<^f" 
 
 
ALBERT R. MANN 
 LIBRARY 
 
 New York State Colleges 
 
 OF 
 
 Agriculture and Home Economics 
 
 AT 
 
 Cornell University 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 WILLARD A. KIGGINS, JR. 
 
 in memory of his father 
 
SH 439 L7|™"""'™«i'y Library 
 
 ^*'^i?iIl&!?,.''°'"P'*'^ 9"'''^ 3"tl companio 
 
 3 1924 Oo"714''o80'' 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003714080 
 
THE 
 
 ci 
 
 lin^Wi €$0tU §ttM4 
 
 AND COMPANION: 
 
 A Practical Treatise on Angling 
 
 And Its Requirements, 
 
 BEAUTIFULLY-EXECUTED ILLUSTRATIONS, IN COLOURS, OF THE 
 
 ARTIFICIAL FLIES FOR THE DIFFERENT MONTHS, AND HIGHLY 
 
 FINISHED ENGRAVINGS OF ALL OTHER NECESSARY TACKLE. 
 
 By (f. LITTLE. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, 
 
 IS, FETTER LANE, E.C. 
 
 W. GATE, Hogarth House; 9 & 10, St. Bride's Avenue, Fleet St. 
 SIMSON AND Co., Market Place, Hertford. 
 
LIT 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 ^HE following pages have been written with a. view 
 of setting plainly and succinctly before anglers the 
 chief and best styles of tackle of the day, and the methods 
 of their use. 
 
 As will be seen, each appliance is carefully illustrated; 
 and my object has been, throughout, to clearly impart 
 what a lengthened experience, as a tackle manufacturer, has 
 taught me of the requirements of anglers in respect of 
 their outfit. 
 
 The plates of coloured flies have been executed under my 
 direct supervision, the colouring in each case, has been laid 
 on by hand. Though the expense of the work has, neces- 
 sarily, been very great, I am confident that its value will 
 be readily appreciated. 
 
 As indicated on page 35, the 76 coloured illustrations 
 are published in a separate durable form for the con- 
 venience of the angler. 
 
 G. LITTLE. 
 
The Angler's Complete Guide 
 
 AND COMPANION. 
 
 THE SALMON. 
 
 I HE Salmon {sahno salar) stands alone as the "lord" 
 of sporting fishes, and deserves its position. As 
 an item of national income, no less than as a sport- 
 giver, it is par excellence the fish of fishes. Its 
 \vide distribution, and its invariable characteristics, have given it 
 appreciation all over the temperate and frigid zones, and there 
 is no fish whose worship has been so practically retained by 
 fishermen. 
 
 After the learned expositions of Salmon-history given to the 
 world by Jardine, Young, "Ephemera," Russel, Yarrell, Couch, 
 Buckland, Francis, and a host of others, it would be out of 
 place in this little treatise to attempt even a sketch of the in- 
 teresting phenomena of its existence. It is sufficient to remark 
 just one or two items which seem to bear on the angler's pur- 
 suit of the fish. 
 
 First, it may be stated, that it is when the Salmon, either as a 
 grilse or full-grown fish, is migrating from the sea to the higher 
 parts of the river, for the ultimate purpose of depositing its 
 spawn, that it is fit for the angler's rod. There are, of course, 
 early and late rivers throughout the United Kingdom, but it 
 may be safely said that July and August see this fish in the 
 
6 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 pink of condition — ^that is to say, fittest for the table. It is 
 said that Salmon do not feed in fresh-water, and that the object 
 it has in view, in taking the gaudy Salmon-fly, is not that of 
 allaying its hunger, but is a sort of fierce desire to possess the 
 gaudy creature, on account of its warmth of coloiu: and generally 
 irritating appearance. There may be some reason in this, for 
 the fly is like nothing on earth, save perhaps a gorgeous bird 
 of Paradise, and this no Salmon ever has seen alive. Still the 
 old writers are full of taking Salmon with the worm, and there 
 are certainly authenticated instances of its being so taken. 
 The point is, however, of but little importance. The Salmon- 
 fisher will never fish with any but the fly and spinning tackle; 
 and I need not inform the reader that there are hundreds of 
 arrangenients which vary with the river and the fisherman's 
 fancy. 
 
 PLY-FISHING FOR SALMON. 
 The Rod. 
 
 This is of great importance, and its selection requires careful 
 judgment. The acknowledged authorities on Salmon-fishing are 
 by no nieans agreed as to its selection, though there is an unani- 
 mity in advising most superior materials and careful finish. " In 
 fact a thoroughly good Salmon-rod, it may be said in paren- 
 thesis, is the chef-d'xuvre of the rod-maker's art. "Ephemera" 
 says, a double-handed fly-rod should not be longer than seventeen- 
 and-a-half feet, and not less than sixteen feet, and his opinion 
 is most certainly worthy of all consideration. Mr. Pennell 
 gives the measurement of his rod at eighteen-and-a-half feet, 
 and intimates that broad waters sometimes require a longer 
 weapon. Francis says, from sixteen-and-a-half to twenty-one 
 feet; and adds that the Master of Lovat uses one twenty-four 
 feet long. I am of opinion that the length of the rod should 
 be proportioned to the strength of the angler, because of the 
 
THE SALMON. 7 
 
 fatigue engendered by a rod of disproportionate length, and 
 that from sixteen to eighteen feet is an ample length for or- 
 dinary purposes. 
 
 A carefully-made well-tapered and bajianced rod appears in the 
 hand some ounces lighter than its actual dead weight. Let any 
 one compare the fatigue experienced after a day's hard slogging 
 with an ill-made rod, with that experienced after using a well- 
 made rod, and the truth of the statement will be amply ap- 
 parent. 
 
 The rod should be made either in two, three, or four joints; 
 that of two joints being unquestionably the best, and should 
 be spliced in the middle. But the objection to such a rod is 
 the fact that it is very inconvenient to travel with, on account 
 of its length; in fact, it. is suitable almost only to the angler 
 with his fishing-box by the river in which he fishes. In this 
 case, it may remain spliced, and be supported on a bracket, or 
 suspended perpendicularly. 
 
 The next best is in three joints, with one ferrule only, on 
 the butt, and the second joint is spliced; the top being spliced 
 on the latter, and, therefore, not requiring ferrules, which 
 increase weight and injure the correct play of the rod. The 
 objection to this is similar to that reverted to when speaking 
 of the first-named rod, and, consequently, a three- or four-jointed 
 rod, ferruled throughout, is usually preferred by the fisherman, 
 as time is greatly saved in putting together, which is an item 
 of some importance when the fish are on the feed, and the 
 angler is anxious to get to work. 
 
 •The three- or four-joint rod should be double-brazed in the' 
 tongue-ferrules (the stoppers should be brazed also), for there 
 can be nothing more annoying, at the last moment of a day's 
 angling, than to find either, or both, immovable, and half-an- 
 hour unnecessarily spent in packing up the rod. 
 
 The rod, of the day, is the glued-up, so-called, American 
 
THE ANGLERS COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 Fig. I. 
 
THE SALMON. 
 
 Fig. 2. 
 
XO THE ANGLER'S COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 cane rod, manufactured by my firm, which, for lightness and 
 strength combined, is chiefly sought for by the Hite of sportsmen. 
 The value of this rod was but little known until recently re- 
 discovered and modified by the Americans, though manufactured 
 by us quite forty years ago in this country. 
 
 All the above rods, with the exception of the spliced fitting 
 rods, are adaptable for spinning with a shorter top, but tin- 
 questionably it is better for those who do not regard expense, 
 and the additional encumbrance, to have a special rod manu- 
 factured. Practically, a rod, however, furnished with a properly 
 adapted top answers the purpose. • 
 
 A rod greatly in use amongst Salmon anglers in Ireland is 
 the Castle Connell, which consists of two-joints. The pe- 
 culiarity of this rod is that it is top-heavy, being specially so 
 built, and preferred by those intimately acquainted with the 
 exigencies of the Irish rivers. This rod is exceedingly "whippy." 
 
 The Winch 
 
 Should be of brass, bronzed, and of the click or check kind. 
 We give an illustration (fig. i), which is a four-inch winch, 
 and is the ordinary size used for Salmon — certainly not less. 
 It will hold the following contents (see gauges of lines, fig. 3). 
 G 
 
 F 
 
 GAUGE OF LINES. 
 
 Fig. I. ' 4-inch Winch will hold 
 
 E 
 
 84 yards of line, size A. 
 
 D 
 
 88 „ „ „ B. 
 
 C 
 
 118 „ „ „ c. 
 
 Sf-inch Winch. 
 
 B 
 
 77 yards of line, size B. 
 
 A 
 
 ^^S If » » *^- 
 
 Fig. 3. 
 
 149 » .. „ D- 
 
THE SALMON. 
 
 3^inch Winch. 
 63 yards of line, size B. 
 
 83 ;. » „ C. 
 
 "3 „ „ „ D. 
 
 3|-incli Winch 
 44 yards of line, size, B. 
 
 59 )> » » ^• 
 
 88 „ „ „ D, 
 
 3-inch Winch. 
 34 yards of line, size B. 
 
 46 i> j> « C. 
 
 69 » » » D. 
 
 100 „ „ „ E. 
 
 zf-inch Wincli. 
 48 yards of line, size D. 
 80 „ „ „ E. 
 
 scinch Winch. 
 36 yards of line, size D. 
 
 63 » » » E. 
 
 aj-inch Winch. 
 31 yards of line, size D. 
 
 51 » » I) E. 
 
 2-inch Winch. 
 36 yards of line, size E. 
 
 Fig. 2. 4-inch Winch will hold 
 130 yards of line, size A. 
 14° » „ » B.' 
 
 180 „ „ „ C. 
 
 Fig. 2 thus shows a great advantage over fig. i, by its hold- 
 ing so much more line. 
 
 The winch- should, in all cases, accurately balance the rod, 
 and this is a point of some importance, which must, to a 
 certain extent, be trusted to the experience of the maker, when 
 ordering. 
 
 Fig. 2 is, unquestionably, the best winch extant — ^fulfilling 
 every requirement. It was invented and patented by the late Mr. 
 Little, some forty years since. By reason of the pillars being 
 on the circumferefice, its capacity is rendered greater than that 
 of any other kind ; and, in addition, revolving pillars, through 
 which the line passes, avoid friction. The handle works on 
 the extreme edge of the plate, in a rim, and, thus, all likelihood 
 of entanglement of the line round the handle is done away 
 with. Fig. I shows the internal machinery of a click or 
 check winch, such as is described above. 
 
12 
 
 THE ANGLER'S COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 Fig. 4. 
 
THE SALMON. 
 
 13 
 
 Fig. S- 
 
14 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 Fig. 4 is similar to the last named, except that the plate re- 
 volves round the circumference instead of the handle doing 
 so separately. 
 
 Fig. 12, spoken of in the chapter on Trout, (page 34), when 
 selected for Salmon, should, of course, be of larger size. 
 
 Fig. S is an improved make of fig. 12. In order to 
 understand the improvement, it is necessary to notice that, if 
 by chance, the user should drop fig. 12 on the edge of the 
 plate, the chances are in favour of his so bruising it as to 
 prevent the handle from moving. In the winch before us, fig. 5, 
 should it fall on the edge, the raised circular plate prevents 
 such an injury taking place. 
 
 Winches are also made in ebonite, which should be of the 
 very first quality to be satisfactory ; otherwise, it will not stand 
 our variable climate. These winches I should not recommend 
 for the tropics. 
 
 The Line 
 Should be of water proofed silk, and of from eight to sixteen 
 plaited strands ; or of silk and hair, twisted or plaited. The 
 twisted ones, not holding the water so much as those that are 
 plaited, are preferable for light fishing. The latter being plaited 
 are much stronger, and thus preferable for heavier fishing. In 
 selecting a line it is always well to bear in mind that a heavy 
 line must not be used to a light rod, and vice versa. I am, 
 of course, pronouncing no opinion as to the relative merits 
 of heavy and light lines. Both are excellent according to cir- 
 cumstances, but it may usefully be borne in mind that a heavy 
 line can always be got out easier in a wind than a light one. 
 
 The unquestionably best dressed-line that has come under 
 my notice is the American waterproof line. This possesses 
 a dressing of such smoothness, that it passes the rings with the 
 minimum of friction, and is, of course, therefore, highly to be 
 recommended for spinning. There are many English imitations 
 
THE SALMON. 1 5 
 
 of good quality, but it must be granted with regret that our 
 transatlantic cousins are superior in this respect. 
 
 The Casting Line. 
 
 The most troublesome subject of the whole is the cast-line. 
 Owing to not being able to get single gut sufficiently strong — 
 which, were it strong enough, would be undoubtedly the 
 best — I recommend the use of double gut-casts, which, if 
 properly made, are considerably stronger than either twisted or 
 single gut. The objection anglers have made to double gut- 
 casts is that, if there be one strand of gut longer than its 
 fellow, the strain falls entirely on the one instead of both. 
 My advice to those, or, in fact, to all (as too much care and 
 study cannot be given to the cast), is to test them, which is to ■ 
 be done in the following simple manner : — 
 
 Take the cast, and, attaching one end to an immovable 
 object, such as a hook or nail, stretch it till quite taut ; if a 
 strand should appear tU all loose, the cast should be condemned. 
 I always whip between the knots of the strands, so that, on no 
 ordinary occasion, does the fly double back and entangle. 
 
 The following list of flies are those in the most general use, 
 having been found " killers " in nearly all Salmon rivers. 
 Owing to the numerous varieties, it would be futile to give a 
 full detailed Ust of every kind. The Salmon fisher, before 
 starting on his expedition, should, in every case, consult his 
 tackle-maker as to choice of flies for any particular locality. 
 The following is the list referred to : — 
 
 BLUE DOCTOR. BUTCHER. GOLDFINCH. 
 
 SILVER DOCTOR. POPHAM. JOCK SCOTT. 
 
 PARSON. NANSEM. THE MAJOR. 
 
 COLONEL. DURHAM RANGER. CLARETS. 
 
 Mr. Pennell gives, in his "Modern Practical Angler," a 
 
i6 
 
 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 .S o 
 
 S i^ «3 
 
i8 
 
 THE ANGLER S COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 Fig. 6. 
 
 CLOSED. 
 
 Fig. 7. 
 
 formula for three kinds of flies, which are termed respectively : 
 
 SILVER, GOLD, RAINBOW, 
 
 and have been found more or less 
 effective on different rivers. 
 
 For the convenience of anglers, 
 ordering flies and hooks of various' 
 sizes, I give illustrations (seepages 
 1 6 and 17). At the same time they 
 illustrate those sizes of the make 
 advocated by Mr. Francis Francis. 
 The Dublin-Limerick hooks are 
 those most in use, and acknow- 
 ledged to be much superior to 
 any others for Salmon, and 1, 
 therefore, refrain from mentioning 
 any other kind. 
 
 It is here necessary to impress 
 on the reader that when ordering, 
 by post, too great care cannot be 
 taken in particularizing the names 
 of the sizes. To illustrate my 
 meaning : suppose, for example, 
 an order be given for a doz. No. 
 2 hooks, without specification 
 whether the ordinaiy size, or that 
 named by Mr. Francis, were re- 
 quired. In the ordinary course of 
 events, I should forward the for- 
 mer, which is a Sea Trout hook, 
 when it is possible the No. 2's 
 of Francis were required, which 
 is a large Salmon size. 
 CLOSED. OPEN. The chief remaining requisite 
 
 for Salmon is a landing-net, or gaff; the latter is not always per- 
 
THE SALMON. 1 9 
 
 missible, though preferable. The former should be of whale- 
 bone, of a collapsible make (fig. 6). The gaff should be well- 
 tempered steel, and either attached to an ash or cane handle, 
 or of the telescopic kind, shewn in fig. 7, which, for portability, 
 is to be preferred, especially when a boat is employed. 
 
 How to fish for Salmon can never be taught in its entirety by 
 writing, but a few useful hints may, perhaps, not be out of 
 place here as serving to remind the Salmon-angler of such 
 little matters as may have slipped his memory, or as being use- 
 ful to the amateur in starting him in the right way, so that after 
 experience will not oblige him to unlearn. First, then, with all 
 humility, I would say: do not try to get out too much line in 
 making a cast. Often the beginner endeavours to emulate his 
 experienced friend, as he sees thirty yards of line fall lightly, 
 fly first, on the water, to his own chagrin and disappointment. 
 Try rather to get out ten, and gradually inprease the number of 
 yards as occasion requires. Practice on a smooth lawn is very 
 good. Again, do not use all your body, making mighty smiting 
 sweeps of the rod, thinking that mere muscular strength is 
 necessary to a long and satisfactory cast. The secret of casting 
 a fly is to make the rod's elasticity do as much as possible, and, 
 indeed, most of the work. The top of the rod and its adjacent 
 parts are specially constructed to aid the line in its passage 
 out, and, consequently, the butt of the rod should be almost 
 stationary, if it be desired to arrive at the maximum of this aid. 
 When a fish has risen do not flurry yourself, but with deliberate 
 and decided movement, of the forearms chiefly, endeavour to 
 drop the line within the circle madeiinthe rise or strike of the fish. 
 
 This is how to strike, as nearly as words can convey such a 
 purely mechanical act. "In fly-fishing for Salmon," says Mr. 
 Stoddart, "the casting of the line is generally managed first of 
 all by raising the rod back over the left shoulder. This part 
 of the operation requires to be done slowly and deliberately, 
 
 B 2 
 
20 THE Angler's complete guide. 
 
 with a slight increase of speed or force on the part of the per- 
 former as he proceeds. He will then, if managing properly, 
 raise the slipping or unemployed part of the line above and 
 behind him so that by further elevating the rod and bringing 
 it round over his head, both hands being employed in the ex- 
 ercise, he shall cause the tackle in question to describe as it 
 were a sort of semi-circle in the air. He must then, at the 
 moment the sweep is completed, and the ■ rod has attained its 
 highest elevation, direct his fly forward by a rapid impulse to- 
 wards the spot where he wishes it to alight; and this should be 
 done without any accompanying jerk or violent movement, but 
 solely by a firm continued exertion of strength, as in the 'put- 
 ting,' or launching, a large stone or cannon-ball." 
 
 This is generally termed the left shoulder cast. Of course 
 an opposite procedure is necessary in the right shoulder cast. 
 There is an under cast, sometimes termed the "Welsh throw," 
 but it is a very ugly and slobbering sort of cast, and only useful 
 when it is impossible to get one's line out well behind. 
 
 Having thus given directions for the casting of the fly, let 
 us now advert to the working of it. This should be so done 
 that it has an appearance of "sink and draw" on the water. 
 This motion is usually found much better than a steady un- 
 interrupted drawing in, as it gives the fly a chance of opening 
 and disclosing its beauties to the watching or following fish. 
 Of course the rapidity must be regulated by the rapidity of the 
 water over which one is fishing. Let it be always borne in 
 mind that the Salmon is not a remarkably determined fish of 
 prey, and consequently if the fisher is in too great haste it is 
 quite probable salmo salar will desist the pursuit. 
 
 In striking a Salmon do not be too precipitous. More fish are 
 lost by striking too quickly than otherwise. This is chiefly 
 owing to the wild maddening thrill which darts through the 
 angler, upsetting his equilibrium, and making every portion of 
 a second seem like an age. The real art is how to resist the 
 
THE SALMON. , 21 
 
 almost uncontrollable desire to strike for one moment, to allow 
 of the large fish to turn. Then strike, and not lightly, but with 
 a strong determined blow, driving the barb well home. I am 
 aware "Ephemera" counsels gentleness, but it may be said 
 that opinion is against such counsel. I do not, of course, advise 
 a blow like that one would give a pike, but something sharp, 
 decisive, and vigorous. 
 
