a Fearne leafe In Iune take the red worme and nippe of his head and put it on your hooke and a codworme before In Iuly take the great red worme and the codworme together In August take the flesh flye and the great red worme and the fat of bacon and binde it about your hooke In September take the red worme and the menow In October take the same for they are speciall good for the Troute in all times of the yeare from April vnto September the Trout leapeth then angle to him with a dubbed or armed hooke according to the saide monethes for hee is strong in the water For the Grayling THe Grayling otherwise named Vmbre ye may angle for him as ye doe for the Troute and these are commonly his baites in March and in Aprill ye shall take the red worme in May yee shall take the gréene worme and asurall grayled worme and the Docke canker and the worme on the hawthorne in Iune the baite that bréedeth betwéene the barke and the trée of the Oke in Iuly the baite that bréedeth on the Fearne leafe and the great red worme and nippe of his head and put it on your hooke with the Codworme before in August the red worme and the docke worme and all the yeare after vse chiefly the red worme For the Barbyll THe Barbell is a subtill and a straunge fish to take and very daintie to take his baite these are commonly his baytes in March and in Aprill ye shall angle to him with fresh chéese laide on a borde and so cut it in small péeces square the length of your hooke then take a candle and burne it or smeare it on the end at the point of your hooke tillit looke yelow then binde it on your hooke with Fletchers silke and make it rough like a welbede worme and this is verie good for all somer season but in May and Iune ye shall take the Hawthorne worme and the great redde worme before in Iuly the red worme for a chéefe baite and the Hawthorne worme together and also the worme that bréedeth in the water dog leafe and the yong Hornet worme together in Angust and for all the yeare take the tallow of a shéepe and soft chéese of each alike and grinde or scrape them well and small together till it waxe fine and tough then put a little wheate flower and make it into little pellets and this is a good baite to angle at the bottom and sée that it doe sinke alone in the water or els it is not good for this purpose The Carpe THe Carpe also is a straunge and daintie fish to take his baites are not well knowne for he hath not long béene in this realme The first bringer of them into England as I haue béene credibly enformed was maister Mascoll of Plumsted in Sussex who also brought first the planting of the Pippin in England but now many places are replenished with Carpes both in poundes and riuers and because not knowing well his chéefe baites in each moueth I will write the lesse of him he is a straunge fish in the water and very straunge to byte but at certaine times to wit at foure a clocke in the morning and eight at night be his chiefe byting times and he is so strong enarmed in the mouth that no weake harnesse will hold him and his byting is very tickle but as touching his baytes hauing small knowledge by experience I am loth to write more then I know and haue prooued But well I wote the red worme and the Menow bee good baites for him in all times of the yeare and in Iune with the cadys or water worme in Iuly and in August with the Maggot or gentyll and with the coale worme also with paste made with hony and wheate flower but in Automne with the redde worme is best and also the Grashopper with his legs cut off which he wil take in the morning or the whites of hard egges stéeped in tarte ale or the white snaile The Cheuyn THe Cheuyn is also a warie fish to take and very fearefull In March he will byte at the redde worme at the ground for commonly he will byte at the ground and somewhat déepe at all times of the yeare in Aprill the cadyee or ditch canker and the canker that bréedeth in the barke of a trée and the worme that bréedeth betwéene the barke and the Oke trée also the red worme and the young frogge his legges and féetè cut off also the stone Cadyce flye and the bobbe worme vnder the cowturd likewise the redde snaile in May the baite that bréedeth on the Ozyar leafe and the docke canker together put vpon your hooke and the baite that bréedeth on the ferne leafe also the eodde worme and a baite that bréedeth on the hawthorne and the worme that bréedeth on the oke leafe and also the silke worme and the coddeworme together in Iune take then the Crekets and the Dor flye and also the red worme the eade cut off and a codde worme before also the worme in the Oziar leafe and young frogges the féete cut off by the body or by the knée also the baite on the hawthorne and the codworme together and the dunghill grubbe or worme and a great Grashopper in Iuly the Grashopper and the humble Bée in the medow the waterest also young wasps and white young Hornets taken in their combes and the greate branded flye that bréedeth in pathes of medowes and the flying Pysmyars which be in the pismyar hilles in August take the Colewort worme and the Gentyll or Magot vntill Michaclmasse and in September take then the red worme and these baites when ye may get them which is Cheries young Myse not haired and the sow worme that bréedeth in postes of the house The Breame THe Breame is a noble fish counted and a daintie he is good to take he is a strong fish in the water ye shall angle to him from March vnto August with the redde worme and then with the Butterflye and the gréene flye and also with the baite that bréedeth among gréene réede and a worme that bréedeth in the barke of a dead trée and to take young Bremets take the Gentils or Maggots and from August all the yeare after yee shall take the red worme and if ye angle for him in the riuer ye shall then take of browne bread for that is good yet some doe vse in Aprill and May the worme that bréedeth on the Elme and willow and chewed bread is very good and all other baites vsed for the Cheuyn but specially young waspes The Tench THe Tench is a fish that féedeth at the bottom and most parte of the yeare among the mudde and most he stirreth in the monethes of Iune and Iuly and in other times of the yeare but little the Tench is an euill byter and very subtill to take with the angle his common baites are these for all the yeare they take browne bread tosted and smeared with
