler's drefs 83 
 
 apparatus 74 
 
 Ant fly for dace 58 
 
 Appeal to experienced anglers, nott . 78 
 Artificial flies, the names arbitrary and pro- 
 vincial 115 
 
 hints for a list of, proper for the 
 
 Trent 115 
 
 -reasons for omitting them 115 
 
 Ash used for rods 86 
 
 B 
 Bad effects of continuing long in the 
 
 water 80 
 
 Baits recommenced . . . . 102 
 
 Bait pans 75 
 
 Baiting needles ....... 76 
 
 vcfsel 28 
 
120 INDEX. 
 
 Barbel, how to angle for .... 28 
 
 caution in angling for . . 31 
 
 Bamboo cane excellent for fine tops . 86 
 
 Basket -fishing, or pannier ... 76 
 
 Bleak 59 
 
 Bracken clock, an excellent fly for 
 
 dibbling 9 
 
 Bream carp ........ 54 
 
 great quantity taken . . 8 
 
 white 55 
 
 Brier makes good tops 87 
 
 Bullet condemned in barbel fishing, note 33 
 C 
 
 Canon, or downhill fly 71 
 
 Canvas and woollen bags . , . . 75 
 
 Carp, how to angle for .... 38 
 Cautions against continuing long in the 
 
 water 80 
 
 drinking water or flatulent li- ' 
 
 quors when hot . . . . . 79 
 -heating yourself by walking too 
 
 fast 79 
 
 sitting upon the ground , 80 
 
 taking the bark from hazels 88 
 
INDEX. 12t 
 
 Caution against winding up lines wet 82 
 
 in angling for barbel ... 31 
 
 chub .... 43 
 
 trout . 66 
 
 in trolling for pike ; . . 21 
 
 Cement for quill floats ..... 98 
 Chub their haunts, and method of angling 
 
 for . 41 
 
 Clearing ring, what 77 
 
 Cockchafer or brown beetle, excellent for 
 
 large trout and chub ... 41 
 Cork floats, directions for making . 96 
 Cotton wool recommended in pastes, note 107 
 
 D 
 Dace their haunts, and method of angling 
 
 for ,56 
 
 small, superior to minnows for chub 61 
 
 Danger of drinking water or flatulent liquors 
 
 when hot 79 
 
 Dead gorge for pike 17 
 
 Dead snap . , 24 
 
 Directions for dibbling . , . 70 
 
 feeding fish in ponds . 112 
 
 Disgorger, what ...... 77 
 
 L 2 
 
122 INDEX. 
 
 Drag for flounder lines 46 
 
 Dyes where copperas is used, injurious 95 
 
 E 
 Eels, the method of angling for . . 49 
 
 night lines for large .... 49 
 
 Eel-pouts 53 
 
 prey in the night . . . . 53 
 
 Elder sometimes used for tops . . 87 
 Error in many angle rods .... 85 
 Extract from Walton on barbel fishing 32 
 
 F 
 Pish would afford wonderful resources if 
 
 protected 32 
 
 Fishery, not injured by night lines for eels 52 
 Fishing by hand, what .... 96 
 
 Flannel recommended 79 
 
 Fleets, supposed to be the ancient course of 
 
 the Trent 73 
 
 abound with pike, perch, carp, tench, 
 
 eels, roach, and rud, note . . 73 
 Floats how made ...... 96 
 
 Flounders, their haunts and method of an- 
 gling for . . 44 
 
 are fish of prey * . . . 45 
 
INDEX. 123 
 
 Flounders, pin lines for . . , 45 
 Fo*rd and Kirkby's hooks, in high estima- 
 tion 100 
 
 G 
 Gentles, how to breed and scour . 105 
 
 the common method condemned 106 
 
 good baits for roach and dace . 106 
 
 Gimp preferable to wire for the dead gorge 1 7 
 Grayling, their haunts and instructions in 
 
 angling for 43 
 
 minnows not approved as baits for 44. 
 
 Green and grey drake, recommended for 
 
 dibbling 71 
 
 too tender for the long line 70 
 
 Greet river 721 
 
 Gudgeons, the method of angling for 60 
 
 an agreeable amusement for ladies 60 
 
 H 
 Hawthorn fly .......... 71 
 
 Hair, directions in the choice of . . 92 
 
 injured by dyes 95 
 
 lines, directions for making . . 92 
 Hazels, caution against taking the bark 
 
 from 8? 
 
124 INDEX. 
 
 Higginbotham,Mr. John, recommended 86 
 Hints and observations ..... 78 
 Hooks, directions in the choice of . 100 
 
 a table of the various sizes, proper for 
 
 angling in the Trent . . , 101 
 
 Ford and Kirby's .... 100 
 
 I 
 Improper to angfe when the river is high 80 
 
 ifl stormy weather . 78 
 
 L 
 Landing nets preferable to landing hooks 75 
 
 hooks useful on some occasions 75 
 
 Lines hair, directions for making . 92 
 
 observations on 91 
 
 silk or hemp, directions for co- 
 louring 95 
 
 silk and whipcord, to prevent their 
 
 kinking when new .... 91 
 Links for eel and flounder lines . . 95 
 Lip hooks, their use ...... 37 
 