 Supposing the fish hooked, then comes a tussle, which sur- 
 passes in the sport it gives, all other combats in the world. 
 And a Salmon must be handled judiciously moreover. During 
 the first rushes of a large fish it is quite useless to try and re- 
 strain him. The hold is fragile, and causes little pain, but every 
 instinct of its firame is roused into fierce antagonism, and. it 
 becomes at first necessary merely to restrain with gentle restrain- 
 ings and many concessions — as much as possible — which ordin- 
 arily is not saying much. Of course, if it is really imperative 
 to use the butt, to prevent the fish getting round stumps or other 
 submerged obstacles, use it by all means — there is no alter- 
 native. But this does not happen very frequently. If the fish 
 takes its way down stream so much the better, because it will 
 not then disturb the upper parts to which the angler intends 
 making. Of course I am supposing that he is fishing up-stream, 
 as one always should in fly-fishing. As far as possible also it 
 is desirable to follow the fish with a view to saving line. One 
 can never tell when it will be wanted, and I know of no more 
 disgusting an end to a prolonged Salmon-fight than to find 
 one's self either obliged to throw rod and all in, a la primitive 
 angler, or part company with fish and a hundred and twenty 
 yards of new fly-line. 
 
 Now in "butting" a fish it is absurd to suppose that the 
 operation means pointing the butt in the direction of the fish, 
 whilst the rod rests on the shoulder. If this be done not one 
 out of twenty rods but will snap like a carrot at the joint towards 
 
22 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 the top. To give the "butt" should mean placing the end 
 against the stomach and holding the rod at about forty-five 
 degrees, or rather more if the occasion warrants it. 
 
 Butting will not, however, be necessary very often if a firm 
 judicious treatment alone is pursued. To entirely enjoy the 
 capture of the fish it is desirable to get as much fight out of a 
 fish as possible, and by no means to shorten the magnificent 
 play if it can be avoided. 
 
 Salmon have a variety of funny ways, which increase one's 
 respect for their intelligence and resource when hooked. ' 
 When lightly hooked up the fish rises to the surface and shakes 
 his head like a bull-dog, if securely hooked he usually fights at 
 mid-water. Then, again, there is the somersault above water, 
 which has released many a good fish, because the point of the 
 rod has been omitted to be lowered. "I have sometimes 
 hooked a Salmon," writes Ephemera, perhaps, in his day, the 
 finest Salmon-fisher in the world, "and seen him to my dismay- 
 throw in rapid succession several somersaults six feet high or 
 more; then with a species of ferocity plunge beneath the water 
 and there 'jigger' away, making the rod quiver as though he 
 who held it were stricken with palsy. The somersault would 
 be repeated, and finally the fish would have recourse to a 
 lengthened rush. At length, after a protracted struggle, my 
 quarry would yield to be bagged." Then again, Salmon will 
 sulk like a duck, and the only remedy is to stir him up with a 
 long stick or rod, or pitch in stones till he can stand it no 
 longer. Sometimes a few smart twitches of the rod will make 
 the barb felt, and if so, look out for squalls, for his rush down 
 stream is often an overwhelmingly swift one. 
 
 Always, if possible, fish up and out. Fish cannot see far 
 behind them, and when wading there is less chance of disturb- 
 ing the water if you proceed upwards. In early spring months, 
 and indeed whenever there is a succession of open weather, it 
 
THE SALMON. 
 
 23 
 
 may be correctly divined that Salmon are in the heads and tails 
 of pools, behind submerged rock, and in any sheltered nook 
 where a sufficiency of water 
 exists. The best Salmon are 
 always in the best places, and 
 as soon as there is a vacancy 
 it is tolerably certain to be 
 filled up. 
 
 Spinning with the eel-tail 
 bait, as, also, with a spoon, 
 phantom minnow, the Devon 
 bait, et hoc genus ; but the two 
 best baits, in my estimation, 
 are an improved phantom, 
 made from my own sugges- 
 tions, and another artificial, 
 which I have named the " Ap- 
 petiser,"from its taking appear- 
 ance: figs. 8 and 9 exhibit 
 these two baits. The improve- 
 ment claimed for my patent 
 Phantom consists in its being 
 made of sole's-skin, dressed 
 with a peculiar dressing of my 
 invention, which adapts it most 
 admirably to its purpose. This 
 bait does not lose its colour- 
 ing or form, and is very much 
 more durable than the fragile 
 silk material of the ordinary 
 phantom. The latter, being 
 
 a favourite and killing bait, I deemed it a service 
 angling world in general, to retain the original title of 
 
 Fig. 8. 
 SoLESKiN Phantom. 
 
 to the 
 " phan- 
 
24 
 
 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 torn," simply patenting my own actual improvement. My 
 bait softens immediately on contact with the water, and its 
 pliability and life-like appearance greatly exceed those of the 
 ordinary phantom. Its tenuity is such that it is equally usable 
 for Pike, and the teeth of the Salmon seem to have, practically, 
 no effect upon it. 
 
 Having submitted the above bait to Mr. Francis Francis, he 
 kindly suggested my colouring them after the ten or eleven 
 months salmon parr. Other opinions prevail as 
 to this point, but in deference to Mr. Francis' 
 great experience, I have followed out his sug- 
 gestion, and therefore made a parr coloured 
 phantom under the title (by kind permission) of 
 Mr. Francis' Parr Phantom. Other makes, in cor- 
 Lrespondence with the workjng and, use of the 
 fordinary phantom, are of course manufactured. 
 
 Fig. 9 is constructed of india-rubber, which 
 can be also coloured to • any tint or hue found 
 most serviceable. It closely imitates the natural 
 bait, and the chief attraction in the make consists 
 in its inexpensiveness, and the fact that a variety of 
 baits in the angler's repertoire, is a desirability 
 not to be overrated. A weight is required on 
 the trace for the bait before us. 
 
 Traces should either be of twisted or plaited 
 
 gut, with two or more swivels, bearing in mind 
 
 that no advantage is lost by the use of large 
 
 swivels; these facilitate the spinning of the bait 
 
 very considerably. 
 
 The fly-book should be manufactured of either Russia or 
 
 Morocco leather, or other durable material, on account 
 
 of the annoying liabiUty of common books, when wet, to 
 
 peel. 
 
 FIG. 9. 
 
THE SALMON. • 25 
 
 For the convenience of my readers I give the close times in 
 England and Wales for Salmon, with other information, which 
 may prove practically useful. 
 
 Close time for Salmon in England and Wales. 
 
 ALL DATES INCLUSIVE. 
 
 Where a "gaff" is not allowed during the whole angling season 
 a separate close time for it is given. 
 
 For all English rivers (except as below), and for ScotcTi Esk. 
 Angling, November 2 to February i ; netting, September i to 
 February i. 
 
 Avon and Siour (Hsaits). — Angling, October 2 to February i; 
 netting, August 15 to February i. 
 
 Avon and Erme. — Angling, October i to January 31 ; gaff, 
 October i to March 31 ; netting, .September 21 to March 31. 
 
 Axe. — Angling, November 20 to April 30; netting, September 
 20 to April 30. 
 
 Camel. — 'Angling, Nov. 15 to April 30; gaff, Oct. I to April 30. 
 
 Cledau. — Angling, November i to February i ; netting, Septem- 
 ber 15 to March 15. 
 
 ■Clwyd and Elwy. — Angling, November ij to May 15; netting, 
 September 15 to May 15. 
 
 Conway. — ^Anghng, November 15 to April 30; gaff, November i 
 to April 30; netting, September 15 to April 30. 
 
 Coquet. — Angling, November 15 to March 25. 
 
 i?ar/.— Angling, November 2 to March i ; gaff, November I to 
 April I ; netting, September i to March !.■ 
 
 Dore, Mawddack, Glaslyn. — AngUng, November 20 to April 30 ; 
 gaff, October 21 to May 30; netting, September 14 to April 30. 
 
 Dwyfach. — Angling, November i| to March i ; netting, Septem- 
 ber 15 to March i. 
 
 Eden. — Gaff, November 2 to June 30. 
 
 Exe. — Angling, November 2 to March i ; gaff, October I to 
 March i ; netting, September i to March i. 
 
 Fowey. — Angling, November 2 to February i ; netting (below 
 Lostwithiel Bridge), October i to March 31. 
 
26 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 Kent, Bella, Duddon, Leven, and Winster. — Angling, November 
 I to March i ; gafif, November i to June i ; netting, September 1 5 
 to March i. 
 
 Ogmore and Ewenny. — Angling, November 15 to April 30; 
 netting, September 1 5 to April 30. 
 
 Ouse (Sussex). — Angling, November i to April i ; netting, Sep- 
 tember I to April I . 
 
 Rhymney. — Angling, November 2 to April I ; gaff, November 2 
 to April 30; netting, September i to April i. 
 
 Ribble and Hodder. — Gaff, November 2 to April 30. 
 
 Llyfui, Gwrfai, and Seiont. — Angling, November 15 to March i ; 
 gaff, November 2 to March i ; netting, September 15 to March i. 
 
 Stour (Kent). — Angling, November 2 to May I ; netting, Sep- 
 tember I to May I. 
 
 Taff and Ely. — Angling, November 15 to April 30; gaff, Novem- 
 ber 2 to May 31 ; netting, August 31 to April 30. 
 
 Taw andTorridge. — ^Angling, November 16 to March 31; gaff, 
 November 16 to May 31 ; netting, September 21 to April 30. 
 
 Teify and Ayron. — Angling, October 15 to February i; gaff, 
 October 15 to March 31. 
 
 Teign. — Angling, November 21 to March 2; gaff, September 2 
 to March 2 ; netting, September i to March 2. 
 
 Towy, Loughor, Taf (Carmarthen).^ — Angling, November 2 to 
 March 15; netting, September i to March 15. 
 
 Usk and Ebbw. — ^ Angling, November 2 to April i ; gaff, below a 
 line drawn from North to South of district through Llanvaes 
 Bridge at Brecon, and keeping to the East of the Honddu and the 
 TareU, November 2 to April 30; above that line, September 2 to 
 April 30; netting, September i to April i. 
 
 West Cumberland. — ^Angling, November i to March 10; gaff, 
 November i to June 30; netting, September 15 to March 3. 
 
 Pf5/«.— Angling, October 15 to March 15; gaff, September 2 to 
 March 15; netting, September i to March 31. 
 
 Yorkshire Rivers flowing into the Humber. — Angling, November 
 16 to February 28; gaff, November 2 to April 30. 
 
 For Putts and Putchers the close time is from September i to 
 May I in all districts. 
 
THE SALMON. 
 
 27 
 
 Close time for Trout and Char in England and Wales. 
 
 ALL DATES INCLUSIVE. 
 
 For all English Rivers (except as below) and for Scotch Esk, 
 from October 2 to February i : — 
 
 Cledau (for Trout only). — September 29 to March i. 
 
 Dart (for Trout only). — October 2 to February 28. 
 
 Dee (for Trout only). — October 14 to February 14. 
 
 Kent, Leven, Duddon, etc. (for Trout only). — October 2 to 
 March 6. 
 
 Ogmore (for Trout only). — September 2 to February 14. 
 
 Taffand Ely (for Trout only). — September 20 to February i. 
 
 Teign (for Trout only).— October i to March 2. 
 
 Ehen, Mite, Esk, Carter, Irt (West Cumberland).— For Trout 
 angling, October i to March 10; for Trout netting, October i to 
 March 31. 
 
 Salmon Fisheries' Commissioners (Scotland). 
 
 J. Leslie, Esq., C.E., 72, George Street, Edinburgh. 
 
 H. G. Gumming, Esq., Pittyvaich, Dufftown. 
 
 A. Young, Esq., Advocate, 22, Royal Circus, Edinburgh. 
 
 Close time for Salmon in Scotland. 
 
 ALL DATES INCLUSIVE. 
 
 For all rivers (except as below), angling, November i to February 
 10; netting, August 27 to' February 10. 
 
 Add, Aray, Eckaig, N. Esk, S. Esk,Fyne, Ruel, Shira.- — ^Angling, 
 November i to February 15; netting, September i to February 15. 
 
 Beanly, Dunbeath, Forth, Lassie, Naian, Ness, Spey. — Angling, 
 October 16 to February 10; netting, August 27 to February 10. 
 
 ■ Bervie, Carradale, Fleet CSutherland), Fleet (Kirkcudbright)> 
 Garnock, Girvan, Invar, lorsa, Irvine, Laggan, Luce, Nith, Sorn, 
 Stinchar, Ugie, Ure, Ythan, and all the rivers in Harris and Uist. 
 Angling, November i to February 24; netting, September 10 to 
 February 24. 
 
28 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 Drummachloy (Bute), Glenmore CBute). — Angling, October 1 6 to 
 February 1 5 ; netting, September i to February 1 5. 
 
 Esk (Dumfries). — Angling, November 2 to February i ; netting, 
 September i to February i. 
 
 Findhorn. — Angling, October 11 to February 10; netting, 
 August 27 to February 10. 
 
 Halladale, Hope, Naver, and Borgue {Strz&iy). — Angling, Sep- 
 tember II to January 12; netting, August 27 to February 10. 
 
 Tay. — Angling, October 11 to February 4; August 21 to Feb- 
 ruary 4. 
 
 Thurso. — Angling, September 15 to January 12; netting, August 
 27 to February 10. 
 
 Tweed. — Angling, December i to January 31 ; netting, September 
 15 to February 14. 
 
 Note. — There is no close time for trout and char in Scotland. 
 
 Close times for Salmon, Trout, and PoUan fishing in Ireland. 
 
 The following gives the close times at the various stations. For 
 the sake of brevity, we have named the stations in preference to 
 giving the names of each river or water, except where it is impos- 
 sible to avoid so doing, for the purposes of identification. We 
 are chiefly indebted to the "Country" Pocket Book for this valuable 
 list. 
 
 Dublin. — ^Angling, September i to January 31 ; netting (Howth 
 to Dolkey Island), August 16 to January 31. Rest of district, Sep- 
 tember 16 to March i. 
 
 Wexford. — ^ Angling, October i to March 14; netting, September 
 16 to April 19. 
 
 Waterford. — Angling, October i to January 31 ; netting, August - 
 16 to January 31. Exception: river Suir, angling, September 16 to 
 January 31. 
 
 Lismore. — Angling, October to January 31 ; netting, August 16 
 to January 31. 
 
 Cork. — Angling, October 13 to February 14; netting, August 16 
 to February 14. Exceptions: river Bandon, netting, August 16 to 
 
THE SALMON. 29 
 
 February 28; river Argidean, netting, September i to February 
 28.' 
 
 Skibbereen. — Angling, November I to March 16; netting (fresh), 
 August I to April 30; netting (tidal), September 16 to April 30. 
 
 Bantry. — Angling, November i to March 16; netting, October 
 ■ I to April 30. 
 
 Kenmare. — Cross lines, October 16 to March 31; angling, No- 
 vember I to January 31 ; netting, September 16 to March 31. 
 
 Killarney. — Angling, October i to January 31 ; netting, August 
 I to January 13. Exceptions: rivers Ferta or Valentia and Inney, 
 netting, September 16 to April 30; river Waterville, netting, July 
 17 to December 31; river Maine, angling, October i to April 10; 
 netting, September 16 to April 30; rivers Lanne and Corra, angling, 
 October i to January 15. 
 
 Limerick. — Angling, October I to January 31; netting, August 
 I to February 11. Exceptions : rivers Feale, Geale, and Carhent, 
 anghng, November i to March 15; netting, September i to May 
 31; river Moigne, angling, October I to February 19; Dunmore 
 Head to Kerry Head, ■ angling, October i to March 31 ; netting, 
 September 16 to March 31 ; Loop Head to Hag's Head, angling, 
 October i to April 30; netting, September 16 to April 30; river 
 Mulcair, angling, November i to January 31. 
 
 Gfl/'ze/aj'.— Angling, Oct. 16 to January; netting, September i to 
 February 15. 
 
 Ballinakill. — Anghng, Nov. I to January 31 ; netting, Sept. i to 
 February 15. Exceptions: rivers Louisburgh and Carronicky, 
 angUng, Nov. I to June 30; netting, Sept. 16 to June 30. 
 
 Bangor. — Angling, Oct. i to April 30; netting,"September i to 
 February 15. Exceptions: river Newport, netting, September i to 
 March 19; river Glenamoy, netting, September 16 to April 30; 
 rivers Glenamoy and Onenganoe, anghng, Nov. i to April 30; 
 rivers Brenishoole and Ballyeedy, and Achil island, angling, 
 November i to January 31 ; rivers Onenmore and Munhe'im, 
 angling, October i to January 31. 
 
 Ballina. — ^Anghng, September 16 to January 31 ; netting (fresh), 
 August I to January 31; netting (tidal), August 13 to March 15. 
 Exceptions: rivers Palmerston or Clonoghmore, angling (tidal), 
 
30 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 November i to January 31. Angling (fresh), Nov. I to May 31 ; 
 netting, Sept. i to May 31. Angling for Trout also prohibited in 
 river Moy (except Lake CuUen and Lake Conn) in April and May. 
 
 Sligo. — ^Angling, October i to January 31 ; netting, August 20 to 
 Feb. 3. Exceptions: river Sligo, netting, Aug. i to Jan. 15. River 
 Drumcliffe and Lake Glencar, angling, Oct. 20 to Jan. 31. 
 
 Ballyskannon. — Angling, Oct. 10 to Feb. 28 ; netting, Aug. 20 to 
 Feb. 28. Exceptions : river Bunduff, angling, Oct. i to Jan. 31 ; 
 river Bandernes, angling, Oct. i to December 31 ; river Erne- 
 anghng, Oct. i to February 28 ; river Eske, netting, Sept. 18 to 
 March 31. 
 
 Letter K'enny. — Angling, Nov. 2 to Jan. 31 ; netting (fresh), Aug. 
 20 to Feb. 28; netting (tidal), August 20 to Feb. 3. Exceptions: 
 river Crana, angling, Nov. i to Feb. 28 ; netting, Sept. 15 to April 
 14; river Gueebana, netting, Oct. i to March 31. 
 
 Londonderry. — Angling, Oct. 16 to Feb. 28 (cross lines), Sept. 29 
 to April 14 ; netting, Sept. to April 14. 
 
 Coleraine. — ^Angling, Oct. 20 to March 15 (cross lines) Sept. 29 to 
 March 15; netting (tidal), Aug. 20 to Feb. 3 ; netting (fresh), Aug. 20 
 to Feb. 28. Exceptions : river Bann, angling, Nov. i to Feb. 28. 
 
 Bally cctstle. — Angling, N,ov. 2 to Jan. 31 (cross hnes), Sept. 29 to 
 March 1 5 ; netting (tidal), Aug. 20 to Feb. 3 ; netting (fresh), Aug. 20 
 to Feb. 28. 
 
 Dundalk. — Angling, Oct. 12 to Feb. 28 ; netting, Sept. i to Mar. 
 31. Exceptions : river Fave, Aug. 20 to March 31 ; rivers Clyde, 
 Dee, and Annagassan, angling, Oct. i to January 31 ; netting, Aug. 
 20 to February 11. 
 
 Drogheda.—h:a^va%, Oct. i to Jan. 31 ; netting, Aug. 16 to Jan. 
 31- 
 
31 
 
 THE TROUT. 
 