which proch is wier whipt on a packethreedes ende and couered with a great worme and therewith proch into the saide holes as by example for the better vnderstanding â—o here may you see the figures The proch vnbaited The rod bayted with a worme As soone as ye féele she hath the baite plucke away your rodde for it doth nothing but guide your proch into the holes and then draw softly your packthreed line and hold a while and he will yéelde if you do plucke hastely he will holde so stiffe ye shall breake your line or teare his mouth therefore holde hard still and at length he will yeelde and come foorth And where ye shall see any hole in the buttome of a brooke or riuer there is like to lie an yee le put there in your proch and he will soone byte if he be there Thus much for the order of the proch hooke to take the Yee le The manner of laying of hookes THere is also a kind of laying of hookes armed for pikes in pooles and riuers ye shall bâ—yte them as ye bayte the hooke in dragging for the Pyke and here is to be noted of two maner of layings of hookes the one way is to the bottome of the water without corke and the other is with the flote or corke to cast in your bayted hooke without a corke it will sinke to the bottome and then the yée le will haue it as soone as the Pyke and if he cannot swallow it he will byte away the baite by little and little therefore to lay from the bottome is best for the Pyke ye shal cast your bayted hooke and line with a corke of what depth ye lust for so it will not sinke to the bottome Also to lay for the yéeles ye shall baite your hookes with menowes gogins or loches great wormes and such like And to sticke pooles in the bankes with lines at the endes so that your baites may lie on the bottome of the water for there the yée le will soonest take it but lay not nigh roots of trées or such for they will wrappe them so ye shall neuer come by them Also let your lines be of good great packthréeke sticking the saide poles or pinnes of wood in the bankes and your lines to be of two or thrée fatham some more some lesse for your proch hooke to baite him with the great worme or the menowe is best or with a Loch or small Gogin so if a great yée le come he will swallowe it hole Thus much for laying of hookes for the Pyke and Yée le Also to take yéeles in winter some haue vsed to lay in pondes and running waters faggots of hay with a bough of Willow put in the middest and bayted with some garbage of foule or beastes bound with two bondes and to plucke it vp after it hath lame two or thrée daies with hooke or corde and you shall haue yéeles therein when it is a lande do but crush it with your foote and the yéeles will come out if there be any If ye lay it in the middest of a riuer you may plucke it into your boate Thus you may take many yéeles in winter Here is how to saue and preserue fish FOr so much as I haue afore shewed certaine waies and practises how to take fish in riuers pooles and standing waters I will here declare certaine waies how for to maintaine fish and the chiefest waies to saue and preserue them in riuers pooles and standing waters against such deuourers and rauerers as hath and will destroy them as Herne the Dobchicke the Coote the Cormorant the Sea-pie the Kings fisher and such like as also the Otter who is a common destroter of pondes and standing waters and a great deuourer of and spoyler of riuers brookes and running waters which shall be declared in their places The Herne And first to take the Hearne which destroyes much young fish or other if they come nigh the shallowe places or bankes the Hearne is fearefull and subtill for to take therefore some do bayte a hooke or proch hooke with a Menow or other small fish or with the gobbet of some Yee le then make your line gréene or like the water where she hauntes in a shallow place or other where she resorts there put in your pinne in the earth of the shallow water and lay your baite so that she may wade halfe a féete déepe vnto it for else the Kite or Crow will soone haue it for shee will soone swallow it and so be taken The Otter They take the Otter or water Wolfe in a we le made and deuised for the nonce as shall be shewed in his place which wele is not made in all points like vnto other weles where he will eate the fish and come foorth againe safe before he be drowned Therefore there is inuented among the fisher men a we le for to take him made with a double teme or tonuell and against the vtmost teme within is set an yeirne like a gredyeirne with foure hooles staying and sliding vpon two round stickes which must be set vpright in the we le before the teme to holde vp the yeirne which two stickes must be fast bound to the we le both aboue and beneath then must ye haue a good stiffe rod the one ende shall be set ouer the we le to hold vp the gredyeirne or grate and the other ende of the rodde must reach ouer the inner teme and a small oziar tied at that end of the rodde which small Oziar must be made with a round knot and so put downe vpon the ende of the nethermost Oziar in the midst of the inner teme but a very litle way put on that when the Otter is within the first teme he comes to the second where the fish is and there he puts off the Oziar and the rodde flirtes vp and the gredyerne falles and stoppes the vtmost teme where he came in and as soone as he heares it fall he will turne backe without touching any fish gnawing at the gredyerne where hee came in and so is drowned And when ye haue a wele of fish robbed with the Otter or your layer of weles with fish spoyled and robbed with the Otter there lay your Otter We le well bayted with fish and so ye shall soone take him Which Otter We le must be made of good round Ozyars of the Hasell rodde or gore rodde for those are the best These Otter Weles are made at Twyford by sides Reading There be two of the Gootheriches which liues much by making of such and other weles Also the Otter wele is made at Dorney by Windsor of one called Twiner If your Otter we le be olde and not strong and if the Otter chaunce to breake it and scape ye shall hardly take him of a long time after for he is very subtill to be caught againe in such a we le There be that hath prouided many wayes ere they could take him
There is also prohibited that no fish shall be taken and solde in markets which are out of their season as the Lampre and Lampornes which are venemous in the Sea before they be scoured in fresh water and not in season from mid March to mid September for they will being out of season looke russet and speckled vpon their bellies Also Oysters and Muskles are not good from mid March to mid September and likewise Salmons and Trowtes are in season from mid March to mid September and after waxe out of season Smelts not in season from mid March to mid September or after Cockles and such are not kindly but in the monethes of March Aprill and May all the rest of the yeare not holesome to be eaten or solde Moreouer Darce Roch Perch and such like are not kindly to be kilde from mid March to the end of May for in these times they doe cast their spawne and then they will be rough and broken scaled and pilde for a while after they haue so cast their spawne And being then out of season they are not so holesome nor yet good of liking All these afore mentioned with all other which are out of season are forbid to be taken and solde in markets or otherwise priuely eaten vpon the like penaltie afore mentioned I would to God it were so here with vs in England and to haue more preseruers and lesse spoylers of fish out of season and in season then we should haue more plentie then we haue through this Realme Also I would wish that all stoppe nets and drags with casting nets were banished in all common riuers through this Realme for thrée moneths as in March Aprill and May wherein they take fish out of season as well as others