active 1651 Thomas Barker

“ I will shew, a little, my opinion of floating for scale fish in the River or Pond: The feed brings the Fish together, as the sheep to the Pen: There is nothing better in all your Anglings, for feed, then Bloud and Grains; I hold it better then Paste: then plumming your ground, Angling with fine Tackles, as single haire for halfe the Line next the hook, round and small plumed, according to your float: For the Bait, there is a small red worm, with a yellow tip on his taile, is very good ”

“ A man that goeth to the River for his pleasure, must understand, when he cometh there, to set forth his Tackles. The first thing he must do, is to observe the Sun, the Wind, the Moon, the Starres, and the Wanes of the Air; to set forth his Tackles according to the times and seasons ”

“ As for example, the Sun proves cloudy; then must he set forth either his ground Bait or Tackles, and of the brightest of his Flies. If the Sun prove bright, then must he put on some of the darkest of his flies. Thus must you goe to work with your Flies, light for darkness, and dark for lightness, with the wind in the South, then that blows the Flie in the Trouts mouth. ”

“ You may turne these loose, either in Pond or River: in the Pond with the winde all day long, the more the better: at night set some small weight, as may stay the Boy, as a Ship lyeth at Anchor, till the Fish taketh. ”

“ To make them lusty and fat, you must take the yolke of an Egge, some eight or ten spoonfull of the top of new milk, beaten well together in a Porringer, warm it a little, untill you see it curdle; then take it off the fire, and set it to coole; when it is cold, take a spoonfull and drop it upon your Moss into the pot, every drop about the bignesse of a green Pea, shifting your Moss twice in the week in the Summer, and once in the winter: thus doing, you shall feed your wormes fat, and make them lusty, that they will live a long time on the hook ”

“ The Grasse-hopper which is green imitate that; the smaller the Flies be made, and of indifferent small hooks, they are the better; these sorts I have set downe, will serve all the year long, observing the times and seasons: Note, the lightest of your Flies for cloudy and darknesse, and the darkest of your Flies for lightnesse, and the rest for indifferent times; that a mans owne Judgement, with some experience and discretion must guide him: If he mean to kill Fish, he must alter his Flies according to these directions. ”

“ The red knotted worme is very good where Brandlins are not to be had, but Brandlins are better: now that you may bring these Brandlings fit to Angle with, that they may live long on the hook, which causeth the best sport. ”

“ If you can attain to Angle with one haire, you shall have the more rises, and kill more fish; be sure you doe not over-load yourself with the length of your Line: before you begin to Angle, make a triall, having the winde in your back to see at what length you can cast your Flie, that the Flie light first into the water, and no longer ”

“ He broyleth first upon a Charcoale fire; the first thing that you must have a care of is, when your Grid-iron is hot you must coole it with ruff Suet, then the skin of your Fish will not break, with care of turning them: when they are nigh broyled, take them off the Grid-iron; set on a Chafing-dish of coals in a Stew-pan, or Dish; put in a good quantity of fresh Butter, so much Vinegar as will give the relish, a penny-worth of beaten Cinamon ”

“ When you stay a night or two Angling, take four or five Lines, such as be laid for Pikes, of fourteen or fifteen yards long, and at every two yards make a noose, to hang a hook armed either to double thred, or silk twist ”