 NDER the generic title "Trout" I purpose giving a 
 notice of the methods in vogue for the capture of 
 all the Trouts, as distinct from the Salmon. I 
 shall commence, however, with the best known of 
 the Trouts, viz., the Common Brown Trout, or the sdlmo fario 
 of our streams. Thence, afterwards, the Thames Trout, the 
 great Lake Trout, the Loch Leven Trout, and the two migra- 
 tory species — ^which, like the Salmon, go down to sea and re- 
 enter the rivers to spawn — the BuU Trout, and the Sea Trout. 
 Properly speaking the two latter should have been referred to 
 immediately after Salmon, but I here judge it convenient to 
 revert to all the trouts under one heading. 
 
 The Common Brown Trout. 
 
 The brook Trout, salmo fario, is perhaps the best known of 
 our fresh-water fishes. It certainly gives a greater quantity of 
 sport to nea,rly all sorts and conditions of men than any other 
 fish. It does not need description, for all must know this 
 pretty crimson-spotted denizen of our rivers, whether it be of 
 
32 THE ANGLER'S COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 a uniform thirteen-to-the-pound size, as in some Welsh streams, 
 or a sixteen-pounder from the Thames, or a three-pounder 
 from the Wandle or Wick, the characteristics are all alike, or so 
 near as to exhibit very scanty diiference. In any case there is 
 very little variance in the methods of capture, except as regards 
 the monster Trout of the Thames. To this fish a separate 
 consideration is given. Fishing for the Brown Trout is of three 
 kinds. Fly-fishing, Minnow-spinning, and Worm-fishing. 
 
 I.-FLY-FISHING. 
 
 The Rod 
 
 For Trout, fly-fishing first requires attention. It is necessary 
 for every piscator when selecting his Trout-rod, whether he 
 uses a double- or single- handed one, to see that he does not 
 get too heavy a one, or one which is improperly balanced, 
 or carelessly manufactured' in any way. Hence it is infinitely 
 better that he consult some experienced tackle-maker to using 
 his own judgment alone — this is to say when he first buys a 
 rod. 
 
 The remarks made in the chapter on Salmon, page 6, 
 concerning the above, apply to these, excepting as regards 
 length. An ordinary Trout-rod should be single-handed, and 
 from ten to twelve feet in length, excepting in loch fishing 
 and in individual cases, when it may be necessary to employ 
 a double-handed rod of fourteen feet. 
 
 The Winch. 
 
 I have already referred to the subject of the different makes 
 of winches, on pages lo, ii, and 14, in the chapter on Salmon; 
 the chief difference consists in size. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are 
 the sizes chiefly in use. 
 
THE TROUT. 
 
 33 
 
 Fig. lo is the plain brass winch, which is generally made 
 bright, and used on account of their cheapness. 
 
 Fig. II is the ordinary check kind; is chiefly inexpensive, 
 
 c 
 
34 
 
 THE ANGLER'S COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 and answer all purposes, except in respect of such disadvantages 
 as the others improve upon. This winch should be bronzed, 
 as a line will wear much longer on a bronzed winch than on 
 a bright one. 
 
 Fig. 12 is generally known as the Revolving-Plate Winch; 
 
 Fig. 12. 
 
 its advantage over figs. lo and ii is that it is usually made 
 in better qualities, and the plate revolves, instead of the handle, 
 which prevents the line from catching round the handle. 
 
 The Lines 
 
 May be similar to those used in Salmon-fishing (see page lo), 
 excepting that the mixed hair and silk kinds are most in use, 
 
THE TROUT. , 35 
 
 on account of their superior lightness, as before pointed out. 
 Of course, trout Hnes are always considerably lighter than 
 those for Salmon. 
 
 The Casting-Line 
 
 Should be of the finest gut procurable. This is the strongest 
 material, and perfectly invisible after it has been soaked in the 
 water. It should be stained bluish-grey, except under ex- 
 ceptional circumstances, such as discoloured water, etc. 
 Bluish-grey is the tint most generally in use. 
 
 Flies for riy-fishing. 
 
 The following list of flies* for Trout is the result of sixteen 
 years converse with experienced anglers from all parts of the 
 United Kingdom. Every fly given can be relied upon as 
 having been proved killing, but it must not be supposed in 
 every case that these flies are exact copies of the natural insect. 
 Particular attention may be drawn to the " Alexandra" and 
 minnow flies, as illustrated, which have been doing wonder- 
 ful execution during the last few seasons, and especially where 
 the minnow is not allowed. From this latter fact I can only 
 conclude that the fish mistake them for the actual minnow. 
 
 I am making arrangements for the production of a fly- 
 book of an entirely new and novel character. It consists of 
 an interleaved book with pockets to contain the flies of the 
 months, names, etc. Printed on parchment, immediately near 
 and on the opposite page, exactly corresponding to each kind are 
 illustrations in the colours of the artificial flies in the pockets. 
 
 * Arrangements are being made to illustrate the above flies on a material 
 capable of resisting wear and tear, in a separate form, so that the angler 
 may include these perfectly-coloured imitations in his fly-book. It would be 
 highly inconvenient, in many cases, to carry the* present work intact ; 
 hence, the arrangement referred to for the angler's convenience. 
 
 C 2 
 
36. THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 By this arrangement it is impossible, with ordinary care, 
 to misplace a fly. To shew my meaning clearly, let it 
 be supposed that a particular fly, say the artificial Blue 
 Dunn, has been found specially killing on a certain water. The 
 angler in returning it to his case, unless he have a distinct 
 counterpart/ in colours to guide him, may replace it in the 
 pocket set apart for the Grey or kny other Dunn, the tints of 
 some distinct killers being often so nearly alike as td be 
 confusing. When Ordering the killing Blue, he— ^in such a 
 suppositious case — therefore, from its being irt ttie wrong place, 
 gets a supply of the wrong fly from his tackle maker. In the 
 case of the fly-book before us this need never happen. The 
 colours are vivid and exact, and it is confidently expected that 
 the idea — which I have registered — will save much annoyance 
 and facilitate sport generally amongst fly-fishers; j 
 
 In all cases it should be urgently borne in mind that 
 nothing is so important as the desirability of the rodj line, and 
 cast, as well as gut, to which the flies are attached, being per- 
 fectly tapered. The highest art of the angler is shown in this ; 
 for, if the gut of the fly be not of the very finest, or, indeed, 
 if any part be not properly proportioned, as indicated, there is 
 a loss of strength. To the fly itself every particle of tackle 
 should be carefully and skilfully tapered. 
 
 A landing-net of whalebone, or a new metal net of my 
 design, which, by nickle-plating, is hardened (See fig. 13), is 
 preferable. The latter is far superior to the ordinary iron-, or 
 steel-jointed folding-ring, as no rust accumulates, tad econoniy 
 is effected by the angler, in consequence^ in the saving of 
 nets which are continually rotting, with the old-fashioned iron 
 ring of the same pattern. This ring is about quarter of the 
 price of the whalebone 5 the only Advantage in the whale- 
 bone being the ease with which it is packed away with 
 the rod. 
 
General Flies in use tkrouchout the season 
 
 J^J mack'J'aZmer 
 
 \^2'. Be/:fFalm^ 
 
 7i/°J Bror/ynJ^Imfir 
 
 
 
 'fy 
 
 
A' 7 
 
 
 
 .A^IO 
 
 Flies for March 
 
 i ' '\ 
 
JV^3Jled. Spuwxr 
 
 .7K 7'P 
 
 Water Gri/:ket 
 
 (real Dcrrk f^'>nf 
 
 jy-/7 CouJ du/f^. 
 
 
JV/S', Maroh JiTffifJri^ 
 
 
 FLIES FOR APRIL. 
 
 
 JV^ Z^ Se<:I^e. 
 
 .TV 22^ 
 6vldm/Jhm. M/fye 
 
 
 JS^ 2S Sartd'Ili/ 
 
 JV 24 SCon^- Ffy 
 
Gnrnwrn fTreefvTtxil' 
 
 J\" Z€ TeZUw Ihm 
 
 JV27 GravelBed 
 
 lramBhceIh.(/i 
 
 ^29 Jerim/Spmn/^ 
 
 J^P 
 
 
FLIES FOR MAY. 
 
 ^fl 
 
 iA&^ rj 
 
 
 JV34^ Cochfmm JVJS ^(wefior. ''M TurTui/ -Brown/ 
 
 rfV' 
 
 JV'SS 
 
 jVJTWkiteMoai LiUkJJarhSpmmr J^S^TeliowSaKif 
 
^ " 40 Sky Blue' J^4-7 Fer/v Tti/ 
 
 jy^ 4Z ul(^^ Fhf Jy43 M^gs:Ear 
 
 jj 
 
 ^■ 
 
 Bed, (?uill &naf ^Ic/^ QidHGnai -^^^ Jilac/o Mi^^e- 
 
FL1E.S FOR JUNE. 
 
 
 JVSO Moatzruj Mai/ 
 Braun JJrake 
 
 
'I'll! 
 
 m 
 
 JVS/ GTezfl>ra7ie ^jyjZ Crreen IJrake 
 
 ^"S3 l,adx/Mart/ut> J^MBfr^eror Jv^SS Empress 
 
 jy^SS Owera J\^S7 Marlmx- Bu-z-i. JV M C^cm^e Di/n 
 
Flies for July 
 
 A^Sff Ih-'-r/, Mm-/./7-af 
 
 ■J 
 
 .^6iJidMJMm 
 
 ^^^ //'li 
 
 .^"62^^^^ Jn/y 
 
 
FLIES FOR AUGUST 
 
 J^'^ee WeThjt^tcm 
 
 Y^67-L('ff'''fn^ 
 
 J^^-' , 6S Jt^^fcuf JMf, :'Vf;.'J O/rrn-^e ITi/ 
 
 JV 7€ 
 fzrm///rf-arr Fh/ 
 
 J\" 7/ Wrerv TccU 
 
Flies for September. 
 
 J^ 72^ BliW'Botde. 
 
 .r 73. 
 
 J^74: 
 
 jr7£. mmTwIY^. 
 
 .7P 76 SnydamyFly. 
 
THE TROUT. 
 
 37 
 
 The waterproof bag, or pannier (figs. 14 and 15), is' a useful 
 adjunct. 
 
 Fly-books are decidedly a necessary part of the Trout-fishers' 
 
 Fig. 13. 
 
 outfit. ''-''For those desiring to make their own flies, see illustra- 
 tions of hooks, pages 16 and 17. 
 
 Fig. 14. Fig- i5- 
 
 When one fixes on a river, perhaps the first question he asks 
 
38 ,THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 himself— with his fly-book out, and his rod ready, and his flies 
 selected — Where shall I fisM Sport never comes to anyone 
 without his looking for it, and I therefore, as satisfactorily as I 
 can, would suggest the following localities, as being likely p^rts 
 of a stream. The head and tail of a run, eddies formed by 
 obstructions, such as piles, stumps, rocks, etc., where the stream 
 is deepest and quietest, wherever masses of foam collect, in 
 little whirlpools after a fresh, and in currents between weeds. 
 Of course these directions are only relatively useful, it is quite 
 impossible to tell in terms exactly precise where fish are to be 
 found. Underneath hollow banks and un,der camp-sheathing 
 may be added to the former. 
 
 Before commencing to fish anywhere let the angler be careful 
 he is out of sight. Also he should wear no light-coloured 
 clothes. Let him always fish up-stream, for though Trout can 
 see a long way a-head, it cannot, from its very structure, see far 
 behind. One can walk up to within a few yards of a Trout 
 with its tail towards one, but see if his Troutship will allow this 
 in an opposite direction ! 
 
 Unlike the Salmon casting-line the Trout-line may comprise 
 two droppers and a stretcher, and supposing the reader to have 
 arranged the flies which seem most suitable, the following is the 
 method of making a successful ca,st : — "Take the rod in your 
 right hand, raise it with sufficient force to make the line go to 
 its full length behind, then, hanging for a moment till it has 
 done so, with a circular motion of the wrist and arm, urge the 
 rod forward; rapidly, at first, but gradually lessening the 
 speed, so that, when it stops, no recoil of the point will take 
 place. The whole motion of the rod in casting should be in 
 the shape of a horse-shoe, and care must be taken not to urge 
 the flies forward till they have gone the full length behind, or 
 you will be apt to crack them ofif." Thus Mr. Stewart ; and it 
 may be added that, as soon as the flies have reached to within 
 
THE TROUT. 39 
 
 a foot or so of the water, the point of the rod may be slightly 
 raised, which has the effect of letting them drop ever so silently. 
 
 There is some difference of opinion as to the working of the 
 flies after they have fallen. Mr. Francis objects to any 
 movements beyond that of the stream. Others like to impart a 
 gentle tremulous motion, however, as being more consistent 
 with the notion that the fly is drowning. Of course, it is not 
 here advised that the fly be drawn along with a series of jerks, 
 but that just such motion shall be imparted, and no more, as 
 shall render the fly a simulated drowning fly. 
 
 It is very necessary, when striking a fish, that no time be 
 lost after the rise. If the stream be a sharp one the mere 
 raising of the point of the rod is, ordinarily, sufficient. In 
 ordinary water, however, a quick wrist-motion is that which 
 commends itself. 
 
 When working a river, or stream, always throw near front, 
 and then up and out. It is often advantageous to let the flies 
 sink some inches beneath the water, but a watchful eye is pre- 
 eminently necessary in such case, or the rise will be missed. 
 It is not well to keep flogging a spot where a fish has been 
 pricked and lost, for. Trout are not like Grayling, and are apt 
 to be shy for even days after ; pass on, as a rule, and, as you 
 return, a parting cast can do no harm, and often brings the 
 fish to bag. 
 
 After hooking a fish there are but two words necessary to 
 express the best advice, and they are " Keep Cool." Play the 
 fish down stream, of course — if you are fishing up — and land 
 him, as your creditors say in their polite fashion, " at your 
 earliest convenience.'' Never take the line in your hand if it 
 can be at all avoided. Keep a tight line always, by means of 
 the rod, for, in the event of the hook only being just in the 
 skin outside the jaw-bone, a slack inch of line sets the fish free. 
 Place the landing-net well under the fish. 
 
40 THE angler's complete qUIDE. 
 
 A dry fly is, sometimes, a capital lure on clear, bright days^ 
 when the fish will not entertain any other kind of enticement. 
 The flies for this species of fishing are made with the wings 
 turned outward, and, before delivering it, it is necessary to 
 twirl the fly two or three times round the head, and then 
 throw lightly, allowing it to float on the top of the water. • ■ Tng 
 fish most likely mistake this fly for the real May-, or stone-fljr. 
 
 There are other methods which involve the use of t)ie 
 natural fly ; one is the blow-line, and the other by dipping, or 
 daping. The former is explained in the chapter on Dace, page 84, 
 and I may remind the reader that it consists of a long rod, a 
 floss-silk line, and a blow-fly, or other natural fly. The tackle 
 for dipping, or daping, consists of a short stiff rod, stout line, 
 and stout gut, so that, when the fish is hooked amidst overJ 
 hanging water-side growths, as it very frequently is, the superior 
 strength of the tackle allows of a very summary capture. In 
 each case the fly is only allowed to touch the water at tiny 
 intervals. Having thus outlined " Fly-Fishing for Trout " I 
 proceed to advert to 
 
 II.-MINNOW-SPINNING. 
 The Rod. 
 
 The rod should be about twelve feet in length, with upright 
 rings, which are of different makes. As remarked in the 
 chapter on Salmon, it is possible to fix a top to the fly-rod 
 which will suit for spinning. As, however,, thp Trout fly-rod is 
 a comparatively much weaker weapon, it may be strongly 
 advised that a rod of special make be used. 
 
 The Winch 
 
 May be of the pattern used in fly-fishing. It is possible to 
 throw off a Nottingham wood reel, but I prefer coiling the line 
 in my hand, or on spme even surface, using the winch before 
 
THE TROUT. 4 1 
 
 referred to. The Nottingham requires so much room for its 
 proper manipulation, and it often happens, when spinning for 
 Tfout, that it becomes impossible to throw in any other way 
 but underhand ; of course, one cannot throw from the reel 
 underhand. 
 
 The Line. 
 
 A plaited silk line, dressed or undressed, is most suitable ; 
 the former for preference. Avoid, when spinnmg, a twist line, 
 by all means, as the latter has a most objectionable tendency 
 to kinking, and other entanglement; 
 
 The Trace 
 
 Should be tapered, and of good length, made of fine whole- 
 gut, two or more swivels, and the weight, or sinker, should be 
 coloured a water-green. 
 
 BAITS. 
 
 Artificial baits are exceedingly useful in their way, and their 
 name is legion. As all my remarks are for the purpose of 
 affording practical information, I here select the best for 
 mention. 
 
 The best-known artificial baits which are found to be most 
 successful, are the phantoms, " Appetisers " (see chapter on 
 Salmon, page 24), artificial Dace, Gudgeon, Devons, small 
 spoon-baits, Cleopatras, and others of a similar kind. 
 
 The following is a list of the chief flights, and how to bait : — 
 
 Fig. 23. Same pattern as used for Pike, only much smaller. 
 See page 116. 
 
 Fig. 16. Colonel Hawker has thus described the arrange- 
 ment, of which he was the inventor, and its baiting. Having 
 selected a white-belUed Minnow, of rather small size, and 
 hardening it in bran for an hour or two, first draw back the 
 plummet, anid put the large hook into the Minnow's mouth, 
 
42 
 
 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 and out through the right gill, taking care not to tear any part 
 of the mouth of the bait. Then draw the line three or four 
 inches to you, so as to be able to get the hook back again into 
 its mouth. Then take the Minnow between the finger and 
 
 thumb j afterwards nip off the 
 upper half of the tail fin, in 
 order to prevent a counter 
 action to the spinning of the 
 Minnow. Having done this, 
 draw down your pluramet 
 (snout lead) again, and see 
 that your branch line falls 
 smoothly by the side of 
 your bait-line, and, if not, 
 rub it with india-rubber till 
 it does. 
 
 Fig. 17. Directions, as given' 
 in "Pennell's Practical Ang- 
 ler." Having killed the Min- 
 now, push the lead well down 
 into its belly, then pass the lip 
 hook through both its lips, 
 the upper lip first; and, lastly, 
 insert one hook of the upper 
 triangle through its back, just 
 below the back fin, so as to 
 crook or bend the body suf- 
 ficiently to produce a brilliant 
 spin. 
 
 Fig. 18 shows the bait when 
 BAITED. Fig. 16. UNBAITED. baited. 
 
 Fig. 22. See page 116. Should be used much smaller for 
 Trout. Chapman's spinner. The lead is pushed down the 
 
THE TROUT. 
 
 43 
 
 throat of a minnow, or small fish, and restrained in situ by 
 the small hook shown at the lower part of the lead. The 
 spinning motion is imparted by the pectoral fins at the top of it. 
 
 Fig. 17. 
 
 Fig. 18. 
 
 Fig. 19. 
 
 Fig. 19 is another good tackle, one of which, personally, I 
 am very fond of. The following is the method of baiting : — 
 The large hook is introduced in at the mouth of the bait, and 
 brought out at the tail, curving the latter. The lip hook is then 
 fixed in the usual way, allowing the triplet to remain loose by 
 the side of the bait. 
 