with great spoyles of spawne both of great and small fish for they vse such nets with small mesh that kils all fish afore they come to any growth and good seruice for the common wealth Who so euer doe preuent such they shall doe good to the common wealth And water Bayles which are appointed to sée soo such nets in riuers and running streames which is thought they neglect their duties for they let the fisher men vse what nets they list as the voyce goes and Gentlemen which owes the waters lets them also alone and the fisher men they say they pay such rents they must take what they can so herein are none yâ— cares for the preseruing of the common wealth whereby fish cannot increase nor yet suffer to growe So I leaue wishing that carefull men were put in office and such as fauours the common wealth and all other put out that séekes for their owne profite onely Then should wee haue within fewe yeares much plentie of all riuer fish and also a great sparing to flesh if they would vse fish as they were woont on Frydayes Saterdayes and fasting dayes commanded by our Prince and so truely kept of all people from time to time The breeding of Creuis THe fresh water Creuis commonly liues and lyes in bankes and holes in riuers and brookes and they are a holesome fish for all sickne and weake persons They will east their spawne in the spring about the moneth of May and will shed it on stones wéedes in the bottome whereof most is eaten vp with yéeles and water rats as some do suppose Therefore it were not vnméete to make fagots of hole strawe to saue the spawne as aforesaide Also they will soone be driuen with flouds downe the streame in few yeares they will greatly increase if they be not taken with mens handes and kild with Rats for they will lie in holes and vnder stones and wéedes and so are soone taken for they cannot flie fast away If they be taken in May it will be a great spoyle of their increase for commonly then they doe shed their spawne The Water rat is also a great deuourer of them lying in holes and whereas many rats are they cannot lightly prosper or increase there Thus much for the fresh water Creauis Yée may store any brooke or riuer with the Creuis but especially he loues the sandie and grauely running waters The Kinges fisher THere is a bird which is a great destroyer of all young fry and small fish and he is called the Kinges fisher he is about the bignesse of a Larke and doth commonly bréede in bankes sides of riues and brookes in the spring of the yeare his feathers are gréene and blewe and he will alwayes haunt about the sides of riuers and brookes whereas small fish is and as soone as he hath caught a fish he will straight way 〈◊〉 to the next bough and there will sit on a twigge and eate the fish and so fetch an other Thus he liueth by the deuouring of all sortes of small frie such as he may take and carrie away For to take this birde they vse to marke where his haunt is and there they set downe a bush or branch and they put a limed twigge vnder the saide bush or branch for so soone as he hath taken a fish he will flie to the next bush and light on that vnder twigge lymed and so they take him Also they say this bird being dead if he be hanged vp by the bill with a thréed in your house where no winde bloweth his brest will alway hang against the winde whereby ye may knowe perfectly in what qnarter the winde is at all times both night and day Thus much of the bird called the Kings fisher The Cormarant THe Cormarant is also a great destroyer of fish hee vseth the fresh waters and will diue vnder the water and will take and eate fish of thrée foure yeares growth How to take or destroy them I know not well otherwise then to destroy their nests in bréeding time whereas they bréede in Ilands and rockes by the sea some may be destroyed in riuers and pooles with crossebow or handgun other wayes I haue not knowen or heard of not with lime lines except it be in the night and then they will pike them soone cleane againe The Dobchicke THe Dobchicke is likewise a water fowle and they will be alwayes commonly on riuers and pooles and they are nigh as great as the Teales and are of cullour blacke and they will commonly diue vnder the water to take young fish as I haue séene in riuers brookes Howe for to take them the fisher men some doe vse to lay on the water long lines of small thréede knit full of little corkes a handfull a sunder on the line and cut foure square like bigge dice and so limed and fold on aracle as I shall shewe hereafter and where they sée them haunt they will spread the saide line afore them on the water and then with their boats driue them to the sayd line and so many are taken Thus much for taking the Dobchickes This raâ—le turnes round of the middle staffe and as ye sée the thréede limed with small corkes
A Booke of fishing with Hooke Line and of all other instruments thereunto belonging Another of sundrie Engines and Trappes to take Polcats Buzards Rattes Mice and all other kindes of Vermine Beasts whatsoeuer most profitable for all Warriners and such as delight in this kinde of sport and pastime Made by L. M. LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe and are to be solde by Edwarde White dwelling at the little North doore of Paules at the signe of the Gunne First the knowledge of angling with the Hooke and Lyne HEre will I declare briefly vnto you how to angle with the hooke lyne in what times best and in what places of the water to take fish First in standing pooles ye shall angle where the water is somthing déepe There is no great choise of any place where it is any thing déepe either in poole or other standing water but in a riuer ye shall angle best where it is déepe and cleare by the ground being grauell or clay without any mudde or wéedes and in whirling waters or in a couert as vnder a hollow banke or rootes of trées or long wéedes floting aboue on the water all these places are troublesome also it is good angling in déepe stiffe streames or in falles of waters and weares and in fludde gates and mill pooles and it is good whereas the water resteth by the banke or where the streame runneth nigh thereabout being déepe and cleare by the ground or any other place where ye may sée any fishhoue aboue in the water or hath any other féeding place to resort or on that side the water where the winde hath no great power What times best to angle HEre shall ye vnderstand what time of the day is best to angle from the beginning of May vnto the moneth of September fish will byte The best angling to take fish is earely in the morning from foure of the clock vntil it it be eight a clocke other be méetly but not so good as in the morning also the euenings be indifferent good to angle if it be some what calme withall or els not good the winde blowing from the South or West Also if it be a cold whistling winde in a darke lowring day for the darke louring weather is much better to angle in then in a cleare sunny day and from the beginning of September vnto the end of Aprill ye shall spare no time of the day to angle and likewise many poole fish will byte best in the mid day