 Live snap for pike 21 
 
 how made . . . 21 
 
 Loach, the ........ 60 
 
INDEX. 125 
 
 M 
 
 Miller's thumbs 60 
 
 Minnows .60 
 
 conjectures on the reason of the sue- 
 
 cefsof minnows turning quick, note 103 
 
 Malt boiled, recommended as a ground bait 
 
 for roach and dace .... 56 
 
 N 
 
 Natural baits, recommended . . 114 
 Night lines for large eels how made . 49 
 
 how baited . . ^i 
 
 . method of laying 51 
 
 not injurious to a fishery ,53 
 
 Numerous baits rejected . , . . 102 
 
 O 
 Oak bark, decoction of, to colour silk lines, 
 
 recommended 95 
 
 Observations on the food of fish in ponds 1 1 i 
 rods 8,5 
 
 lines 91 
 
 floats ...... 96 
 
 hooks . . , too 
 
 baits . . . . . 102 
 
 Ointments, their insignificancy . 108 
 
126 INDEX. 
 
 Opinion that pike will not prey on tench, 
 
 questioned * 54* 
 
 P 
 
 Pastes, how made 107 
 
 red, taken for a berryor salmon's spawn 102 
 Peas disapproved as baits for carp . 40 
 
 Perch,, their haunts 35 
 
 swim in shoals 35 
 
 Piety of Walton 48 
 
 Pike, their haunts ...... 16 
 
 the dead gorge for - - - - - 17 
 
 the dead snap ..... 24 
 
 tne superiority of, to other 
 
 methods .......27 
 
 the live snap ------21 
 
 the most ancient method of 
 
 angling for pike .... 23 
 - September and October the best months 
 
 for - - - - * - - - 16 
 
 Plumbs for barbel and eel fishing - 76 
 
 Plummets to find the depth ... 76 
 
 Pocket books for tackle - - - 74 
 
 Q 
 
 Quill floats, directions for making - 97 
 
INDEX. 127 
 
 Quills, to dye red ------ 99- 
 
 R 
 Receipts, curious, to allure and catch fish, 
 
 transcribed from other authors 108 
 
 the improbability of their ^uccefs 108 
 
 Reason afsigned why the dead gorge is so oft 
 
 deserted by pike, note 27 
 
 Reels for the running line, note - 12 
 Roach, their haunts and how to angle for 56 
 
 and dace very capricious - $j 
 
 , landing net for - 58 
 
 Rods, observations- on 85 
 
 the best made in London - - $ 
 directions for oiling them - 82 
 
 should not be kept in too dry a room 90 
 
 the practice of steeping them in water 
 
 condemned 90 
 
 Rud bred in the fleets - . -73 
 
 instructions in angling for - 73 
 
 Ruff or pope, their haunts and how to angle 
 
 for ,59 
 
 Running line, what . - -96 
 
 not necefsary for the artificial 
 
 fly in the Trent except for salmon r ^ 
 
128 INDEX. 
 
 S 
 
 Salmon, their haunts and instructions in 
 
 angling for - - - 1 1 
 
 fry, how to angle for - 15 
 
 Sarcasms bestowed on anglers, why - 7 
 September and October the best months for 
 
 pike - ... 16 
 
 Shoes should be greased - - 79 
 
 Silk lines how coloured 95 
 
 different colours used to tie hooks with 76 
 
 Silk-worm gut, for bottom links, method of 
 
 twisting - - - - 14 
 
 Snails, white, a good bait for trout - 68 
 
 anecdote of the succefs of 68 
 
 Spikes at the but ends of rods recommend- 
 ed 90 
 fc _ .good weapons against dogs 90 
 Stone fly .-..71 
 
 T 
 
 Taylor, Mr. his scientific treatise on an- 
 gling - - . -115 
 Tench, baits, and how to angle for - 53 
 
 their healing nature questioned ,54 
 
 Things necefsary and useful for the angler 74 
 
INBEX. 129 
 
 Trout, their haunts and baits for - 62 
 
 - few caught in the Trent ~ 62 
 
 method of angling for with a 
 
 minnow - 63 
 
 the modern hook for the minnow 
 
 condemned 6*6 
 
 another used fuccefsfullyby the 
 
 author - - -64 
 
 the common hook for minnow 
 
 fishing - 64 
 
 dibbling for 70 
 
 W 
 Warm weather, the best for making tackle 
 
 where wax is used - 81 
 
 Wasps and hornets, the young brood of, 
 
 good baits though tender - 114 
 Wax, the beft for making fishing tackle 8 2 
 Wheat, boiled - H2 
 
 Whipcord lines - - - 91 
 
 Winch or reel, note - - 12 
 
 Wood, various kinds of, used for making 
 
 rods .... 86 
 
 should be got in winter 87 
 
 Wonderful receipts to take fish, transcribed 
 
-130 INDEX. 
 
 from other authors - 108 
 
 Worms, various kinds of - 104 
 
 the belt used in angling - 105 
 
 where found, & the method of scour- 
 ing and preserving them for use 105 
 
 Y 
 
 Yew used :for tops - 83 
 
 5, & I, Ridge, Printers, iNcwark. 
 
RETURN TO the circulation desk of any 
 
 University of California Library 
 
 or to the 
 
 NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 Bldg. 400, Richmond Field Station 
 University of California 
 Richmond, CA 94804-4698 
 
 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS 
 2-month loans may be renewed by calling 
 
 (510)642-6753 
 1-year loans may be recharged by bringing books 
 
 to NRLF 
 Renewals and recharges may be made 4 days 
 
 prior to due date 
 
 DUE AS STAMPED BELOW 
 
 MAR 1 8 1995 
 
YA 01287 
 
: '