44 THE ANGLERS COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 The how to spin is, comparatively, an easy lesson to learn, 
 if one bears in mind what is written on the subject in the 
 chapter on Pike, page 123. The mere act of casting is sooq 
 learned, if perseverance and fair intelligence be brought to 
 bear. This accomplished, an important question presents 
 itself — where to cast. My experience leads me to answer the 
 question thus : " always cast up and out" When the bait is 
 rounding the segment of a circle which it describes ere it is 
 brought to rest and out of the water, the Trout is most 
 generally hooked. It is seldom advisable to fish dpwn, except, 
 perhaps, in flood-time, when the water is thick, and the fish 
 unlikely to notice the angler. When fishing flooded 
 waters, give a sort of sink and draw motion to the bait, as I find 
 this most attractive. There can be no nice rules given as to 
 the precisely best spots in the fiver to cast into, but it may be 
 said that wherever you suppose Trout to be there can be no 
 haj-m trying. This sounds like a truism, but there is more in 
 it than at first appears. One is by no means so likely to 
 frighten Trout with the minnow's splash, as with a stupid cast 
 of the fly. 
 
 In some rivers live-baiting with the live minnows is resorted 
 to with success. A siiigle hook is attached to a fine gut 
 length, and a fine plait line is used : the minnow floats down 
 till taken by the fish. This style is not equal to spinning, 
 however. 
 
 Dead minnows may be preserved by salting with dry salt ; 
 another way is to pack them tightly in a pickle-jar, and pour 
 over them spirits of wine. I am not sure, however, that a 
 well-made artificial bait is not superior to one of these. 
 
 III.— WORM-PISHING. 
 
 Worm-fishing for Trout 1 has been condemned by good 
 sportsmen, and the condemnation would be in good taste, 
 
THE TROUT. 45 
 
 and petfectly just, if the worm-fisher plied his art in thickened 
 water, and simply let out his line down stream. But the 
 worm-fisher Of to-day does nothing of the kind. He fishes on 
 the most brilliant days of June or July, when the water is low, 
 and dear as crystal ; moreover, he throws up stream, and he 
 must be no mean angler to get a good basket by this method. 
 When all flies and other lures are passed contemptuously, by 
 the negligent and languid Trout. 
 
 The Rod 
 
 Will be double- or single-handed, according to the strength 
 or choice of the angler. An ordinary double-handed fly, with 
 an extra-short top, will answer admirably ; of course, howevef, 
 a special rod is preferable in the practice of each species of 
 iishing. Double-handed rods are preferred for this fishing, on 
 account of the greater difficulty in getfing out the bait nicely. 
 The length, also, aids one in striking, 
 
 The Winch and Line 
 
 May be the same as that used in fly-fishing, with the, exception 
 of the mixed silk-and-hair line, which I opine to be chiefly 
 useful for fly-fishing. 
 
 The Oastihg-Line 
 
 Cannot be made of gut too fine. The cast ought not to b6 
 less than nine feet in length. 
 
 Hooks. 
 
 The Stewart, (fig. 20 next page), shows the four-hook tackle, 
 baited worm-tackle having gained such favour amongst all classes 
 of practical anglers, it wou.ld be absurd to suggest a different 
 
46 THE aiJgler's complete guide. 
 
 tackle. The only modifications are those which concern the 
 number of hooks, which are either two, three, or 
 four, according to the experience of the fisherman. 
 Single hooks are preferred by some sportsmen, 
 but this preference is not general in Trout-fishing. 
 
 I am of opinion that a worm which I have 
 imitated very closely to nature, if used as a natural 
 worm, but with a little more rapidity, would succeed 
 very largely. I may mention it is actually made 
 Fig. 20. from a worm. 
 
 In casting it is necessary to throw lightly, and to be careful 
 not to " pop " the worm behind you, as that infallibly breaks 
 it. After the bait has fallen on the water the point of the rod 
 should be lowered, to aid the bait in sinking, for I do not 
 believe in sinkers for this kind of fishing. It should then be 
 raised slowly, keeping ^s much line out of water as possible. 
 Always try and let the worm iixcr^ first, so that the hne follows 
 after ; the worm has then a chance of sinking in the eddy to 
 which you probably directed it, and of not being swept out by 
 the outer stream taking the line and bagging it. 
 
 When a fish has taken the bait, and this can generally be 
 determined by a significant stoppage in the course of the bait, 
 strike, but not too rashly. Lower the point of the rod down 
 stream till the line is straight, but not till you feel the fish, 
 and then strike smartly. Of course, this striking must be with 
 judgment, which can only be acquired by practice. A second 
 or two is usually allowed to elapse, because a Trout, though a 
 bold biter, is somewhat leisurely when the hot weather renders 
 him dainty. 
 
 A few words from an exhaustive work, entitled "The Practical 
 Fisherman,'^ by Mr. J. Harrington Keene, recently published, 
 on the subject of Trout-fishing, may fitly conclude this section. 
 He says " The caution and circumspection required in fishing 
 
THE TROUT, 47 
 
 pools cannot be too much impressed on the angler. Kneel, 
 crouch, do anything, in short, calculated to prevent the fish 
 seeing you. Throw up and outward, and be careful, as the 
 line is about to fall on the water, to raise the top of your rod, 
 that it may, in some sort, arrest the velocity of the falling bait. 
 Do not disturb the watei; by casting repeatedly into it. Two 
 or three casts will be amply sufficient if you are likely to 
 return to the spot ; if not, it may be advisable to try more. 
 Fishing streams is by a similar process. Throw in the same 
 fashion; because, if you throw up and outward, the falling 
 line does not drop exactly on the water in a line with the 
 Trout for which you are fishing." 
 
 Fish early and late for Trout, with the worm. 
 
 The Thames Trout. 
 
 Before passing from the Brown Trout, I must not forget to 
 refer to that magnificent specimen of the salmo fario — the 
 Thames Trout. 
 
 The Thames Trout is almost identical, in its habits, with its 
 lesser brethren of the brook, except that it makes small fish its 
 usual food. It is taken by spinning and live-baiting. 
 
 The greatest strength and fineness in tackle is necessary to be 
 combined when angling for this fish. Considering the immense 
 proportionate strength, and usual large size of the Thames 
 Trout, the tackle, either for spinning or live-bait fishing with 
 a Bleak, should be of the best and finest make consistent with 
 strength. 
 
 The Grea4 Lake Trout. 
 
 The great lake Trout (s.ferox) is a fierce, ravenous fish, of 
 not great abundance. It is chiefly found in Loch Awe, and 
 other deep lochs. 
 
 Fishing for it is best done at night-time. Spinning often 
 
48 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 does great executioil. The soleskin ordinary phantoms are 
 Capital baits. The boat is rowed slowly, and it is from very 
 deep water that this fish is chiefly captureid. 
 
 The Loch Leven Trout. 
 
 This Trout (s. levenensis) is chiefly taken from the Loch 
 Leven, and is supposed to have been introduced by the un- 
 fortunate Mary Stuart. 
 
 The method of capture is similar to that employed for the 
 great Lake Trout. 
 
 The Bull Trout. 
 
 The Bull Trout (s. eriox), as before indicated, is a migratory 
 Trout, closely allied to the Salmon. It is very rarely killed 
 with a rod and line. 
 
 The Sea Trout. 
 
 This Trout (salmo trutta) is a most beautiful fish, and is, 
 perhaps, more so than the Salmon : it is said to be identical 
 with Walton's " Fordyce " Trout. The Perth, Dundee, Mon- 
 trose, and Aberdeen fish are considered the best. 
 
 These fish can be taken with ordinary grilse or Sea Trout 
 flies, and Mr. Francis gives a long and interesting list in his 
 " Book on Angling." 
 
49 
 
 THE GRAYLING. 
 
 HE Grayling (salmo thymallus) is an interesting 
 fish, both to the angler and the naturalist. 
 It has been thus described, and the description 
 will supply that which an engraving alone can 
 never afford. " A general tint, which may be called a light 
 blue silvery grey, pervades nearly the whole surface of the 
 body, excepting the belly, which is white, or nearly so, but the 
 scales often exhibit iridescent hues of great beauty. The back 
 and head are of a much darker grey . . . ,. . some 
 lines of brown are intermixed with the grey of the sides, and 
 a few black spots are seen near the shoulder. The back fin 
 has a purplish tint, studded with large dark spots ; the other 
 fins are not so red as those of the Trout, but have more yellow 
 and brown in them, shaded off with purple. The tail is a 
 kind of slate colour." This is from Ronalds; and exactly 
 exhibits what the engraving fails to show. Mr. Francis has 
 very prettily .termed the Trout the "gentleman," and the 
 Grayling the "lady" of the stream. 
 
 These fanciful cognominations, indeed, indicate the character 
 of the fishes relatively to a nicety so far as the angler is 
 
so 
 
 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 concerned. The finest of fine tackle is necessary for the 
 Grayling in rivers where comparatively coarse tackle will suffice 
 for Trout. Smaller flies are, also, requisite ; and lighter rods, 
 if one would avoid altogether the nuisance so often experienced 
 by Trout-Grayling fish^men, of the upper lip of the Grayling 
 giving way, on being played, perchance, somewhat roughly, by 
 reason of the unnecessary weight of the rod. 
 
 The food of Grayling is of an almost purely insectivorous 
 kind. Flies of all kinds, grubs of all species, and worms, are 
 all food for it. The chief baits of the orthodox angler are flies 
 and grubs, however, and the artificial lures must be of the finest 
 and most delicate character to be successful. Grayling are 
 in best season from October to February. During April, May, 
 and June they are usually spawning, or intent on domestic 
 afiairs, and, though Cotton speaks of taking them then, it 
 should be said that no one with the name of sportsman ought 
 to indulge in their capture at such a time, no matter how 
 plump and fat they may appear. 
 
 Grayling love quiet places and rather deep eddies, or recesses 
 from the main stream. The bait is often taken quite silently, 
 and with none of that go and dash of the Trout ; in fact, it 
 requires an experienced Grayling-fisher to, sometimes, really 
 determine whether he has had a touch by a fish or not, so 
 unobtrusive is the way in which salmo thymallus swallows the 
 submerged fly. 
 
 There are two principal methods of Grayling-capture, namely, 
 fly-fishing, and grub- or worm-fishing; indeed, the methods 
 are much the same as those in use for Trout, with such 
 reservation as has before been noted in regard to the necessity 
 of finer tackle and more delicate usage. 
 
 The flies are similar to those in use for Trout, with the dif- 
 ference that they are always made smaller, and the duns and 
 midges are chiefly preferred. 
 
THE GRAYLING, 5 1 
 
 As to the way of Grayling-fishing, an extract firom Jesse's 
 " Angler's Rambles " may not be here amiss, as serving to 
 show the nicety required for successful Grayling-fishing with 
 the ily. He says " You will always see any person who is a 
 stranger to Grayling-fishing, and, I may add, many who have 
 fished for them all their lives, when the stream is low and very 
 clear betake themselves to the streams and curls, from the idea 
 that their fish will see their line in the dead water. Let them 
 do so ; they will, perhaps, catch a few Trout and some shutt 
 Grayling. But go yourself to a deep, dead part of the river — 
 never mind if there is no wind and the sun is hot — use the 
 finest gut you can procure (even if you have to give a 
 guinea a knot for it) and two flies, and, when you have thrown 
 your line as light as a gossamer, let it sink eight or ten inches* 
 You will not see a rise, but a slight curl in the water, which, 
 by a little practice, you will understand quite as well, and, 
 when you strike, you will have the pleasure of finding a 
 pounder, or more, tugging away' at the end of your line." Let 
 us hope this will be the experience of all our readers following 
 so sage an advice. 
 
 The Bod. 
 
 The best rod for grasshoppper- or maggot-fishing for Grayling 
 is one of some pliancy, of fourteen to sixteen feet in length — 
 that is to say, for those who prefer a rod that is to be used 
 with both hands. Some prefer a single-handed rod, which, if 
 exclusively to be used for Grayling, should be rather more 
 pliant than that for Trout. 
 
 The Tackle. 
 
 The tackle should be of fine drawn gut. The float should be 
 a light quill of not more than an inch in length; and this is 
 placed on the gut-line with but lit'tle reference to depth, as it 
 is merely used to aid in the perception of a bite, and not, as in 
 
 D 2 
 
52 THE ANGLER'S COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 Roach fishing, to actually indicate the whereabouts of the fish, 
 etc., as it takes the bait. 
 
 Grasshoppers are easily obtained in late summer, and should 
 be denuded of their muscular jumping-legs before being placed 
 in the live-box. This is not so cruel as may be supposed, for, 
 like the lobster, a grasshopper often actually sheds a limb if 
 much provoked or disturbed. A deep gentle-box will serve 
 capitally for a live-box ; it is necessary to have it deep, that 
 these lively bait may not jump out. 
 
 The method of baiting it is to pass the hook in at the neck 
 and along the back, but not out. 
 
 The way to use this tackle is only perfectly acquired after 
 long practice. Early in the morning is the best time of day, 
 and, fishing up stream is to be preferred always, if practic- 
 able. Let the bait be continually on the move, with a sort of 
 sink and draw motion. When you ' have reason to suppose a 
 fish has taken it, either by a stoppage of the tiny float, or a 
 slight tremulousness of the line — strike ! but not roughly, 
 only sharply enough to fix the hook ; then play carefully to 
 the net. 
 
 Grayling will come again and again, even if pricked, so it is 
 always advisable to continue to persevere after touching a fish 
 and failing to hook him. A two-pound Grayling is by no 
 means to be despised as a sporting fish, and if, by any chance, 
 a larger one assail, the angler has all his time cut out to ensure 
 its capture. 
 
 The average size of the Grayling is about half-a-pound, but 
 there are much larger ones on record. Yarrell speaks of three, 
 taken near Ringwood, weighing twelve pounds, and one of five 
 pounds from near Shrewsbury; Pennant, of one fourand- 
 a-half pounds from Ludlow ; and Jesse, of one sent him firom 
 the Houghton Club of four-and-a-half pounds. Willson refers 
 to eight- and nine-pound Grayling from Lapland, but the 
 
THE GRAYLING. 
 
 53 
 
 excessive size renders it improbable that these are identical with 
 our salmo thymallus. 
 
 Some excellent imitations of the natural grub are to be seen 
 in Hewett Wheatley's " Rod and Line." I do not advocate 
 bait-fishing, however, in preference to fly-fishing, and the 
 comical anathema pronounced by Mr. Francis in his book of 
 Angling, is also on the side of condemnation. 
 
54 
 
 THE PERCH. 
 
 ill HE Perch is a bold, handsome fish, and though 
 seldom chasing its prey with the voracity of the 
 Pike, it, nevertheless, when large and hungry, is a 
 fierce fish, dreaded almost as much by the fiy as 
 its shark-like congener. A Perch invariably pursues its prey 
 shoreward, whether in lake or river, and, though a Pike when 
 it strikes, is not always distinguishable firom a large Trout, a 
 Perch can always be' known by a peculiar kissing or sucking 
 noise it makes as it bites at the fish it is pursuing. 
 
 Perch are found in almost all English rivers and large lakes, 
 and, wherever they are, they prefer localities in the neighbour- 
 hood of submerged structures, where the Crustacea of the 
 water, and the various larvae of insects, are chiefly to be found. 
 Of course, the Hite, or largest specimens of the family, choose 
 their own resorts with greater independence. Three-pounders 
 are few and far between, and, consequently, as there is a sort 
 of caste amongst fishes as amongst men, their gentry are not 
 usually to be found amongst the common herd, but roaming 
 hither and thither, chiefly in the depths of the water, but, 
 
THE PERCH. 55 
 
 occasionally, chasing live fish food, as does the Pike, The 
 ordinary run of Perch are, however, to be found as indicated, 
 and in considerable numbers. They grow more gregarious as 
 winter approaches, and, oftentimes, are as closely packed as 
 sardines in a box. In proof of this, it is frequently found that 
 five and six dozen have been taken from a space in an eddy or 
 lagoon of not more than the size of a large pocket-handkerchief. 
 
 The fish is a boW, unhesitating biter, when it does bite, 
 gorging the bait with great rapidity. It is in full season from 
 July to February, and, if there be a period at which the fish 
 are better than at another within the limits named, it is in 
 November, before the floods vitiate the stream or lake, and 
 render the fish slightly muddy in flavour. There are but two 
 recognized methods of catching Perch; namely, paternostering 
 and spinning. I shall not here revert to the latter at all, because 
 the same plan pursued in Pike-spinning will answer for Perch 
 in a Perch lake, or where Perch is supposed to be the only 
 predatory fish. The paternoster is, therefore, the tackle to be 
 briefly described. 
 
 The Rod. 
 
 The rod for paternostering need not be a special one, but it 
 should be moderately stiff, and will, in consequence, of course, 
 be not more than ten or twelve feet in length, with upright 
 rings. I prefer a rod not more than ten feet long, to enable 
 one to fish near as well as far ofi". If one be fishing in a lake 
 wherein only Perch reside, it may be desired to spin for these 
 fish. In such case, the spoon bait, and either of the artificial 
 baits referred to in the chapter on Pike, Trout, and Salmon 
 made small, will serve ; similarly, of course, the same kind of 
 rod will do. 
 
 The Beel and Line. 
 
 The Reel may be of the Nottingham make, but a winch of 
 the check pattern is the right thing. About fifty yards of line 
 
S6 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 — dressed, I prefer, aild of not more than eight plait at most, 
 is most suitable. There is nothing special about either the 
 reel and line, beyond what has been described for Pike and 
 other fish. 
 
 The Tackle, "Paternoster." 
 The paternoster — the derivation of the word is hard to find 
 — consists of a length of fine gimp, or whole gut-^the latter, 
 for preference ] to which are attached, at intervals of nine 
 inches or more, and at right angles, hooks, whipped or bound 
 on to about six inches of gut or fine gimp. The choice of 
 gimp or gut rests on the following considerations : — if Pike are 
 known to exist in quantities in the stream or lake, gimp must 
 be employed, because the razor-like fangs of the pike will 
 readily cut gut, however thick it may be. These remarks apply 
 lo the use, only, of live-bait for Perch. If, on the other hahd, 
 worms, or other dead bait are used, it matters not how many 
 Pike the water contains, for, as they don't care for dead baitSj 
 no fear of their cutting the tackle need be entertained ; in 
 such case, therefore, gut is the proper material, as being less 
 visible to the Perch. A combination is, after all, perhaps, the 
 best style of tackle, and the following is, as far as my ex- 
 iperience goes, the formula for constructing the best paternoster. 
 Take a four-feet length of salmon, or ordinary stout tied gut ; 
 at intervals of nine inches from the bottom end whip on three 
 gimp loops, so that they stand at right angles to the gut : let 
 the lowest' one be about two inches from the end of the main 
 line. The loop at the lowest end of the main line is passed 
 through the loop of a cylindrical conical-shaped lead, or 
 sinker, which should be painted of a dull green or dirty brown 
 colour, so as not to attract the attention of the fish. This is a 
 point of importance, for I have known a too impatient fish to 
 swallow the somewhat bright lead as it has been drawn up 
 through the water. 
 
THE PERCH. 57 
 
 Now as to the hooks. These ought to be, if for Hve bait, 
 not less than No. 5, page 16; nor, indeed, in any case, if the 
 Perch are known to run large, ought the size to be decreased. 
 The two bottom hooks may be tied on gut, and also the iop 
 one, if Pike be expected — as the Pike swims higher than Perch, 
 it is most likely to take the highest bait — should be on fine 
 gimp. The loops at the end of the hook's-gut are passed 
 through the gimp loops of the main line, when baited with a 
 worm the hook may be smaller; they are also made of twisted 
 gut, which makes a very good Paternoster. 
 
 Ground-Baits and Hook-Baits. 
 