about noone If ye shall sée any time of the day the Troute or Grayling leape ye may then angle to him a double worme according to the same month and if the water doth ebbe and flow the fish in some place will byte best at the ebbe and in some places at the floud according to the places of rest as behind pillers and arches of bridges or such like suckering places in the most quiet water In what wether to angle in HEre ye shall vnderstand in what wether ye shall best angle as aforesaide in the darke louring day when the winde bloweth southly from the South or West in the Summer season when the sunne is very hoie it is then naught to angle but from September vnto Aprill it is then good in a faire sunny day the winde being then good if it haue any part of the Orient or East it is then naught to angle for they will not byte or when it is a great winde snow raine or haile or in a great tempest of thunder or lightening for it feareth them or els in a swooly hote wether all these times are not good to angle for to take fish Of twelue lets in taking fish YE shall here vnderstand there be twelue manner of impediments or lets which causeth a man to take no fish without other cunning that may happe by casualtie The first is if your harnesse or lynes be not fitly made the second is if your baites be not good nor fine the third is when that ye angle not in the byting time the fourth is if that your fish be fearefull of the sight of man the fift is if the water be very thicke white or redde by any floud late falen the sixt is if the fish for colde doe not stirre abroade the seuenth is if the wether then be too hote the eight is if it be in rainy wether the nynth is if then haile or snow do fall the tenth is if it be in any tempest the eleuenth is if then it be a great winde the twelfth is if the winde blow from the East for that is worst and commonly neither winter nor summer the fish will then byte the West and North windes be good but the South winde best of all To take the Salmon THe Salmon is a gentle fish but he is cumbrous to take for commonly he is but in déepe places of great riuers and commonly in the middest of the riuer he is in season from March vnto Michaelmasse and ye shall angle to him with a red worme from the beginning to the ending and with the bobbe worme that bréedeth in the dughill also there is a soueraigne baite that bréedeth on the water docke the Salmon byteth not at the ground but at the flote or aboue ye may also take him with the dubbe worme at such time when he leapeth but it hath seldom séene and ye shall take him in like manner as ye doe take the Trout or Grayling or the Dace For the Troute THe Troute is in season from March vnto Michaelmasse he vseth commonly a cleane grauely ground and in a streame ye may angle to him at all times with a ground lyne lying or runniug sauing in the leaping time then with the dubbe flye and earely in the morning with a running ground lyne and further in the day with the flote lyne Also yce may angle to him in March with a Menowe hanged on your hooke by the nether parte without anye flote or plumbe drawing it vppe and downe in the streame till ye féele him fast but if ye angle to him with the flye ye shall strike when he is a foote and more from your baite for the commeth so fast ye may in the same time angle to him with a ground lyne and bayted with a red worme for that is a good sure baite and is most vsed Also in March Aprill May September and October take the Menow on your hooke in December Ianuarie and Februarie drag with the bobworme at the ground in Iune Iuly and August fish with made flyes on your hooke on the vpper parte of the water for that is a sure baite and is most vsed In Aprill take the red worme and also of Iuneba otherwise called seuen eyes or the great canker worme that bréedeth in the barke of a great trée and the red snaile In May take the stone flye or Caddis worme and the bobbe worme vnder the Cowtorde also ye may take the silke worme and the baite that bréedeth on
hony in likenesse of a buttered toste also they take the great red worme and for a chiefe baite take the blacke bloud in the hart of a shéepe and mixe it with flower and hony and temper them all together something softer then pappe or paste and annoint therewith your red worme on your hooke it is very good both for this kinde of fish and for other also and they will byte thereat much the better at all times To take Pearch THe Pearch is a daintie fish and passing wholesome for a man he is also a frée and gréedy byter these are his baites in March they take the red worme in Aprill the bobbe worme vnder the cowdung in May the hawthorne worme and the codworme in Iune the baite that bréedeth in an olde hollow oke and the great canker in Iuly the baite that bréedeth on the Ozier leafe and the great hobbeworme that bréedeth in the dunghill and the flyeboate worme that bréedeth on the wéede raggewort and the codworme in August then take the red worme and the Maggots or gentils and the Menow tyed by the lippe and for all the yeare after ye shall take the red worme for that is best The Roche THe Roch is a wholesom fish and easie to take with the angle for he is a ready byter these are his baites in March ye shall take the red worme in Aprill the bobbe worme vnder the cow dung in May the baite that bréedeth on the oke leafe and the flying Emmat and the bobbe worme that bréedeth in the dunghill in Iime the flying Ante and the baite that bréedeth in the Ozier and the codworme in Iuly the worme in the flagge roote and ye shall take of house flyes and the baite that bréedeth on the oke and the worme that bréedeth in the small nutte and also the gentils till Michaelmasse and after Michaelmasse take the fatte of Bacon Another speciall baite take faire wheate and séeth it like farmantie then take it out of the water and drie it then frie it with hony and good store of saffron and then put it on your hooke and the fish will byte thereat maruellous fast But before ye angle ye shall cast into the water a fewe crummes of bread or take some trummes and fry them with some hony and mixe it with saffron and sée ye frie it not too much for this is good and a chieft baite The Dace THe Dace is a gentle fish to take and quicke at the vayte hee biteth all the sommer me the toppe of the water and they angle to him without the flote in March his bayte is the red worme in Aprill the bobbe worme vnder the cow torde in May the docke canker and the bayte that is vnder the slowe thorne and the worme on the oake leafe in Iune the codworme and the bayte that breedeth on the Ozyer and the white worme in the dunghill in Iuly then take house flyes and the slyes that doe breede in pysmyre hilles also the codde worme and gentilles or magots and those vse vntill Michaelmas and if the water then becleare ye shall take fish when other take none and from that time foorth take baytes for him as ye do for the Roch for commonly of their bayts and byting be all alike The Bleke THe Bleke is a little fish in byting and commonly hee bytes not nie the bottome but aboue and in the middest of the water His baytes from