 Until very lately nobody dreamed of ground-laiting for 
 Perch, owing, I suppose, to the general idea that the predatory 
 nature of the fish rendered it too restless to be attracted or 
 detained at any particular place ; the idea is, however, errone- 
 ous. In spring and summer the fish may, of a verity, be 
 brought together by the means I am about to describe in 
 running water, and, all the year round, it is useful to ground- 
 bait in still and comparatively unvarying water. The most 
 sportsmanlike method of ground-baiting is as follows : get some 
 fresh beef-bones from which the flesh has not quite cleanly 
 been dissected, and tie them at intervals of a foot or so on a 
 long and stout cord. At each end of this attach a brick ; sink 
 the whole in the stream intended to be fished, and leave it 
 there all night. Of course, in the case of still water, the lines 
 can be varied in position to suit the exigencies of space and 
 locality. This is a capitally effectual way of getting the 
 wandering fancies ol perca fluviatilis focussed. 
 
 Another method, which has the merit of being curious, at 
 least, is to fill a large globe with minnows, tie the top over 
 with a linen cloth or fine net, and lower it, by means of an 
 attached rope, to where the Perch are expected to be, or to 
 find it. Fish all round it. 
 
5 8 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 Lob-worms occasionally prove a very good ground-bait in 
 lakes in winter-time, just outside the remains of rotted 
 weeds. 
 
 The hook-baits which are best for Perch are minnows, small 
 gudgeons, — I prefer small gudgeons, before minnows, myself — 
 small fish of all other kinds, worms, i.e., cockspur, maiden lob, 
 brandUng, cowdung bob (which isn't a worm at all, but the 
 larva of a beetle), the fresh-water shrimp, leeches (the ordinary 
 medical, and the common horse-leech are equally good), and 
 small cray-fish. Small fish and the red worm are the most 
 esteemed of the above. 
 
 By-the-bye, as " minnows " are, par excellence, the bait for 
 Perch-fishing, it may be convenient to give a hint as to catch- 
 ing them to those who cannot use, or haven't got, a net. Get 
 a large white glass pickle-bottle, and, with a diamond, cut out 
 the bottom. Over this tie some moderately close " scrim," or 
 coarse canvas, as neatly as may be. Tie a string to the mouth 
 end, and the apparatus is ready. Now strew in, at the top of 
 the bottle, some crumbs, or cut worms — those called blood- 
 worms, as found in the London mud, are best, if get-at-able. 
 Sink the bottle, bottom up-stream, in a place where you see 
 the minnows are. The water, percolating through the canvas, 
 will set the bait moving in a sort of circular way, and not to 
 pass out of the bottle ; the minnows will enter at the head of 
 the bottle, and, of course, when a sufficient number are inside, 
 the fisher has only to pull up. A contrivance manufactured 
 somewhat after this style is now sold, and it is inexpensive and 
 effectual. A word as to taking minnows long distances. Put 
 half-a-dozen or so in each, say a dozen, or less, soda-water bottles, 
 .^a^-fiUed with water, and cork tightly. The shaking of your 
 conveyance or walking will aerate the water sufficiently to 
 keep them living for many hours, though the quantity of water 
 seems' so insufficient. 
 
THE PERCH. 59 
 
 How to use Tackle and Baits, with remarks thereon. 
 
 The paternoster is used as follows : having been baited, a 
 yard or two of line is drawn from the winch with the left hand, 
 the right grasping the rod about a foot' above the winch, and 
 the plummet, or sinker, is urged a few yards from the angler. 
 I advocate thus starting to fish at some distance from the 
 position of the fisherman, because it is probable that the Perch 
 are, at the beginning of fishing, some distance from him ; as 
 they become less timorous as they come nearer. After the baits 
 have been in the position indicated for a time, it is advisable to 
 gently draw the sinker -nearer, not lifting it, but simply drawing. 
 If a fish seize a bait — and the angler cannot help knowing 
 when this is the case — let the line go while you count ten 
 slowly, then strike smartly. Of course, experience indicates 
 when the exact moment has come, but the interval named is a 
 fairly safe one for the tyro's guidance. It will invariably be 
 found that the Perch takes a live bait head-first; it is, therefore, 
 not advisable to give more time to the fish than I have 
 indicated. 
 
 Some persons, for greater security's sake, make use of a stout 
 cork float, sufficiently large to just "cock" by the sinker's 
 weight. This saves the incessant attention necessary when 
 fishing without the float, but is not so good a method as that 
 without the float for all-round Perch-fishing. One finds it 
 necessary to fish in various depths when searching for Perch, 
 and it stands to reason that the float must be incessantly 
 altered to be of any practical use under such circumstances. 
 I pronounce, therefore, for dispensing with a float in Perch- 
 fishing. So, also, if the angler cares to whip for Perch under 
 the boughs of a stream — a method which has been of extreme 
 efficacy within my experience. It partakes of the nature of 
 Chub- whipping, as explained in the chapter on that fish, and I 
 
6o 
 
 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 must refer the reader to that part of this work, (page 88). The 
 baits are lob-worms or red worms, leeches, grubs, and the fresh- 
 water shrimp. Afloat can be used, of course, as if Chub-fishing, 
 and a minnow or gudgeon as bait, or either of the foregoing, 
 but I warn the angler that with such tackle he will get as many 
 Chub as Perch. , 
 
6i 
 
 CARP. 
 
 (( 
 
 F all the fish that swim the watery meed, not one 
 in cunning can the Carp exceed," writes Vaniere, 
 and the couplet describes the chief characteris- 
 tic of the Carp. Its extreme caution and wile 
 secured for it from Buffon the cognomen "fresh-water fox," 
 which, indeed, happily names the fish. Its apparently clumsy 
 and deliberate movements are ever the result of some consid- 
 ered design ; and its ability to distinguish the bait containing 
 a hook from that without is generally unerring amongst the 
 larger and older fish. Bearing in mind that so subtle a fish is 
 the Carp, the angler should stedfastly observe the rules for its 
 capture given below in their absolute entirety, not disregarding 
 one word of caution. When I say they are the direct result of 
 some years experience amongst the finest Carp fishers in the 
 land, my insistence in the completest following of the directions 
 given will be pardoned. 
 
 In still water the larger Carp usually consort together in the 
 very deepest parts ; rising in summer-time early in the morning 
 to the surface, and gambolling like aquatic kittens. The 
 smaller members of the community partake more of the nature 
 
62 THE ANGLEB'S COMPLETE GUIDE. " 
 
 of Roach in their habits, and are to be found in shoals near and 
 round about patches of vegetation, or, after rains, close under 
 the clay banks, burrowing for food in the soft soil. The former 
 fish are excessively difScult to lure as I have said, but the latter 
 are often taken in considerable quantities if properly baited. 
 Carp are, however, whether in still water or a stream, always 
 comparatively timid feeders. 
 
 In streams, the affection of Carp for quietude shows itself as 
 conspicuously as in still water. The deepest and qJietest parts 
 of the. Thames, for example, alone retain the few Carp possessed 
 by the river. It is profitless to try for these exclusively ; they 
 are usually taken when Barbel fishing. I shall, therefore, not 
 give directions for the capture of these in streams, further than 
 to say that precisely the same tackle as that used for Chub or 
 Bream will serve. 
 
 These fish are in best condition in the latter end of July and 
 through August. They spawn in June — sometimes earlier. 
 
 The Rod. 
 
 A long Barbel rod, say of fourteen to sixteen feet, is the 
 best kind of weapon. This has been fully described in the 
 chapter on Barbel, page 95, and the description need not be 
 here repeated. 
 
 The Reel and Line. 
 
 Precisely similar to those in use for Barbel and Bream (see 
 Barbel, page 95). 
 
 Bottom Tackle. 
 
 This also is similar in make to that in use for the other 
 members of the cyprinida Above all things it must be fine ; 
 not less than two yards and a-half in length of the best drawn 
 gut. The float is a quill, as light as it is possible to use ; swan 
 shot may be pressed on the gut to cock it, but in no case 
 
THE CARP. 63 
 
 ought these to be nearer the hook than a foot, for the reason 
 that it is desirable that the bait should lie on the bottom quite 
 this length ; and, if one of the shots also lies, the float ceases 
 to cock properly, and then simulates a bite which is misleading, 
 A quill float to take about four swan shots is to be preferred, 
 and there ought to be at least nine inches apart, and coloured 
 a dirty-green colour. The hook may be No. 4 round-bend. 
 
 Ground-Baits, and how to use them. 
 
 Boiled pearl barley, boiled maize (boiled till quite soft), rice, 
 wheat, grains, greaves, potatoes-, peas, larvae of all kinds of 
 insects, worms of all kinds, pieces of meat, fresh-water shrimps, 
 salt-water ditto, pastes, and fish roe, all these are eaten when 
 obtainable by Carp— even cherries and strawberries are not 
 disdained by this goumet of the water. The procedure for 
 ground-baiting is precisely similar to that recommended for 
 Bream, and out of the list given above a ground-bait can 
 doubtless be selected to suit the corivenience of the angler. 
 The best, in my opinion, is a ground-bait of barley meal, rice, 
 and wheat, or of lob-wonns. Three days' baiting in early 
 morning or evening will be sufficient to bring the fish up into 
 a furious state of voracity. Do not, of course, bait on the 
 morning you fish, except very sparingly from time to time. 
 
 Hook-Baits. 
 
 These should in all cases be of the most extreme cleanliness, 
 Paste should be made of milk and stale white bread ; worms 
 should be scoured till almost transparent ; pearl barley or wheat 
 should be thoroughly washed, so as to be of the whitest possible 
 appearance. And the same observation applies equally to all 
 other baits for this fresh-water fox, whose keen senses will 
 otherwise detect the handicraft of his arch-enemy unfailingly. 
 A not too large bait is best ; Carp are not such gross feeders as 
 
64 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 , Chub, and the aperture of the mouth is considerably smaller in 
 proportion. Cheese is often effective, but, above all baits, 
 give me the well scoured lob-worm, and next this the little 
 cockspur or gilt-tail. 
 
 How to use the Tackle, and Hook-Baits, and 
 remarks thereon. 
 
 Suppose you were going to catch some exceedingly wary old 
 Carp — ^hitherto impregnable — in a lake of moderate depth and 
 dimensions, this is how you should proceed. First, you should 
 ascertain the spot they most frequented, by watching just before 
 sunrise for their uprising. Having done so you should com- 
 mence ground-baiting with worms, taking care they were of the 
 freshest description. To do this to the greatest advantage, you 
 should cut half a dozen nice sweet grass sods, and having 
 damped them, you should place them in a receptacle, and put, 
 say, half a dozen pints of worms on the top. In a few hours these 
 would have crawled into the sods, and the latter are ready for use. 
 Three days before you intend fishing you should throw one of 
 these in as soon as it was light, another at night, another on 
 the following morning, and so on. The worms would be dis- 
 covered by the Carp, and their rooting, pig-like tendencies 
 would be rewarded, as well as their suspicions allayed, by the 
 occupation of searching for the hidden food. Neither Carp nor 
 men can work and contemplate at the same time with any 
 satisfactory result, and the exertion necessary on the part of the 
 Carp amongst the sods prevents them watching for suspicious 
 signs of the would be captor. 
 
 We will further suppose the morning for the angling has 
 arrived. On going to the water's edge, the angler must not 
 approach hastily, as if he were going to take a header, but halt 
 at least twenty yards if possible away from where he intends to 
 get his float and line out to. If the selected spot cannot be 
 
THE CARP. 65 
 
 fished from the shore, he must, as gently as possible, let a 
 weight overboard from his boat, at least twenty yards from the 
 place, and there anchor himself in such a position also that the 
 wind is at his back to allow of the casting out of the bait, and 
 the carrying fishwards of the iloat by its agency. A few loose 
 worms may be scattered, and after waiting a little to allow the 
 fish to get over any chance distrust they may have conceived, 
 the hook may be baited either with the tail of a clear small 
 lob, or with two red or cockspur worms. If the latter, and it 
 is worth while to try them first, one should be threaded three 
 .parts up its length, entering the hook at the tail, and leaving 
 the head free. It is drawn up and above, out of the way. The 
 other is threaded just the reverse way — i.e., from the head — 
 and then there is a head and a tail free to the fish, wriggling 
 with all its vermicular attractiveness. Very few Carp, with 
 what Artemus Ward terms " well-balanced minds," would be 
 able to resist this. 
 
 This is how you cast it out. Take the rod in the right hand, 
 about a foot and a half above the reel. Take the line between 
 the forefinger and thumb of the left hand, above the first ring, 
 and draw out gently as much line as your arm will allow. 
 Place the line, where the forefinger and thumb has been, be- 
 tween the lips, and repeat the drawing out process, holding the 
 line this time between the finger aijd thumb, thus held by the 
 finger and thumb and the lips there is probably over a dozen 
 yards. Raise the rod, and gently urge the float and bait for- 
 ward in the path of the wind — you will find the cast as " easy 
 as lying " after a few endeavours — of course if it is possible to 
 throw firom the reel, but the reel needs to be exceptionally light 
 if the tackle is a feathery as here recommended ; and until the 
 tyro has learned the trick as explained in the chapter on Jack, 
 I should advise him to endeavour to get the bait out as here 
 recommended, and let the wind on his float do the rest by 
 
66 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 floating it fishward. Wait a second before striking, after the float 
 has shown a fish is at the hook, when you see the float moving 
 away you may strike, and play as leisurely as you like, using no 
 special force for fear of the fragile tackle giving way. 
 
 Potatoes boiled, and the hook embedded therein, is a style 
 said to be occasionally effectual. It is proper to wait till the 
 float has gone away some distance, and the potatoe has reached 
 the throat teeth of the fish, which, by-the-bye, are formidable 
 fangs when dissected out. By following the directions above 
 given I can confidently assert that no one need fail of sport 
 with Carp. 
 
 Small Carp can be fished for as one fishes for Roach. 
 
67 
 
 THE TENCH. 
 
 [HE Tench, as everybody knows, is nicknamed the 
 "physician of fishes." The reason, also, as every- 
 one knows, is said to be because he "sweats a 
 healing balsam from his sides.'' Whether the 
 Tench really does this or not actually, as stated, it must be 
 conceded as an indubitable fact that Tench are extremely 
 salutary fish, and seem to exert a sort of healthy protection 
 over the members of a pond or river fraternity, wherever they 
 also are present. The fish is of a quiet unassuming sort of 
 nature, possessing, however, as is usual with most modest 
 people, an individuality of a very decided kind. It isi a 
 true Carp in most of its instincts, notwithstanding — so far, 
 that is, as the angler is concerned. 
 
 Wherever Carp are, there, almost invariably, will Tench be 
 found. Somebody, with a tolerably correct notion of the per- 
 sonal requirements of the two fishes, in times past initiated the 
 connexion between them, which has existed wherever they are 
 known in the colloquial designation of Carp and Tench. Like 
 Roach and Dace they have been connected in this way; yet 
 they seem to possess the opposite extremes of the Carp family. 
 
 E 2 
 
68 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 The Carp has the largest scales, and the Tench the smallest of 
 all fishes, except the Eel, whose scales are scarcely more than 
 rudimentary. 
 
 The Tench delights in the soft ooze and' mud of ponds, and 
 other localities; which are not sought after, however, by the 
 Carpi The Tench is also a rooting fish, taking its food from 
 the ground and beneath it. Whilst bobbing for Eels, in early 
 spring, you may repeatedly take Tench, which are submerged 
 in the soft mud, presenting only a very Eel-like aperture, into 
 which the bait was placed to the fish's final capture. 
 
 This fish feeds at night chiefly, or at early dawn, though in 
 streams where it abounds it will take the bait at all hours in 
 the day. It would seem that the thermal and other currents 
 circulating the water and earth are strongly capable of modify- 
 ing its movements and appetites. Hence the variation par- 
 ticularized. 
 
 Its season seems not to be materially altered at any time 
 throughout the year. It spawns when the wheat blossoms, says 
 Willpughby; and observation seems abundantly to confirm this. 
 At this time it literally goes crazy, and may be taken by the 
 hand easily, if one be fairly deft. The difference between the 
 sexes is indicated by a concave brace of fins, ventral, on the 
 male, and an ordinary shaped pair of ventrals on the female. 
 
 The proper method of capture is identically similar to that 
 pursued for Carp throughout, except that the best time is 
 towards evening, when it will be necessary to fix a feather on 
 the float, or to use one of the Archer glow-worm floats, to 
 enable one to see its disappearance, or its, movements, from 
 the still position it previously occupied. 
 
69 
 
 THE. ROACH. 
 
 HERE is no fish 
 is so devoted 
 education of the fish 
 
 to which the London angler 
 
 as to the Roach ; and the 
 
 has advanced so far in 
 
 these days as to render it an exceedingly difficult 
 matter to get a good day's catch, unless the angler is a 
 proficient, or prepared to follow out, in their entirety, the 
 recommendations I shall lay down. Since the time Walton 
 pronounced it the "Water-Sheep" its intelligence has vastly 
 improved, for there is, probably, no fish that swims requiring 
 more delicacy of perception in the striking, or care and 
 quietude in the general ordering of preparations and practice. 
 
 Roach are gregarious, sociable fish; bright, vivacious, quick- 
 eyed, and courageous when on the hook. As indicated, they 
 are easily deterred from feeding, and not always disposed to 
 feed when desired by the fisher. Sometimes, no enticements 
 of ground-bait will even draw them together; but this is, 
 doubtless, due to the presence of a fish of prey — a trout, or 
 pike. 
 
 \ They ai-e usually found in a moderately swift stream, and 
 where the water is not deeper than six feet, or thereabouts. 
 
70 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 The best swims are contiguous to patches, or a patch, of 
 weeds, and a clear gravelly bottom is a desideratum. In 
 flood-time they frequent the submerged banks, even more 
 numerously than does the Barbel, and are to be found in any 
 quiet shallow lagoon or eddy, close to the covered grass. In 
 summer they swim about in companies, and, during the hottest 
 days, it is very difficult to fix their attentions; a blow-fly 
 (blue-bottle) is often about the only bait they will take at such 
 times, by-the-bye. The Roach is a ground, mid-water, or 
 top-water fish, according to season and circumstances, though 
 it is chiefly a ground-feeder. In any case it can be made a 
 ground-feeder by judicious baiting. 
 
 It bites with boldness and instant decision j hence, quick 
 striking is a sine qua non. The bait is just as instantaneously 
 rejected as taken, if there be anything in its size, shape, or 
 taste which seems suspicious ; the Roach roots up the ground 
 with considerable energy when in search of insects, or the tit-bits 
 of a ground-bait. Its season is from the middle of June to the 
 end of April ; it is, probably, in best condition about Septem- 
 ber. Float-fishing and legering comprise the methods most 
 generally in vogue; hardly anybody fishes with a fly. If, 
 however, the angler has a fancy to do so, he will kill most with 
 the "Blow" line, which species of tackle is fully described in 
 the chapter on Dace (page 84), and for 'which fish it is 
 especially applicable. 
 
 FLOAT-FISHING. 
 The Rod. 
 
 The rod for float-fishing, in comparatively still water, from 
 the bank — really scientific Roach-fishing is usually pursued 
 from the bank — is of a make at once stiff, light, and long. 
 
 Perhaps in this connexion it may be as well to enforce the 
 necessity for a stiff" rod when an instantaneous strike is desired 
 
THE &OACH. 71 
 
 to be made. Some would ask, " would not a whippy rod 
 strike equally as sharply?" To this, "No," as an answer, 
 may be returned, on the strength of the following experiment. 
 Place a lump of putty on a table ; take your whippiest rod, 
 hold it horizontally in such a position that its point is about 
 three inches over and above the putty; steady it, and then 
 strike as if a fish had bitten. The result is that the first 
 movement of the rod's point is a downward one, and the print 
 of it will be found in the putty. Now try the same experiment 
 with such a rod as that suggested above, and it will be seen 
 that the point at once corresponds exactly in movenient with 
 the butt, that is to say, it flies upwards without any downward 
 movement at all ; therefore, the strike is instant. Obviously, 
 such a rod is indubitably best. 
 
 There are rods specially made for Roach, from sixteen to 
 twenty feet in length. Some persons, indeed, prefer a ringed 
 rod, notwithstanding that it is impossible to land a decent fish 
 without either rising from one's seat, or taking the rod 
 to pieces, to shorten it, as the hooked fish approaches. 
 For iight-Xvs\& fishing it is preferable to dispense with 
 the reel, and to, consequently, stand the chance of 
 a breakage by an accidental Barbel, rather than stand a chance 
 of rendering all prospects of sport nugatory, because of the 
 varied and ostentatious movements necessary with a rod adapted 
 to a running line. Ordinarily, the dexterity of the angler in 
 humouring and exhausting his fish, aided by the restraining 
 pliancy of the rod, should be sufficient to land any Roach ; 
 and this ought to be the case, because, the less each fish is 
 allowed to disturb the swim by its struggles, the better for the 
 angler's prospects. 
 
 When the Roach, desiring to escape the burning intensity of 
 the summer sun, seeks the umbrageous seclusion of the over- 
 hanging osiers, and refuses to be lured forth, charm the angler 
 
72 THE angler's COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 never so wisely, then does the "fine and far-off" practice 
 become 'the only method, and the rod most suitable is that 
 of white cane, of about sixteen feet in length, and of somewhat 
 whippy make. But, as before indicated, the absolute Roach- 
 fisher of the Thames or Lea finds his best sport when quietly 
 sitting on the bank, immobile as a statue, patient as Job 
 (without his proclivities for sermonizing), with eyes of an Argus, 
 and full of resources, expedients, and dodges innumerable. 
 His swim is of a certain length, and he has ground-baited 
 it so skilfully, and with such a knowledge of his quarry's habitsi, 
 that no * excursive fishing could hope to compete with his 
 style. The Roach bites so quickly that I am tempted to 
 say the long-line style fails ; if it does not fail it certainly is 
 not equal to the other method, and therefore, in one word^ 
 I pronounce for a rod made stiffer than the former, and eighteen 
 feet in length. I unhesitatingly affirm that a longer rod than 
 this entails so much fatigue as to impair the angler's celerity 
 of striking and general freshness of style very speedily. 
 
 The Reel and Line. 
 
 If the angler, distrustful of his own ability to manage a large 
 Roach on a tight line, prefers, for safety sake, to use a 
 running-line, or, if he be fishing from a punt with the ordinary 
 Roach-rod of the Thames fisherman — which is of any pattern 
 so long as it is strong enough and short enough for the punt — • 
 he may employ a reel of the ordinary click or check kind, 
 oxidized, or painted green ; all bright metals should be eschewed 
 when fishing. This reel should not be of a large size, as the 
 line need not exceed thirty yards, and may be of twist or plait, 
 either dressed or undressed — the point is quite immaterial. It 
 should be not ioo coarse ; and anyone who has followed this 
 work will understand what I mean by this s'omewhat indefinite 
 expression. 
 
THE ROACH. 73 
 
 The Bottom-Tackle. 
 
 The material of the bottom tackle may be either horse-hair 
 or gut ; some prefer the former, and, as this preference needs 
 justification, I will briefly state why I select horse-hair in this 
 particular instance of all others for the bottom-tackle. First, I 
 admit that gut is as fine as hair, probably three times as strong, 
 is more transparent in air, and is not elastic. Some of these 
 characteristics, however, rather, in my opinion, detract from, 
 the excellence of gut in this connexion. The non-elasticity of 
 gut is dead against it when one is tight-line fishing, and if white 
 hair be used, " from the grey palfrey's tail," though, in air, gut 
 is more transparent, in water its superior density of structure 
 sometimes causes it to reflect much more light than is the case 
 with hair — consequently, it is not so transparent. But the 
 elasticity is the particular virtue on which I count to establish 
 the superiority of hair. Either gut or hair, if both be very 
 fine, will serve, however, and the experience of some roach- 
 fishers is in favour of gut ; but above is my opinion, which I 
 need scarcely say is the result of my experience. The difficulty 
 is to get hair, from a manufacturing point of view. 
 
 Whichever the tyro decides upon, the length of the gut or 
 hair bottom should not be less than the length of the rod. 
 Be careful that the hair is plucked from a living horse, and 
 that the gut is always soaked before using, as, indeed, is the 
 better plan with hair, though the point is not so important as 
 with gut. 
 
 The line should be tapered, if possible, but, providing the 
 gut is finely drawn, this is not of much importance; it is 
 difficult to taper hair, because it cannot be "drawn." The 
 fewest shots possible necessary to cock the float are the best, 
 and the best float is a quill, or a cork, or a wooden one. 
 
74 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 This seems a very qualified sort of direction when I scan it 
 again, but I can give no other. 
 
 Cork-floats are best not painted, or, if painted at all, a touch 
 of red sealing-wax on the top is all that is required to enable 
 the angler to instantly see the bite. The constant gazing at 
 an insipidly-coloured float is very wearing to the sight, and it 
 constantly happens that this weariness, and the distraction, or, 
 rather, abstraction, of attention which ensues, renders nil the 
 impression which would be, otherwise, produced on the per. 
 ceptions. An uncommon colour, like scarlet, acts as a medicine 
 to this abstraction so fatal to the fruit of a good bite. 
 
 Legering. 
 
 The " leger " and rod is somewhat similar to that employed 
 for Barbel (see page 94), but, of course, much smaller and 
 slighter. This style of fishing is chiefly employed during 
 flood-time, when, as I before said, the Roach frequent the 
 shores and feed on the tender herbage. In " legering " you 
 select a lagoon, or quiet spot, and there throw the "leger" in and 
 gradually draw in the sinker (or leger) till it rests on the 
 submerged grass. Hither come the cyprinidcs, seeking what 
 they may devour, and it is at this time the leger is very useful. 
 The bait may be the tail of a lob-worm, or a meal-worm, or a 
 half-dozen gentles, on a No. 5 hook. I need say no more 
 than the above about " legering " in this place, except that it 
 is a wonderfully effective method of Roach-capture in late 
 autumn, winter, and early spring. 
 
 Ground-Baits, and how to use them. 
 
 Ground-baits for Roach are as numerous as for Carp. The 
 very best, in my experience, is the crumb and crust of stale 
 bread, well soaked, and incorporated with clay — sufficient to 
 sink the bread in the spot required to be baited. Raspings of 
 bread and rolls are excellent, also, and may be obtained from 
 
THE ROACH. 75 
 
 any large confectioner and baker. Carrion-gentles are excel- 
 lent bait, and the hook-bait, of course, is a scoured gentle. 
 Bran and clay is, perhaps, the cheapest ground-bait, but an 
 admixture of barley-meal is very advantageous. Ground-bait 
 should not be thrown in very plentifully, but in balls about the 
 size of a tennis-ball, and with as little noise and splash as 
 possible. When fishing, be especially sparing of ground-bait ; 
 many a good "swim" has been spoiled by reason of over- 
 baiting. 
 
 Hook-Baits. 
 
 The hook-baits for Roach are very numerous. I-will briefly 
 enumerate them, giving such other details in connexion as 
 seems ngcessaay for their obtaining and preservation. Perhaps 
 the most common bait is the gentle, or larva of the blow-fly. 
 The best way to obtain these is as follows : — get from the 
 butcher a bullock's liver, and pass a pot-hook through it, and 
 hang it up in a position exposed, but shaded from the driest 
 rays of the sun. Slash ft with a knife in a few places, so as to 
 present the greatest possible surface to the flies. Let it hang 
 till the fly-blowings, or eggs, are beginning to hatch; then 
 remove it in an earthenware pan, covering it lightly over, so 
 that it may not be disturbed, nor wetted by rain. The gentles 
 will grow, and eat the liver away completely, or almost so. 
 When this is found to be the case they must be fed with 
 additional pieces of liver until some of their number begin to 
 turn to the brown chrysalid form, when this is the proper 
 procedure. Take out all the debris of the offal or liver; sort 
 the gentles carefully, mix equal parts of damp river-sand and 
 loamy garden-soil, and place the gentles on the top of this in a 
 sufficiently large receptacle — which should be earthenware, for 
 the sake of coolness. They will thus keep for an indefinite 
 time, if protected from frosts, rain, and heat; indeed, all 
 
76 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 through the winter, if late autumn be selected for the breeding- 
 season. 
 
 Pastes, of various kinds, are the next most approved baits. 
 The following, are some styles of making it, which I have 
 found very effective : — 
 
 Honeycomb Paste. — Honeycomb, mixed with flour and kneaded 
 into a paste with water, is a good paste for late summer and 
 autumn. The comb renders the paste very stiff 
 
 White Paste.— %ozk. a ''piece of stale white bread for ten 
 minutes, press the water out thoroughly, and knead with an 
 equal quantity of new bread, either dry or dipped quickly in 
 and out of the water and squeezed ; a very firm paste is thus 
 obtained. A little honey, or aniseed, may be mixed with 
 ordinary flour-paste. • 
 
 Red Paste is, sometimes, very effectual. The crumb of a 
 new loaf is well kneaded in the hand till it becomes tough — it 
 maybe necessary to use a ///& water; colour it with vermil- 
 ion, annato, or cochineal. This is a very useful bait when 
 the water is coloured. 
 
 Streaky Paste is made with sugar, flour, and water. Colour 
 half with red-lead, or the above colouring matters, and mix so 
 that it has a streaky appearance. A little wadding, or cotton- 
 wool, thoroughly mixed with either of the above pastes, renders 
 it tougher, and aids its retention on the hook. A cheese-paste, 
 made with half pounded cheese and half flour, is often a 
 capital line. 
 
 Wasp Grubs. — This is the best way to prepare them. Pick 
 the grubs out of the comb and put them into a colander, 
 inside a large basin ; then pour a saucepan of boiling water 
 over them, and stir with a spoon till, by the touch, they feel 
 firm; then instantly throw them into a little bran, and shake 
 them till dry. This shaking is a very important part of the 
 operation, and should be thoroughly done. If they be placed 
 
THE ROACH. 77 
 
 on a slab of stone, and lightly coated with honey, they will 
 keep for weeks. 
 
 Caddis, worms, periwinkles, slugs, flies, tiny frogs, etc. etc. 
 are, also, very useful baits according to season. The three 
 baits detailed above are, however, the best for all-round 
 fishing. Worms are especially good, also, during flood-time, 
 when the tail of a lob will often do remarkable execution. 
 
 The green silk-weed (conferva rivualis), found on stones and 
 piles, which have been subjected, for a length of time, to the 
 action of running water, is a remarkably successful bait in 
 early season. It is only necessary to wind some round the 
 hook as compactly as possible. 
 
 Remarks on the methods of using Tackle 
 and Hook-Baits. 
 
 Above all things let me again urge on the intending Roach- 
 fisher the necessity of quiet, cautious, and careful angling. 
 Having once taken up a position do not move more than is 
 absolutely necessary. Give the Roach a good fair trial before 
 abandoning a swim ; for it is not at all unusual for the fish to 
 go off" the feed and on in a very capricious manner. Yet the 
 result, at the end of the day, is often not rendered smaller 
 than would have eventuated had the fish steadily maintained 
 their appetites, for the reason that they frequently bite madly, 
 almost, when, from some occult reason, they are thus capricious. 
 
 The way to put on a gentle bait is as follows : — Take a 
 gentle between the finger and thumb, and, somewhat pressing 
 it, enter the tail, bringing it out at about two-thirds the length 
 of the bait. Proceed in the same way with another, and with 
 the third — I always use three — bring the point and barb out at 
 the end, or head, of the gentk ; then retract the point some- 
 what, so as to hide it. The tyro should observe not to try to 
 enter the point at the head of the gentle because of the danger 
 
78 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 there is of the whole of the creature's contents discharging, 
 leaving only the skin on the hook. 
 
 If the fly be employed, the blow-line, as before intimated, 
 affords the most convenient way of use. The bait may be 
 either a recently-aUve blow-fly, or blue-bottle, or one that has 
 been dried, and around whose middle a tiny piece of silk has 
 been circled. In the latter case the hook's point is passed 
 between this and the bait, because the bait would be too 
 brittle to sustain the hook piercing it. 
 
 THE RUDD. 
 
 RuDD are not very plentiful in running water, though some 
 streams produce splendid specimens. Still water seems to 
 better suit their nature, which is less energetic than Roach. 
 In some lakes they thrive marvellously, and reproduce with 
 greater rapidity than Roach. 
 
 Precisely the same kind of tackle and procedure, as that advised 
 on the foregoing pages for Roach, will do for Rudd. The best 
 baits are generally found to be small red worms, and the 
 sweetened paste advised on page 76. 
 
 As a Roach is, when young especially, very similar to the 
 Rudd, the following information will assist the angler in dis- 
 tinguishing them. 
 
 The appearance of the Rudd is thus described: general hue 
 on the scales, a reddish-orange-gold, varying, however, to light 
 silver ; its back is of greenish-blue, often of great vividity ; its 
 fins are of scarlet, varying to crimson ; its 'gill-covers, some- 
 times, of bright yellow — at others, paler; the irises, are a 
 bright crimson — hence its other name. Red Eye. 
 
 Compare with the above, the description of the Roach, and 
 
THE RUt)D. 
 
 79 
 
 the difference is at once apparent. Yarrell says, "the colour 
 of the upper part of the head and back is dusky (often bright) 
 green, with blue reflections, becoming lighter on the sides, and 
 passing into silvery-white on the belly; the irises, yellow; 
 cheeks and gill-covers, silvery-white ; dorsal and caudal fins, 
 pale brown, tinged with red ; pectoral fins, orange-red ; ventrals 
 and anal, bright red." 
 
8o 
 
 THE BLEAK. 
 
 I HIS is a most beautiful little top-water fish, giving a 
 lot of miniatiure sport, when one feels disposed for 
 trifling, rather than serious fishing. An ordinary 
 trout, fly, or whipping rod, and fine hair line, 
 baited with artificial black gnat (the point of the hook covered 
 by a minute gentle), is the correct style of fishing — that is, the 
 one giving most amusement. . If one desires the fish for bait, 
 and does not care to waste time, an ordinary gut cast No. lo 
 hook, baited with caddis, gentle, paste, or natural fly will serve. 
 It is a bold biter. 
 
8i 
 
 THE DACE. 
 
 fflJHE Dace is always a lover of top-water, and the 
 various insect and other food to be found there- 
 abouts. It must not, however, be supposed that 
 it does not, under any circumstances, frequent the 
 depths, for the largest Dace are usually taken from the more 
 profound parts of a stream, where 'lie the tlite of the Carp 
 family; big Barbel, big Chub, Carp, large Roach, etc. How- 
 beit in comparatively shallow parts of the river, and certainly 
 at a depth not lower than mid-water. Dace are most generally 
 to be found. In strong streams — not torrents — however, they 
 delight, and the nimbleness of their movements, and Trout-like 
 manner of taking the fly, combine to render Dace fishing ex- 
 cellent training for the young fisherman, whose ultimate ambition 
 is the capture of the lordly Salmon with the fly-rod. Bright, 
 vigorous, and handsome, a bold biter and fighter, good on the 
 table, and ever plentiful in- those rivers it frequents, the Dace 
 is by no means a despicable fish. The Thames and Colne are 
 its particularly favourite rivers, though there are smaller streaiiis, 
 in different parts of England, furnishing larger specimens than 
 do either of these rivers, albeit not prettier, nor better gastro- 
 nomically. 
 
82 THE angler's COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 The Dace is in full season from July to the end of April in 
 the Thames. The variations in this prescribed season, which 
 are observable in connexion with wide-apart localities, are due 
 to temperature, and are easily determined by the observant 
 angler. Observation is the first duty and pleasure of the ang- 
 ling graduate. 
 
 There are two recognized methods of Dace fishing, viz., with 
 the fly or whipping, which is very pretty sport, and angling. 
 
 The Rod for Fly-Pishing. 
 
 This should be not more than ten or eleven feet in length, 
 and somewhat stiff, as compared with an ordinary twelve- 
 feet Trout fly-rod. A long line need not be attempted 
 to be got out, for at the time when Dace are most likely to be 
 taken witli this tackle they are bold and in shoals, and the 
 angler needs only to get near them to ensure success. The 
 rings may be collapsible, as in a fly-rod of the ordinary make, 
 or upright, according to taste. The only consideration reg- 
 ulating this question is this: sometimes the wind will "bag" a 
 rather slack line, and twist it round one of the upright rings. 
 The collapsible rings do not permit of this easily. There is one 
 thing in favour of a rod with upright rings : it can b,e-made to 
 do equally well for, float-fishing from a punt, if another top- 
 joint be made, of somewhat stouter and stronger calibre. 
 
 The Reel and Line 
 
 For fly-fishing is as described for Trout, see page 32, and no 
 more on that head need here be said, except that it consists 
 of a check-winch, and a silk and hair, or whole silk, plait line. 
 
 The Tackle 
 
 Consists of about three yards of fine-drawn gut, to which 
 are attached, as described in the chapter on Trout, page 31, 
 
THE DACE. 83 
 
 three or less artificial flies. , It is well to tip the hook with a 
 tiny gentle, or piece of white kid, or bacon fat. The probable 
 reason why this "tip" is so killing is the known fact that fish 
 prefer the female fly to the male, becatise of the greater solidity 
 and toothsomeness of the latter, on account of her being full of 
 ova, which an appearance on the water of most insects in- 
 dicates they are about to deposit. 
 
 The Rod for Float-Fishing 
 
 May be the same as used in Roach fishing, as you are most 
 likely to take as many Roach as Dace ; always bearing in 
 mind that, when punt-fishing, a rod of from nine to ten feet 
 in length is ample. 
 
 The Reel and Line 
 
 Are of the same make, though smaller in size and texture, as 
 those recommended for Barbel; corresponding, of course, to 
 the different build of the rod with which they have to work. 
 
 The Tackle 
 
 Is a fine light float either of cork or porcupine quill — the latter 
 preferably of the smallest possible size consistent with a perfect 
 appreciation of a bite. One taking two swan-shots is quite 
 large and bulky enough. The tackle is about nine feet of 
 gut, of the very finest drawn make, and a No. 1 2 hook, round- 
 bend. 
 
 Ground-Baits and Hook-Baits. 
 
 A little bran, well soaked, is quite sufficient enticement to 
 Dace, or, in winter time, a few cut worms may be thrown in. 
 
 The hook-baits requiring particular enumeration are simply 
 gentles, paste, worms of all sorts — especially lob- and red-worms, 
 — caddis, and wasp-grubs. 
 
 F 2 
 
84 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 Remarks on the above, and how to use them. 
 
 Dace are very gregarious at certain seasons. In winter they 
 seek, like Roach, the lagcjons and eddies formed in quiet places 
 by the floods. If the bottom soil be grass-covered so much the 
 better, a greater number will be generally found thereabouts. 
 In summer they are even more on their "own hooks," as the 
 saying is, than Roach at the same period; then, therefore, is the 
 time for the "blow-line," or the ordinary fly-line, which is indi- 
 cated above. This is of floss silk, and is used with a rather 
 stiff and long rod. The angler always arranges so that the 
 wind is at his back, and thus, by letting out the length of line 
 he deems necessary, he can use the natural fly without running 
 the danger of popping it off, as would be the case if he threw 
 it in the ordinary manner. Later on, towards spawning — 
 commencing about August or September, then ceasing till 
 early spring — they are to be taken with the float, or by whipping 
 with the gentle-tipped fly. Vast numbers are taken at Ted- 
 dington in this way. Land the fish gently. 
 