March to Michaelmas are the same baytes which are written afore for the Roch. And also the Dace sauing for all the sommer season angle for him asmuch as you may with the house flie for the winter season ye shall angle to him with Bakon flesh and other baytes made méete for his purpose as hereafter yee shall more vnderstande thereof The Ruffe THe Ruffe is a holesome fish good to byte and ye shall angle to him with the same baytes in all the moneths of the yeare as I haue tolde you before of the Perch for these two fishes are in eating and féeding all alike sauing that the Ruffe is not so bigge as the Perch for they are commonly alwayes lesse of growth but the red worme is chiefe for them both The Flounder THe Flounder is also a holesome fish for sicke folkes and he will be infresh waters and riuers he is free in byting but a subtill byter after his manner in nibling long ere he take the bayte and commonly when he sucketh his meate he feedeth at the ground and therefore ye must angle to him with alying ground line and they vse for him but one manner or bayte which is the red worme for that is the common and chiefest bayte for him and all manner of fish The Googing THe Googing is a good and a holesome fish he is a readie byter and byteth commonly at the ground his bayts through out the yeare are these the red worme for the chiefest also the codde worme and the gentell and ye must angle to him with a flote or eorke and let alwayes your bayt be within two fingers or an inch of the bottome or lesse or else for to dragge on the grounde for so it is best and most soonest to take them He vseth in déepe places with cleane sand or grauell ground at the bottome as at wayers bridges and miltayles The Menow THe Menow is a small fish and a bold byter and byteth commonly at the bottome as the Googine it is aholefome fish to eate if he be gauld For when he shineth in the water he is then bitter though his bodie be small and he is a great rauening byter and will haue the bayte before other fish ye shall angle to him with the same baytes as ye doe for the Gogin sauing they must be small And with a small hooke or else ye shall often be deceiued by them some angles to them with a line of two hookes or three two together and on other hooke aboue they will be in all shalow places as in ditches and such like The Yee le THe Yée le is a gréedie féede and hee byteth alwayes at the bottome ye shall see commonly holes in the bottom of the water if ye put in your hooke there yee shall soone haue him byte if he be there and he will holde very harde a long time ye must therefore holde your line stiffe and hee will yéeld at length if ye plucke and striue with him hastely ye are like to loose him And when he lyeth in a hole it shall be best for to angle to him with your proch hooke as is shewed after but when you angle to the bottome for the Gogin ye shall oft times take the Yee le when that he runneth abroad as often they will specially in the euening The great red worme is the chiefest bayte for him or a Menow or any péece of gutte or such like The Pyke THe Pyke is a common deuourer of most fish where he commeth for to take him ye shall
doe thus Take a codling hooke well armed with wyer then take a small Roch or Gogin or else a Frogge a liue or a fresh Hearing and put through your armed wyer with your hooke on the end and let your hooke rest in the mouth of your bayte and out at the tayle thereof and downe by the ridge or side of the fresh Hearing and then put your line thereto and drawe it vp and downe the water or poole and if he see it hee will take it in haste let him go with it a while and then strike and holde and so tyre him in the water Seene doe put the hooke in at the checke of the bayte and foorth at the tayle but when ye will lay your lyne then must ye put a plummet of leade vpon your line a yarde from your hooke and a flote in the middest betwéene the leade and your bayte that it sinke not to the bottome for then the yéeles will eat your baite away Ye may lay in your baites without flots and often ye may speede of pykes and if you will sée a good sport in a pond where as there is store of Pykes you shall put in a Goose and put a frogge a liue on a hooke and tye it with a strong pockthreed to the Goose foote a yeard long or more and in short space ye shall see good snatching and tugging betwéene the Pyke and the goose An other maner in taking the Pyke there is ye shall take a liue Frogge put him on your hooke at the necke betwéene the skinne and the bodie on the backe part and put a flote as is aforesaide then cast it in a riuer or pound where ye thinke the Pyke haunteth and ye shall soone take him and the best laying or angling for him is towardes night Also another maner is to take him take the same baite aforesaide and put it into a safetida and then cast it in the water with a long line and a hooke ye shall not fayle of him soone after An other baite for him Take Boares grease a safetida neppe so boile altogether then take a Roch or other small fish and drie it in your bosome and take and annoint him with the foresaide oyntment and then put him on your hooke and cast it into the water and you shall spéede also some doe vse to dragge for the Pyke with a bleke Roch or Gogin in drawing it vp and downeithe water sometimes aboue and sometimes beneath for so he will soonest come if he see it and some anglers do put the hooke in at his gill and out at his mouth and so drawes the bayte as though he did flie from the Pyke which is taken for the better way to make him more eger to take it The Loch and the Millers thumbe THe Loch and the cull or Millers thumbe they are good and wholsome fish they feede at the bottome and lye most part in weedes rootes and holes in bankes and to angle for them ye must lay to the bottome they do seldome byte at an hooke but the red worme is their chiefest bayte that I do knowe for them for their foode is commonly at the bottome in sucking such as lies on the bottome of the water The manner of feeding and preseruing your quicke baites NOw I will tell you how you shall féepe and kéede your quicke baites which is you shal féede and kéepe them al in general but euery maner by himself with such things as they breede in and vppon and so long they be quick and newe so long they are fine and good but when they bee once dead they are then nothing worth out of these be excepted thrée broodes or kindes that is to wéete of hornets humble bées and waspes which ye shall bake them after the bread is drawen out of he ouen and then dippe their heads in blood and let them so dry and also for the magots when they be bred and waxe great with their natural féeding yée shall continue and feede them surthermore with sheepes tallowe and with a cake made of flower and hony which will cause them to be more greater and when yée haue cleansed them in a blanket bagge with sand kéepe it hotte vnder your gowne or other warme thing two howers or three then they wil be best to your purpose and ready for to angle with and for the frog when yee angle with him yee must cutte off his legges by the knées and also the grasse-hopper