8s 
 
 THE C"'HUB. 
 
 HE Chub {cyprinus cephalus), otherwise Cheveii, 
 Chavender, or Loggerhead, is a very shy fish, and 
 wary. So timid is it that even on the shadow of a 
 bird falling on the waterit disappears into the depths 
 with lightning celerity. If an incautious angler, anxious to get 
 a sight of his quarry, approaches with ever so light a tread the 
 fish invariably perceives the vibration, and is gone. These 
 facts, of course, teach a lesson to the would-be captor, which 
 he must never overlook. Behind the capacious forehead of 
 the Chub lies a truly Carp-like brain, as wily and instantly 
 perceptive as that of any fish whatsoever. It is usually found 
 in company with others of his species, but I cannot believe the 
 fish gregarious, in the proper sense of the term, as Barbel are 
 for example. It rather seems to me that when, say, half-a- 
 dozen fish are seen in company they are there fortuitously, or 
 on account of the demands their instinct makes for that par- 
 ticular kind of place in each individual. Their haunts are 
 chiefly near old structures, outside alders, or withy osiers, 
 under which they hide very closely. The depths they prefer, 
 when the neighbourhood of any submerged structure is selected, 
 
86 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 is usually considerable, say from four to ten feet; but it must 
 be borne in mind that this is a mid-water fish, and its capture 
 should be pursued with reference to this fact. 
 
 The Chub is a bold gross feeder, notwithstanding its habitual 
 shyness in the particulars above indicated.- If it be unsuspicious 
 of the near presence of a foe, its caution seems to be absent, 
 and nothing can exceed the decisive way it takes down the 
 float. It is, moreover, a courageous fighter when hooked, 
 especially just after it feels the steel. It bores holes in clay 
 banks — the contiguity of which it seems very fond — whether 
 for the purposes of obtaining shelter or food I am not certain; 
 probably for the former purpose, however. In winter it is 
 found in the deeper and stiller parts of the river — that is when 
 the weather is fair. In flood-time I am not at all certain of 
 its habitat, it being a great deal "all over the shop," as the 
 saying goes. In early season it cleans itself in the rapidest 
 torrents and streams — hence the fact that it is sometimes taken 
 when spinning for Trout in the weir-tails of the Thames., By 
 early season, I mean just after spawning, which takes place 
 sometime between April and the end of May, according to 
 locality and season. In addition to its seeking the most rapid 
 streams after this period, it also devours, like Roach, large 
 quantities of the silk weed, which grows on all torrent- 
 washed stones or wood. 
 
 There are two methods of capture, which, if pursued ac- 
 cording to the instructions I shall give, cannot fail to yield 
 sport. These" are "slide corking" and "whipping." It 
 should be added that Chub are never found in lakes. 
 
 TACKLE FOR SLIDE CORKING. 
 The Rod. 
 
 The rod is, of course, constructed of the material described 
 in the chapter on Barbel, and the make is after the same 
 
THE CHUB. 87 
 
 pattern as that of the weapon recommended for that fish. The 
 length, however, should not be so great, and I prefer the top 
 rather stiffer. The reason for this slight accession of stiffness 
 is the headlong plunges a Chub makes on being hooked. 
 
 The Winch or Reel and Line 
 
 Should similarly be on the pattern advocated for Barbel, and 
 the difference, if any, in the line, should be just the least in^ 
 crease in its thickness. A thicker plaited silk line may be 
 with advantage used, in lieu of thickening the line. There is 
 also an advantage in a closely-woven line, dressed. It is most 
 desirable that a Chub-line should run freely, so that the float 
 is not checked in its downward course. 
 
 The Bottom Tackle. 
 
 The bottom tackle is four feet of fine drawn gut, and should 
 be slightly stained, according to the tinge of the water. Not 
 more than two shots in a moderately rapid stream ought to be 
 used, and these may be of whatever size is necessary to the 
 cocking of the float. The hook should be of a somewhat large 
 size — indeed I use a No. i round bend, almost invariably. If 
 paste or wasp grubs be the hook-bait, it may be smaller, as 
 will be explained further on. The float is a light quill. 
 
 Ground-Baits, and how to use them. 
 
 The Chub being a mid-water fish, it is evident that the term 
 ground-bait is hardly applicable. The bait is never intended 
 to be eaten by the fish from off the ground, for it is doubtful 
 whether Chub would be at all attracted by a.ground-hait, properly 
 so-called. Accordingly, therefore, the Chub-fisher uses a bait 
 only sparingly, as a sort of soupcon or inducement for the fish 
 to take the better and larger morsel on the hook. A handful 
 
88 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 of wetted bran, a few bread crumbs, gentles, wortns, chopped 
 greaves, cheese, or brains thrown in broad-cast, the latter in 
 the minutest particles, are the baits employed, and above all 
 it must be boirne in mind that this must be done sparingly, 
 always. 
 
 Suppose the angler about to fish a stretch of water, to which 
 he has quietly handed down the punt from bush to bush. He 
 is fishing with pith and brains, or cheese, we will further sup- 
 pose. Before touching the rod, he should take a mouthful of 
 theese, and chewing it rapidly, so as to crush it up into little 
 particles, blow it out on to the stream. The brains should be 
 treated in the same mariner, unless the angler be too squeamish 
 to thus proceed. If so, it may be rubbed between the palms 
 of the hands, or broken up in a mortar. The fish, seeing the 
 tiny particles, rush out from their covert, and gather up with 
 eagerness the unsatisfying morsels. This whets their appetite, 
 and, as the Chub is a gross feeder, the next procedure is to fix 
 the bait. The species of ground-baiting I have described is 
 the only one known. 
 
 Hook-Baits for Slide Corking. 
 
 The hook- baits are all grubs, eockchafei's, slugs^ snails, all 
 worms, wasp grubs,' gentles, caddis, cockroaches^ grasshoppers^ 
 young frogs, fresh-water and salt-water shrimps, prawns, paste, 
 tail of crayfish, periwinkles, and leeches. 
 
 WHIPPING. 
 The Rod. 
 
 The rod should be a Very stiiF fly-rod (twelve-feet), of a more 
 stalwart make than Trout fly-rods commonly are. The material 
 should be of the ordinary kind used for Trout rods, and the 
 rings should be upright, though small and compact. 
 
THE CHUB. 89 
 
 The Winch and Line. 
 
 The winch should be of the click or check pattetri, and not 
 more than two and a half inches in diameter. It may be of 
 brass, or bronze' oxidised. The line should be a dressed eight 
 plain silk line, of a yellow tinge — the line corresponding with 
 the weeds, near, or by, which the bait will probably be thrown. 
 
 The Bottom Tackle, and remarks on using it. 
 
 This simply consists of a fine three-yard gut cast — always 
 fish as fine as you can. The hook is a plain one, if for a real 
 slug or frog of large size. Generally, however, an artificial bait 
 is preferred. Artificial frogs, etc., are sold; but the natural 
 bait, if obtainable, is to be preferred. Sometimes a real palmer 
 (larva of the Tiger moth), or an artificial (see Trout for illus- 
 tfations), is used with remarkable success, or a white moth at 
 flight-time, with equally encouraging results. The "whipping," 
 in any case, consists in slowly floating your boat down outside 
 the willows, a likely place, for throwing either the baits selected 
 ^^artificial or natural. Whipping with the slug is quite a 
 scietlce, and requires unusual powers of perception — quick 
 sight and sensitive hand. The smack of the great white lips ot 
 a four-pound Chub is a sound seldom forgotten by the angler 
 vfrho hears it for the first time. I need scarcely add to this 
 that the Chub can be taken by means of any and all the devices 
 comprehended under the term of Fly-fishing. This art is con- 
 sidered under Trout. I have in the above simply explained 
 ivrhat I have found the most killing, and most generally em- 
 ployed, styles of Chub-fishing. Sometimes Chub take a live 
 bait (fish), but not often. 
 
 How to use Hook-Baits and reriiarks thereon. 
 
 The use of the hook-baits, used in slide-corking, is a very 
 simple procedure. If cheese be requisitioned it should be 
 Gruydre, or, at least, a fairly moist and firm kind. Cheddar is 
 
go THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 preferred by some. A number of pieces, about f in. X f in., 
 or X i in., should be cut, and ready to hand. The hook is 
 thrust fairly through the bait, and protrudes the other side — 
 the barb need not be hidden. If the hook is not so placed, it 
 occasionally happens that the fish is missed by the point, and 
 disappointment is experienced. The pith and brains referred 
 to, consists of the spinal marrow and brains of a bullock, and 
 should be scalded, not boiled, till the outer skin of the pith 
 is quite hard. The latter only is used on the hook, and the 
 former is employed as bait, as before described. The cock- 
 chafer is best used on a small triplet hook, in this wise : The 
 insect is taken and killed, and the baiting-needle — a small one 
 is preferable — attached to the hook-gut, is passed through tlie 
 head and out at the tail. The chafer is then drawn down, 
 till its head rests on the whipping of the triplets. The bait 
 thus passes down stream head first, and the water acting on 
 the wings, or rather elytra, opens them. The insect appears 
 therefore, as if it had just 'fallen from its flight into the river, 
 and is remarkably attractive. Grasshoppers and crickets are 
 used by passing the single hook throiigh the body of a couple, 
 crosswise, just above the thorax. Slugs, a particularly excellent 
 bait, no matter what kind of slug is used, are thus prepared for 
 use : Take a black or white slug and cut across its underside, 
 and squeezie out the viscera, and leave the white interior as 
 much exposed as possible. Let it stay out in the air till next 
 morning, that it may dry somewhat, and become tough. A 
 triplet is the best sort of hook, and the bait may be threaded 
 through the middle, crosswise, and drawn down to the binding 
 of the hook. When the fish is hooked it blows the slug up the 
 line, and thus this bait will serve for a whole day's fishing. 
 Snails are best used fresh, and as they are softer, and more likely 
 to bury a triplet, therefore a large single hook is to be recom- 
 mended. Fresh-water shrimps must be impaled on a No. 6 
 
THE CHUB. 91 
 
 hook, say a couple at a time. Shrimps and prawns require a large 
 hook, and it is advisable to not always use them unshelled. Often 
 the only part which is really effective is the tail, disrobed of its 
 shelly covering. Paste made of half cheese and half bread, or 
 wholly the former or latter, is a very useful bait, but not so 
 effective as cheese only. The tail of a boiled crayfish, divested 
 of the shell is, next to pith, a really good bait, and divides the 
 honours with the ordinary horse-leech, which is readily found in 
 most marshy places, and in the shallower parts of most streams. 
 Young fro^s may be hooked through the middle, much as the 
 grasshopper is used, though some prefer to "dib," with it in 
 this wise : use a stout rod and line, and about a couple of feet 
 of stout gut, and a No. i hook. This is thrust through the 
 skin of the back of k live frog. The angler then creeps or 
 crawls to the edge of the water, and quietly pushes the rod over 
 the water, where the Chub is suspected to lie. The line has 
 probably been wound up round the top of the rod, for con- . 
 venience in passing it and the bait through the possible branches 
 of undergrowth fringing the water. In such a case it is un- 
 wound by turning the rod, and presently the frog lies on the 
 water, kicking for dear life. Keep it and the rod in one place, 
 till you see a fish come up and open his great white lips, then 
 lower the point slightly and strike. With a forcible hand keep 
 the line taut against the fish till he is exhausted — you must not 
 concede one inch more than is absolutely necessary to save a 
 breakage. Land him as soon as possible. Let the frog be 
 killed by piercing the brain with baiting-needle or -pen-knife 
 (this destroys sensation, though muscular movements sometimes 
 remain, caused by reflex action), and use with the float, as any 
 other bait is used. The other style is, however, the on/y one 
 applicable in some cases. Of course, if " dibbing" is the only 
 method usable, other baits, such as flies, slugs, etc., can be 
 utilized (Daping, or Dibbing, for Trout, page 40). 
 
92 
 
 BARJBEL. 
 
 ^|HE Barbel (cyprinus barbus) is a ground-feeding 
 fish — that is, it invariably takes its food from off 
 the ground, and not as some cither fishes do, m 
 mid-water, of on the surface. This being the 
 case, it follows that the fish will ever be found near, 
 or absolutely on, the bottom. It is eminently gregarious, and, 
 unless this habit is interfered with by some exterior influence, 
 such as floods and thickening of the water — the latter prevent- 
 ing the fish re-assembling after the dispersion occasioned by 
 the former — shoals varying from seldom less than ten to as 
 many as five and six hundred may often be counted on a calm 
 summer day. The larger fish usually lie the farthest up the 
 stream, and the lesser lower down, in gradation, all preserving 
 an unanimity which would be really remarkable in any 
 assemblage except a cold-blooded one. Its powerful and large 
 fitis sustain it against the stream, in even the most rapid 
 torrents. I need scarcely say it does not hold on to anything 
 by its beards or barbels as Walton states. 
 
 Its local habitation is always in water of some depth, except 
 in winter- or flood-time, when it repairs to the subnaerged 
 
THE BARBEL. 93 ' 
 
 verdure for the tender parts of the same, of which all members 
 of the Carp family are more or less fond. With this exception, 
 the spot a school selects is, generally, at the least, five feet, 
 and, oftener, double that, in depth. The character of the 
 " swims " selected by these fish is, generally, as follows : — near 
 submerged and old piles, stones, boulders, camp-sheathing, old 
 trees, and other obstructions to the course of the stream of 
 that character. The reason for this probably lies in the fact 
 that such places are usually more plentiful in insect life — larvae 
 of flies, etc. Sometimes a "swim" may be found containing 
 none of the usual ol|structions, but they are not numerous. 
 In such case, the Barbel are generally of small average size, 
 and, commonly, very plentiful. A swim which is a combin- 
 ation of seclusion and free-flowing water is, in point of sport, 
 that to be preferred. 
 
 The Barbel is a bold biter, and, as is common with all 
 gregarious fish, when a shoal begins to feed in earnest, a good 
 catch may be confidently looked for. It does not actually 
 root up the ground like a pig for its food, but, notwithstanding 
 the callous thickness of its leathery lips, it unerringly perceives 
 its prey, and, with a certainty worthy of the tenuous prehensile 
 power of the elephant's trunk, can perceive and secure the 
 most agile of water-larvee. Let it be borne in mind, also, that 
 the Barbel can as instantly reject a bait as secure one. 
 
 The fish is in full season from about the second week of 
 July (seldom, but, sometimes, earlier) till the following April. 
 This is, occasionally, varied, in a more or less degree, accord- 
 ing to the mean temperature of the water during the year. 
 The Fresh-water Fisheries' Act does not accord, but it is 
 wrong. 
 
 There are two distinctive styles of tackle for the capture of 
 Barbel, namely, legering and slide-corking — a modification of 
 the latter is termed /?^^^corking. 
 
94 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 The Rod for Legering. 
 
 The rod for "legering" is commonly short — not more than 
 ten feet — and very stiff. Its material may be of hickory, and 
 greenheart or mottled cane. The rings, in the old-fashioned 
 style of leger-rod, are of the movable pattern ; I mean those 
 that lie close to the rod when it is held perpendicularly. The 
 upright rings are most preferred. 
 
 The Winch and Line. 
 
 The winch and line may be of a pattern similar to that 
 spoken of for pike-spinning, page 115, though there is no 
 similarity in the fishing. 
 
 The Leger. 
 
 The " leger " is the term used to designate both the line to 
 which the leger proper is attached, and the latter itself. The 
 line consists of a length of round, rather coarse gut, of some 
 four feet in length, with the exception of a space between the 
 third and fourth foot, of nine inches or more, which is filled 
 up by a length of gimp, corresponding in thickness to the gut. 
 Towards the long — three-feet — length of gut a shot is closed 
 on the gimp, and, above this, a "leger," or bullet, drilled 
 through the middle, is stayed. The " leger " is a cylindrical 
 piece of lead of an elongated sexagonal shape, drilled. The 
 leads should be painted a greenish-yellow, thus rendering it 
 less obtrusive than if it remained its natural colour. To the 
 longer end of gut the hook is attached, and, then, the bait is 
 quite four feet from the leger. When the fish takes the bait it 
 moves off, and, of course, telegraphs through the lead to the 
 rod's point. The best size of hook is No. i or 2 ; and shape, 
 round-bend. The whipping of the hook may be touched with 
 red sealing-wax varnish, made by dissolving the wax, pulverised, 
 in methylated spirit. 
 
THE BARBEL. 95 
 
 The Rod for Slide-Corking and for Tight-Corking. 
 
 The rods for " slide-corking " are mostly made of mottled 
 cane. Forty years — even less, if I am not mistaken — this 
 style was unknown on the Thames, and but sparely known 
 on the Trent. Now, however, a Barbel-fisher would be un- 
 worthy the name if he did not admit the superiority of this 
 rod, and its consequent style of tackle, to be described below. 
 The length of a Barbel-rod for the purpose is, usually, fourteen 
 feet, and its weight in the hand, pliabiUty, and strength, should 
 be a model of symmetry, and proportion. The leger can never 
 compete with the style of fishing for which this rod is designed. 
 The rings are upright, and of fairly large aperture ; the top one 
 should be a steel revolving one, and, through it, the line runs 
 without chance of entanglement. 
 
 The rod for " tight " corking ought to be stiffer (but of the 
 same make), because a small " leger '' is used. 
 
 The Reel and Line. 
 
 The reel to be preferred is what is termed the " spring- 
 reel." It is so called, because, in the first possible case 
 of the fine line getting round inside the reel, the latter 
 can be taken to pieces instantly, by placing the finger on a 
 button or knob. By a lateral movement of this button, also,- 
 the free-running reel can be altered to a check or click one. 
 Hence, it is quite applicable to " leger " fishing, instead of the 
 check-winches advised when speaking on that subject. The 
 buyer should always be careful, however, to select one 
 thoroughly well-seasoned, and constructed with a substantial 
 cross of brass on its left-hand side — a measure of precaution 
 against the warping of the outer wood of the wheel's periphery. 
 
 The line for j/zi^ij-corking is of fine plait silk — the finer the 
 angler can learn to use it the better for his chance of sport — 
 dressed or undressed. Its length should be quite loo yards, 
 
g6 THE angler's COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 and it should be examined, to detect any flaw, before using. 
 The line for "tight" corking may be somewhat thicker and 
 stronger, but is best, also, dressed plaited silk. 
 
 Bottom Tackle for Slide-Corking. 
 
 This consists of a three-feet length of fine gut, of as fine a 
 texture as the clearness, or, otherwise, of the water, seems tq 
 demand. Three or four shots are closed, at regular interv^Js, 
 on this length of gut, not approaching to the hook nearer thai; 
 a foot. The hook-gut is of the finest, also — finer, if possible, 
 than the rest — and the hook is of i or 2 size, and the half-round 
 pattern, as described for " legering." The slide-cork is a float 
 with a ring on both the top and bottom (see fig. 21). Before the 
 tackle just described is attached to the reel-line, this float is 
 slipped on the latter, and stayed by a tiny piece of match, etc., 
 above the attachment of the gut and line. Another piece of 
 match, or what not, is tied in the reel-line, above this, at the 
 depth of the water being fished. The advantage of this slide- 
 corking is the bait can be made to traverse a swim instead of 
 remaining stationary, as in the case of the leger, and the strike 
 is more sure, because no weight but the shot and bait has to be 
 lifted before the hook impinges on the jaw of the fish. Hence, 
 the greater certainty of hooking the fish. 
 
 Bottom Tackle for Tight-Corking. 
 