his legges and winges by the body all other made baites I will here let passe but vse them as yee thinke good Baites to last all the yeare HEre I will speake of certaine baites to last al the yeere The first is made of beane flower and leane fleshe of the hippes of a cony or of a catte with virgin waxe and shéepes tallow so beate them in a morter and then temper them at the fire with a litle clarified hony and so make it vppe in small balles and therewith yée may baite your hooke according to the quantity and this is a good baite for all manner of fishe that vseth the freshe waters Another Take the suet of a shéepe and chéese of each like quantity and bray them together long in a morter then take flowre and temper it therewith and then delay it with hony and so make balles thereof and this is a special baite fo the barbell also Baites for fiâ—eat fishe THe baites for great fishe yée shall kéepe in minde this rule that is whensouer yée doe take a great fishe yee shall open the maw of him and looke what yee finde therein make that your baite for that time for that is alwaies best and most surest There is many other making of baites but for lacke of knowledge therein I wil here passe them ouer and some not so needefull as necessary as these aforesaide Of twelue kindes of made Flies to angle for the trout in Sommer with other fishe THere hath beene vsed twelue maner of flyes made and sette vnto the hookes to angle withall on the top of the water the which Flies are to angle for the grailing and darce and chiefest for the troute and also for the chub like as now ye shall here me tell and declare each by him selfe the counterfeiting of them First for the dunne Fly 1 The dun Fly in March the body is made of dunne woolle and the winges of the partridge feathers 2 Also there is another dunne Fly made the body of blacke wooll and the winges is made of the blacke drakes feathers and of the feathers vnder the winges of his taile The stone Fly 3 The stone Fly in Aprill the body is made of black wooll made yellow vnder the winges and vnder the tayl and so made with the wings of the drake The ruddy Fly 4 The ruddy Fly in the beginning of May is a good Fly to angle with aloft on the water the body is made of redde wooll lapt about with blacke silke and
Thus much heere for the setting of the Otter We le and here shall follow the saide Otter We le with his proportion how to be made and set the more casier to make them where as they haue not béene séene before To knowe if an Otter do haunt riuer or ponde you must watch the waters in the night then shall you heare him plunging and chasing the fish all night by ests and bankes â—â—des so watch or else your fish may be kilde and you know not how nor when Here followeth the Otter We le The fashion of the Otter we le with two handels aboue the better to lay him he must be thrée quarters and more betwixt teme and teme in length This figure vnder shewes the setting of the gredyerne before the teme of the we le and when he falles to rest on two stiffe oziars on the lower part of the sayde teme as ye make see aboue but when ye shall set for tyle the saide gredyerne it must be pluckt vppe aboue the mouth of the Teme which temes mouth all the oziars must be cut euen by the wreth saue those two that must holde vp the gredyerne beneath as ye may sée Which mouth of the teme must be betwixt vi and vii inches déepe so that a good pretie dogge may creepe to 〈…〉 â—oo little the Otter will then gnaw the wele also the 〈◊〉 must fall easily on the two stirkes that stay him and she gredierne to be broder then the mouth of the teme which gredierne must be put in the we le when the we le is a making because it can not be put in when it is made except ye make it with playing ioyntes on the middle vane to folde but on the one side of the gredierne and so ye may set him in and take him out when the we le is made or when you will at any time They doe vse to make him without any ioynts but plaine and all flat barres setting to foure round hoopes of yeirne on the foure corners of the gredierne which gredierne is made with fiue flat barres and so vsed waying about two pound weight because it may fall the sooner For the Water-ratte THe Water-rat is a hurtfull vermin to kill fish especially Creuis Loches Culles and Trowtes lying in holes of the banke They will soone destroy much other fish and spaune in shallow riuers and brookes to kill them it is hard to doe but where as ye shall sée their path on bankes sides there set a deadfall for they do range abroad a nights like other Rats and will be where as is corne milles and fulling milles to eate corne and gnaw clothes and liues much like to other Rattes and will pill oziar barkes and such like Also to take them in weles is hard except the weles lie shallow and nigh the toppe of the water by the banke so a small Otter we le made for the nonce bayted may possible deceiue them They cannot tarrie long vnder water wherefore they will not hunt déepe nor robbe weles if they lie déepe for they commonly take fish nigh the toppe of the water But some men doe thinke a verie good way to take them that is to pinne square bordes against the holes where they haunt which bordes must haue a great hole in the middest and set iust against her comming in or out fast pinde to the bankes then make a latch and set it on the out side of the borde tyld as yon tyle the Foxe latch as ye shall sée in his place which hole in the borde on the nether part ye shall set thrée or foure prickes of wyar to holde any thing that comes out or in This practise may easely be made To lay poysoned baites as péeces of chéese flesh or such and to straw the powder of Orsenike thereon to be layde in ests where other things come not I knowe not what good it will doe for whereas ye touch any thing with your bare hande they will not lightly come at it Thus much for taking the water Rattes or Otter To preserue spawne in spawning time A Chiefe way to saue spawne of fish in March Aprill and May is thus ye shall make fagots of wheate or rie strawe all whole straw not bruised or of réede binde these faggots together with thrée bondes and all about thereon sticke of young branches of willowe Then cast them in the water among wéedes or by the bankes and put in each faggot two good long stakes driuen fast to the ground and let your fagots lie couered in the water halfe a yeard or more So the fish will come a shed their spawne thereon and then it will quicken therein so that no other fish can come to destroy or eate it and as they waxe quicke they will come foorth and saue themselues Thus much for the preseruing of spawne in the spring and spawning time this is a good practise to preserue the spawne of all scaled fish These fagots ye may make and lay in all riuers poundes or standing waters Your sagots had néede to be a yeard and a halfe long and bound with three bandes not hard two bandes a foote from the endes and an other bande in the middest and lay them as I haue afore declared Also some doe vse to hedge in corners in riuers and pondes with willow and thereon fish doe cast their spawne and so bréedes The manner of way to take Sea-pies The Sea-pie is a foule that vseth the seas and bréedes much in Ilands in the sea and liues most by fish wormes and where as they vse in fresh riuers they destroy much fish young frie and such as swimmes nigh the toppe of the water and will be in shallow places of the water and there they haunt to take and féede on them Therefore the fisher men haue inuented a way howe to take them which is ye shall lyme two small Oziars and binde the ends that are next the bayte almost crosse wise Then take an other short sticke and binde the one end vnto your ends of crosse twigges as ye may sée afore and put that short sticke through the fish or bayte Then lay it on some water leafe rushes or such like in the midst of the riuer and as soone as they shall sée it they will take and flie away with it in their bylles and soone they shall be lymed therewith The other way of laying these lymed twigges is ye shall put a small short sticke in the bayte as yee may sée a fore And at the hinder ende tye a thréed an intch long and to that thréed tie your lymed twigges and when she takes and flies away with it she cannot flie farre but she will be lyined for the twigs will turne and touch her wings and then she will fall Thus ye may take many Sea-pies both in sommer and winter and the like way ye may take both Crowes and other Pyes to take the Kyte therewith he will hardly be lyined because he takes
the bayte in his féete and the other takes it in their billes Thus much here for the taking of the Sea-pie Here shall follow the knowledge how to replenish your fish pondes FOr to saue and maintaine in mayers pooles and standing waters for such as haue not riuers it shall be good to saue kéepe and maintaine all such fish as may be nourished and bred in fresh waters as Pyke Breame Tench Prch Troute Darce Roch such like and the Carpe for one of the best which hath not béene here in Englande but of fewe yeares past The Trout will not like but in running and swift waters and hard grauell at the bottom The slymie fish is the Tench the Seacod and the Yée le and yet they are coÌ„mended for a good féeding meat for man but many will disdaine the fresh yée le and estéeme it as a flaggie and slymie meate saying he will gender with the water snake which thing possible may be but the yée le of the fresh riuer is tryed a good and holsome meate you shall haue also the Lampre and the Lamporne which are called venemous fish of the Sea but when they haue scraped and clensed them in the fresh running waters Notwithstanding they are then good and holesome meat The excrements of standing pooles are frogges which in many places being well drest they eate like fish and is calde a kinde of fish and doe taste as well as a young poullet for I tasted my part of many It is a good thing to haue plentie of fresh water fish in riuers and pooles and standing waters and a great pleasure for man sometimes to take with his angle a dish of fish in those waters whereas fish is plentie and well preserued not to vse any other engins but with the hooke and by such meanes as the lawes of this realme doth permit and allow not to vse fire handguns crossebowes oyles ointments pouders and pellets made to cast in the waters to stonny and poyson the fish nor yet to vse all sortes of nets and such as are deuourers of fish as bow nets casting nets small trammels shoue nets and draught nets which are destroyers of fish before they are growen to any bignesse These are not méete to be vsed but of certaine Gentlemen in their seuerall waters I would wish no running waters should be let to any fisher man without order what mesh what nets he or they shall vse to fish with and in what moneths of the yeare to refraine fishing vpon paine to forfaite his lease and all such engins Also it shall be good for all Gentlemen and others hauing the gouernment of any riuers brookes or standing pooles to replenish them with all such kinde of fish as may there be preserued or bred aswell of straying as others There is a kinde of fish in Holand in the fennes besides Peterborrow which they call a poult they be like in making and greatnesse to the Whiting but of the cullour of the Loch they come foorth of the fenne brookes into the riuers nigh there about as in Wansworth riuer there are many of them They stirre not all the sommer but in winter when it is most coldest weather There they are taken at Milles in Welles and at wayers likewise They are a pleasant meate and some do thinke they would be aswell in other riuers running waters as Huntington Ware and such like if those waters were replenished with them as they may be with small charge They haue such plentie in the fenne brookes they féede their hogges with them If other riuers were stored with them it would be good for a common wealth as the Carpe wich came of late yeares into England Thus much for the fenne pult Of clensing your pondes from weedes IF you will haue profite of your fish in your pondes and pooles ye must haue a care alwayes to clense them from thrée yeare to thrée yeare in taking away all wéedes rushes and flagges for they doe greatly stuffe and trouble the fish and makes them to be more slymie and of a worser taste Likewise ye must sée alwayes for Otters and Water-rats haunting your pondes and pooles yee shall best know if there be any in the night season for then they hunt abroad for fish then séeke to take them by such means as afore mentioned which else they will soone destroy all your fish Also it is not good to suffer any to shute with guns nie your ponds or riuers for it feares and astonish the fish greatly and worst of all in spawning tune and many will die â—â—ereof ye may watch the haunt of the Otter and Ratte and strike them if yee can with the trowte speare which is a very good thing to kill them if it be well done for so many haue béene kilde Here shall be shewed a care of lauing your pondes in sauing the water where it is scant for to saue your fish aliue IN lauing your pondes and pooles the greatest care is if there be any scant of water to kéepe and bestow it so that the water which is cast foorth may remaine nie the sides of your pondes and pooles that ye may recouer it soone againe to saue the rest of your fish while ye clense forth the wéedes and mudde which will let the water to come quickly to the scoopes Therefore it shall be best to clense the sides and bankes first of all in hauing all such tooles readie as shall be néedefull thereunto as mattockes spades shoules scauelts scoopes and such like to dispatch it as quickly as ye can And when the water is lower then the Rat-hole in the bankes ye may set such engins afore their holes to kill them at their comming out as aforesaide for they will lye alwaies in the holes aboue the water to smother them in their holes ye shall hardly doe if ye then let them scape they will soone conuay them selues away in the night or before night and will runne very swift Thus much for lauing your pondes There is also a care alwayes to maintaine your pits and stuis with fish HOw your pits and stuis should bee vsed to kéepe fish in your stues and pits ought to bee oft renued and helpt with great and small fish from time to time and refreshed often with small fish among for if ye doe alwaies take and none put to your store shall soone decrease It shall be good also to put carefully your fish therein both small and great and sée that none be hurt if ye may to put 〈◊〉 Tench with them it shall do well And it shall be very good husbandrie to pricke and set about the handes of willow sallo or alder which will be good to defend the heate in sommer from your fish and to auoide the colde in winter but the falling of leaues will increase mudde greatly and also stinch your pondes How to nourish your fish in pooles mayers and standing waters IT is most certaine the fish which is in
willow boughes which ye shall put in the midst of your bottle or faggot of hay and then sinke it in the déepe by the banke and so let it lie two or thrée dayes and tie a wythe or rope thereunto that ye may soone plucke it vp on land or boate and so ye shall take yéeles therein good store in a colde weather very good And if ye baite or lay in your fagotte guttes or garbedge of a beast yee shall be the more certaine to haue them in a small time How to breede and increase yeeles in riuers pondes and standing waters THe common saying among fisher men is if ye wil haue in your pits and pondes being of a swéete water great plentie of Yéeles in few yeares ye shall digge two round or square turfes or so many as ye will haue and cut them on a swéete ground a short grasse a foote or more round or square turfes whereon the dewe shewes most in the morning before the sunne doe rise Then take them vp and clappe the gréene sides together one vpon another and pin them fast together with prickes of wood Then carrie and lay them softly in what pit or pond ye list and ye shall sée experience This is to be done in the moneth of May by the dew then on the ground and at no other time else of the yeare to be good The Gase for to catch Menowes THis Gase is a round net of small mesh with a hoope of yeirne or great wier halfe an intch about and to let sinke in a ditch or brooke which is not déepe and so holde it a while by thrée strings like a ballans with a loope in the toppe and therein to put through a staffe or poale and yée shall haue within a while so many Menowes which will come and gase at it as will couer it ye must hang a small plommet in the middest to make it sinke And also the roundes must be flat oyster shelles tyde to and the squares must be scarlet or red cloth sowed on your hoope and net may be thrée quarters and a halfe of a yeard broad from side to side Thus much for the Gase How to bobbe for yeeles THere is also a taking of yéeles with great wormes drawen through on a long thréede one by an other and then feulded vp thrée fingers déepe and then tyde aboue all together and a bigge string tide thereunto and fastened bnto a short poale which ye shall holde in your hand This is vsed to bobbe at the comming of a floud water and at the ebbing water of any water that ebbes and flowes Also it is vsed after a great raine in brookes and running waters ye must let your bobbe touch the bottome and so vp with it softly againe and so vse it still and ye shall féele when any yée le doe bite then pluck it vp not very fast for then he will forsake the worme he hath hold of and as soone as he féeles the ayre he will léese his holde therefore yée must haue a vessell on the water alwaies readie that hée may fall therein Thus much for the bobbing for yéeles The yee le speare to take yeeles The Otter Speare THe Yée le speare is made with fiue thinne barres cut in the sides with téeth to holde that yée le that is within them and made with thicker and rounder plates aboue toward the socket which socket must be made strong and therein put your poale or staffe which they vse in mudde riuers and brookes to take a dish of yéeles at pleasure but it is euill to vse the yée le speare whereas there is Teech or Carpe for they will commonly lie in the mudde when the water is beaten or troubled and thereby they may soone be striken and die thereof The Otter speare is vsed when a man hunteth the Otter in riuers or brookes when as a man shall chance to sée him vent aboue the water then to throw the speare at him which speare hath a line tide at the ende and a small boxe fastened at the end of the line that when yee haue stricken him ye shall the sooner perceiue him where he diueth in the riuer Or if ye chaunce to finde him lying out of the water there to strike him and let him go into the water and so kill him To breede Millars-thumbes and Loches in shallow brookes or riuers THe fishes called Loches and the other called Millars-thumbes or Culles they alwayes féede in the bottome of brookes and riuers They are fish holesome to be eaten of féeble persons hauing an ague or other sicknesse These fish delight to be in sandie grauell in riuers and brookes and they are very easie to be taken with small trauell in remouing the stones where they lie vnder for they cannot swim fast away Therefore in certaine shallow riuers brookes they do vse to bréede and saue them ye may in laying round heapes of pebble stones or flint in shallow places of the saide riuers and brookes halfe a foote déepe of water or lesse Like as there is a shallow riuer running from Bareamstede to Chestum and so to Chaue also by Croyden and other places wherein they might bréede of the saide fish great store if they were so giuen The like riuer runnes in Hampeshiere by sides Altum increasing by diuerse springes and runnes shallow in many placed and by a certaine parish there called the Parson thereof hath tolde me he hath had so many of the saide Culles and Loches to his tithe wéekely that they haue founde him sufficient to eate Fridayes and Saterdayes whereof he was called the Parson of Culles This order of stones are laide hollow in shallow places lesse then halfe a foote déepe of water Which fish among the saide heapes of stones doth there lie safe and so bréedes and there they are saued from the water Rats and all other foules which otherwise would still deuour them These store of fish men might haue in diuerse such like riuers in this Realm if they would take the like paine to lay such heapes of stones as is aboue set downe which sheweth the maner of laying them round in the bottome the circuit of two yeardes about or as yée shall sée cause Thus much I thought good to shew for the maintenance and bréeding of Culles and Loches Also it is euident in other Countries the great care they haue in preseruing their fish especially in the spring as in France no fisher men or other shall lay any engins in riuers or brookes in the night as flewes stalles buckes kéepes weles and such like from mid March to mid May for then the fish doeth shed their spawne among wéedes and bushes nor shall not beate the waters or brookes with any plonging poales nor yet the fisher men to fish at no time with any net vnder foure inches mash because they shall not kill the small fish before they are well growen vppon paine of forfaite and losse of all such engins