 This, also, employs a float in a somewhat similar way to the 
 style described above ; one of the differences, however, being 
 that the upper stay on the line is not placed at the limit of 
 depth, but some feet deeper than the water. A small leger is 
 also used on the gut, and only one or two shot are necessary. 
 The float, therefore, lies on the water, at an angle almost 
 approaching the horizontal, and when a bite takes place, 
 
THE BARBEL. 
 
 instead of disappearing as the travelling float would 
 do, it simply assumes the perpendicular, or nods* 
 It has several advantages over both the leger and 
 the slide-cork : unqualifiedly over the former, be- 
 cause it is a light, fine, and movable leger (by 1 
 ting out a little line and allowing the water to b 
 it, and so act broadside on the float, the leger c 
 be shifted) ; and qualifiedly over the latter, becai 
 it is useful in rapid streams, where the travell 
 or slide, could hardly be used, or only used w 
 scant satisfaction. 
 
 Ground-Baits, and how to use them. 
 
 It is practically useless to try to catch Barl 
 without ground-baiting. The ground-baits that ; 
 most useful, are, chiefly, worms and greaves. The 
 next to these in efficacy may be estimated in i 
 order in which they are placed. Grains and b 
 lock's-blood, mixed when both are fresh; gentl 
 from carrion and unscoured; potatoes and bra 
 barley-meal; cheese; etc. 
 
 This is how to use ground-bait. First find < 
 where the fish actually are. Then rake the groui 
 if possible with a gudgeon-rake, to set free the 
 sects, etc., which, if by some unknown influence 
 possibly earth-currents of electricity — appeared j _ 
 when you were fishing, would, by reason of their 
 superior attraction for the fish, prove deteriorating 
 to sport. This done, prepare to bait — let us say 
 with worms. The worms are usually roughly scoured 
 in moss. I take about a quart, at first, and, putting 
 a handful, with some soil and moss and a large 
 stone, in a cabbage net, I let it gently down over- 
 
 FlG. 21. 
 
gS THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 board (I am supposing myself in a punt, of course), holding it till 
 the worms are washed out at the head of the swim. This is to be 
 done till about a quart, or rather more, have been turned in 
 the water. By-the-bye, the earliest morning is the time to 
 ground-bait, because the eels have then retired to their beds in 
 the gravel, under stones, etc. Two mornings, at least, the 
 worms should be turned in the water as indicated, and one 
 morning should be missed, namely, that on which you fish. 
 The worms should always be cast in whole, for the reason that 
 they will live in the water quite two days, when whole, if not 
 devoured immediately. 
 
 Sometimes, of course, it happens that, the stream being slow 
 and the place very convenient, one is enabled to cast the 
 worms in broadcast, calculating the velocity of the stream with 
 nicety, so that they fall in the designed spot. This is a point, 
 however, on which one must be most particular; for, if the 
 bait fall in a part where the Barbel are not, it is quite 
 unreasonable to suppose they will be found ground-baited, 
 when the day of test has arrived. 
 
 Another valuable way is to have made, by your tinman, a 
 tin or zinc pipe, long enough to reach to the bottom. It 
 should be somewhat enlarged at its upper end, funnel-like, and 
 weighted with a brick at its lower extremity. The pipe is let 
 down in the water when baiting, and the worms, mixed with a 
 little sand or soil, poured into the upper end; when these 
 have sunk to the lower part of the pipe, the latter is gently 
 raised, and its contents are thus set free. Yet another method 
 is to enclose the bait in a paper-bag, with a few stones to 
 weight it. Naturally, it must be pitched in with care. 
 
 If a place known to contain Barbel has been much fished, 
 there is a much more effective way of inducing their hearts to 
 yield to the seductions of hook and bait, than I have hitherto 
 referred to. The spot they occupy, and have, probably, 
 
THE BARBEL. 99 
 
 occupied from time immemorial, has had " lager " and other 
 engines of destruction so frequently rolled into it, as to have 
 taught the resident gentry the full significance of their import ; 
 hence, little or no effect is got out of ground-baiting, however 
 copious. The thing to do is as follows : — bait first in the hole 
 they occupy ; then a little out of it, up-stream ; then a 
 yard or more from that nidus ; and so on, up-stream, or 
 obliquely, for, say, twenty yards. Continue, for quite a week, 
 this sowing of bait, until you have established a swim, which 
 you can easily test by floating the boat over, and carefully 
 scrutinizing, face-downward, from the head. The slide-cork is, 
 of course, in this case, the only tackle usable. 
 
 Similar principles, of course, regulate ground-baiting with 
 the other ground-baits referred to. 
 
 Hook-Baits. 
 
 Hook-baits for Barbel are as numerous — more so, in fact — 
 than the ground-baits. The chief hook-bait, of course, is the 
 lob-worm, and, next, greaves. Then follow paste, cheese, cad- 
 bait, caddis, wasp-grubs, gentles, etc. Worms, after being 
 gathered, must be scoured in damp moss for, at least, a week, 
 turning them over and taking out the dead and dying ever}- 
 day. After the wounded and sickly ones have been fairly got 
 rid of, some nice clean sphagnum, or ordinary moss, damped, 
 should be placed in a spacious tub, and the worms removed, 
 one by one, from their first moss-bath. After they have crawled 
 down into it they may be fed with new milk and the yolk of 
 egg, in the proportion of one egg to a pint of milk: this should 
 be mixed, and given by sprinkling, sparingly, once a day. The 
 annelids, under this treatment, get beautifully opaline and 
 tough, and of a bright coral hue in the upper part. Greaves 
 should be procured, if possible, from those chandlers who have 
 
 G 2 
 
lOO THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 not an hydraulic press, as this gets rid of almost everything 
 that makes the greaves attractive. They ought to be chopped 
 fine and boiled till quite soft ; Strained, and the Whitest pieces 
 should be selected for the hook. Paste maiy be made from 
 bread, but, preferably, from flour, so that a little cotton-wool 
 can be worked in, that , it may stick on the hook longer and 
 better. A few drops of aniseed tincture, or oil, may be added, 
 Gruydre cheese is the best, cut into wedge-shaped pieces. 
 Wasp-grubs ought to be hardened by pouring Halding water 
 over them, or slightly scorching them on a hot plate, as 
 directed in chapter on Roach. The cad-bait (larvae of the 
 Ephemera, or Mky-flies), and the Caddis (larvae of the phryga'' 
 nidae, or stone-flies) are, also, capital lures at times. Gentles 
 ought to be scoured thoroughly, or left entirely unscoured ; 
 I prefer the former. 
 
 How to use the Tackle and Hook-Baits, 
 and remarks th&reon. 
 
 The " Leger." — Legering is doke far niente sort of work. 
 The place having been baited, the only thing to do is to 
 quietly anchor the punt, bait the hook, throw it out, draw the 
 line taut, so that the lead may be felt, and — wait for the 
 tug, tug, of the fish ! Of course, there is a knack in striking, 
 which some aver is very difficult to come at j I cannot verify 
 this statement, however. Many fish are lost after biting, by 
 this style, and, as far as I can see, it is only commendable in 
 the case of old or infirm fishermen, who cannot support the 
 fatigue of the energy and watchfulness required by the other 
 methods, or who cannot see sufficiently well to strike at the 
 dip of the float used in slide-corking. 
 
 Tight-Corking is open to the same objections, with a qualifi- 
 cation — it is not quite so lazy a style. Yet it is, at the best, but 
 
THE BARBEL. lOI 
 
 a comproipise between legering and slide-corking, though, be it 
 confessed, an especially useful compromise in the case of a 
 rapid tumultuous stream. Be careful not to strike too hard 
 with this style, but let the wrist, and not the biceps, play the 
 part which is necessary in striking. 
 
 Slide-Corjiing. — Having well baited the swim, as indicated, 
 .and fixed the punt — by weight, be it said, as a rye-pick can be 
 heard a mile in the water, as it grinds its way through the 
 gravel — proceed to ascertain the depth. This can be done by 
 guessing, and swimming the float down, watching each time if 
 it indicates the dragging of the hook in the stones at the 
 bottom. When the hook seems only to just touch, dancing, 
 as it were, from inequality to inequality, you are right. Now 
 put on the bait, having, however, first thrown in a few broken 
 worms, to whet the appetites of the hungry expectant fish. 
 Now the putting on of the bait is a ticklish operation to 
 unused fingers ; I have known men do it in the dark, or with 
 their eyes shut. Have a little shallow pan half-filled with 
 silver sand, and, after selecting a worm — one of the clearest 
 and most amber-like you can find — enter the hook at the head 
 and run it down to the tail, drawing the head and body up the 
 shank and on to the gut the while. Now you are ready. 
 Drop the bait in the water, and lower it till the float cocks ; 
 then pay out the line with the right hand, keeping the left on 
 the rod and reel, the little finger of the left acting as a break 
 on the circumference of the reel. As soon as the float dips — 
 strike ! but, by no means, violently ; or, good-bye to the 
 integrity of the tackle. If a fish is hooked, play him gently, 
 rather patiently than severely, bearing in mind that, if you 
 keep a taut line on his leathery nose, he will certainly exhaust 
 himself without other aid from you. The first few moments are 
 very anxious ones in the capture of a large Barbel, and 
 absolute coolness and determination are indispensable. 
 
I02 
 
 THE ANGLER'S COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 In the capture of Barbel a great deal depends on quietude, 
 as regards movements, and the Barbel-fisher, also, should 
 never fail to note the temperature of the water on the day he 
 takes a good lot of Barbel. My experience on the latter 
 point is that Barbel will not touch a hook-bait — if, indeed, 
 they will feed at all — when the temperature of the water is 
 much below 40° Fah. 
 
103 
 
 THE BREAM. 
 
 HERE are three Breams known to Great Britain — 
 the Carp Bream, the White Bream, and the Pom- 
 eranian Bream. The two former are those most 
 generally known, however, and, as their habits are 
 more or less similar, it is necessary to detail first those dis- 
 tinctive characters of the Bream, which are necessary to be 
 known by the reader, for the proper comprehension of the 
 directions for capture that follow. 
 
 The Bream thrives best in comparatively still water, and 
 attains greater weight and sport-giving quality in such localities. 
 It is true that catches of great weight are often made from the 
 weir-torrent, or from other equally rapid parts of the river; 
 but there are exceptions, and the statement holds true that all 
 flat fish are more at home in quiet spots than in those present- 
 ing more energetic features. Consequently the Bream is to be 
 "prospected" for in parts of the lake, or river, where the water 
 
104 THE ANGLERS COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 eddies, or is moderately quiet, and where the depth is con- 
 siderable — say, from six to sixteen feet. 
 
 This fish is a timid biter, as a rule, except when fairly on the 
 feed, when the rapidity with whigb it takes the bait, compares 
 it even favourably with the Barbel. Like all flat fish it takes the 
 bait almost standing, as it were, on its head, and it certainly roots, 
 pig-like, for its food in a like attitude. On this account it 
 matters little whether the bait be on the bottom or just off. 
 The style of feeding, however, influences the indications of a 
 bite in a peculiar manner, as will be hereafter explained. The 
 full season, and the best for sport, is usually about the second 
 week of August, on the Thames and Ouse, and varies but little 
 in the country. In the lakes of the principality the season is 
 somewhat earlier. It shoals like the Roach in spawning-time, 
 and congregates more closely and numerously than Barbel at 
 other times. The spawning period is in May, and during its 
 continuance the fish assumes a very roughened spotted appear- 
 ance, due to the presence of tiny excrescences, which seemingly 
 develope at no other time. The methods of capture, as in the 
 case of Barbel, are by "legering,'' and slide- and tight-corking, 
 with just such difference of detail as will be pointed out. 
 
 The Rod for Legering. 
 
 This is precisely similar to that used for Barbel, and recom- 
 mended in the chapter on that fish. If one is intended to be 
 constructed entirely for Bream-fishing, and none other, th? 
 angler may order it to be rather lighter of the two — the Bream 
 being by no means so courageous and determined a fighter 
 as the Barbel, The Barbel leger rod will, however, do quite 
 well for Bream. 
 
 The Reel and Line, 
 
 These article? will also serve equally for Barbel or Bream, if 
 
THE BREAM. I05 
 
 made as suggested in the chapter on the former fish — ^with the 
 difference referred to above. 
 
 The Leger 
 
 Is also of the same construction, but need not be so coarse as 
 that for Barbel, unless the Bream run large — that is, over three 
 pounds. 
 
 The Rod for Slide-Corking and Tight-Corking. 
 
 These weapons need not be substantially different. If the 
 reader desires it, he can render his Barbel rod a perfect Bream 
 rod, by having a rather longer top in addition. If anything, a 
 rather quicker strike is necessary for Bream — when the strike 
 is made that is — and a long rod when slide- or tight-corking, 
 ever achieves this last. This consideration is not important 
 however.- Similarly the same principle of increased lightness 
 appHes to the reel and line, and the bottom tackle for slide- 
 corking, arid the bottom tackle for tight-corking, with this 
 qualification, the hook size should not be larger than a No. 5 
 round-bend. 
 
 Ground-Baits, and how to use them. 
 
 Worms, as in the case of Barbel, are, without the least doubt, 
 the best of all possible ground-baits. The directions given for 
 their use in ground-baiting, page 97, are, with such exceptions 
 as occur necessarily — the result of difference in habitat of the 
 fish — quite suitable for the present case. As it frequently 
 happens that Bream are taken from still water, the worms, or 
 other bait, should be thrown more broadcast than is necessary 
 for Barbel, for the obvious reason that in the case of the latter 
 fish the stream will spread it sufficiently. 
 
 Bream are inordinately fond of grains, especially when fresh, 
 
io6 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 and I conjecture that the odour has much to do with the 
 attraction. The King's "Natural" bait, is also very fascinat- 
 ing, and will attract them from comparatively long distances . 
 Always bait some few days before one desires to fish, 
 following the general directions given in the chapter on 
 Barbel. 
 
 A remarkably effective ground-bait for Bream is as follows — 
 to a bushel of fresh brewers' grains add about two gallons of 
 fresh blood, which can be got from any slaughter-house. 
 Throw in about a qiiart or so of carrion, or other gentles — a 
 pint ,or so of brandling, or cockspur worms, would also be 
 advantageous — now add a quantity of bran in such amount that, 
 when the whole is thoroughly stirred and mixed, the mass 
 becomes quite disintegrated; that is to say, in such a condition 
 that it is easily scattered, not in masses, but in a broadcast 
 shower over the area intended to be fished. Of course I am 
 presuming it is still-water that is to be the fishing ground. A 
 liberal quantity of this may be thrown' in, early in the morn- 
 ing, several days before the day of angling, and it iftatters little 
 what hook-bait is subsequently used out of the list given below. 
 Greaves are magnificently killing baits, and, almost if not quite, 
 in a great many cases, equal to the mixture above- given. 
 They should be of the fattest procurable. 
 
 Hook-Baits. 
 
 There are legion, as indeed is the case with all the members 
 of the cyprinidse family. The larvae of all flies, caterpillars, 
 grubsj worms, pastes of various kinds (of which a list and pre- 
 scriptions are given in the chapter on Roach), cherries, green 
 peas, wheat, pearl barley, boiled maize, etc., etc., are all caviare 
 to the Bream, when disposed to feed. I prefer myself, however, 
 in almost every case, the tail of a lob-worm, but as it is quite 
 
THE BREAM. I07 
 
 possible for fish in still-water to get tired of one particular bait, 
 a variety is ever useful. Meal-worms are often very productive. 
 These creatures are obtained from the nearest flour-mill, and 
 may be kept for an indefinite time if a few old dry rags and 
 some meal be sparingly put amongst them. The gilt tail or a 
 cockspur worm, which any dunghill will furnish, and the brand- 
 ling, are great favourites with the Bream; indeed I am not 
 sure that the former does not on the whole successfully rival 
 the lob-worm. The marsh-worm is also occasionally very 
 useful. 
 
 Par parenthhe I may conveniently at this place describe the 
 difference which exist between the various annelids just re- 
 ferred to. The lob- or dew- or maiden-worm are identical, 
 with the only distinction — ^which is by no means a difference of 
 species — that the" lob is endowed with two rings of a lighter 
 colour near the head, which the dew- or maiden-worm does not 
 possess. These rings mark the position of the generative organs, 
 and it is from the lack of this development that the maiden-loh 
 takes its patronymic. I confess I am not quite clear why the 
 one worrn has it and the other has not, though I have seen it 
 explained somewhere — this I know, however, the maiden- or 
 dew-worm is the most valuable. It is brighter, clearer, and 
 more opaline ; and is ever more lively ; and, after scouring, 
 becomes tougher than the fully-developed lob. 
 
 So much for the lob. The marsh-worm or blue-head, as it is 
 sometimes termed, is got from marshy places, and is of an ex- 
 ceedingly sheeny steel-blue colour on the head, and pro- 
 portionately deeper hued on the rest of its body. It requires 
 much scouring. The gilt-tail, or cockspur, is a ruby or rather 
 coral-coloured most beautiful little fdlow, seldom more than 
 two inches long, found in well-decayed manure, at any time 
 during warm or mild weather. When the weather gets colder 
 they retire deeper in the soil, and can only be successfully 
 
io8 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 searched for in the ground beneath the heap, or in the manure 
 immediately contiguous. The brandling is a very handsome 
 piece of vermicular architecture with gold bands — but oh ! it's 
 smell ! The concentrated essence of Cimex ledularius, or of the 
 Augean stables, cannot surpass it — it is filthy. It is found in 
 the same kind of places. The blue-bottle fly is also sometimes 
 effective when all other lures fail. 
 
 How to use the Tackle and Hook-Baits, and 
 remarks thereon. 
 
 When fishing a stream, say the Thames, as nearly as possible 
 die same procedure observed in Barbel fishing may be followed 
 in Bream fishing. When the bite is telegraphed up the line, 
 however, it will be generally seen that a very eccentric un^ 
 decided movement of the float takes place, owing, as indicated, 
 to the fish taking the bait and rising with it; it constantly hap- 
 pens that one of the first motions of the float is its falling flat 
 on the water, instead of disappearing, as is the case with Barbel, 
 with lightning instantaneousness. Especially is this the case 
 when still-water is the medium. For still -water I have seen a float 
 painted with rings of bright colour on the part out of the water 
 when it is cocked, it being long, as these rings rise out of the 
 water you are enabled to, as it were, measure the bite and its 
 progress. Of course such a toy is hardly necessary, and therefore 
 I do not urge it on the tyfO: — for whom chiefly I am writing. 
 On commencing to fish be careful to keep quiet, and above all, 
 do not approach the water's edge, if bank fishing, and do not 
 tread hastily or heavily either in a boat or on the bank. Bream, 
 and indeed all ground-fish, have a most extraordinary appre^ 
 ciation of reverberation, or vibration, add sport is greatly in- 
 fluenced by a strange sound. Throw in a few handfuls of the 
 sort of ground-bait you have been using from time to time, and 
 
THE BREAM. 
 
 109 
 
 in the case of the "leger" strike at the moment the tug seems 
 persistent, and not simply the result of a capricious shake of 
 the fish's head. 
 
 Be careful that the depth is always correctly ascertained, and 
 the bait should always be a couple of inches — even three in 
 still-water-^on the bottom. With all flat fish the first few 
 moments decide whether the fish or the angler is to be the 
 victor, therefore I council, as in all other cases, extreme delib- 
 eration, and firm yet gentle handling. 
 
THE GUDGEON. 
 
 HE Gudgeon always seems to me a miniature Barbel. 
 Its habits are very much like that fish in every 
 particular; it is eminently gregarious; is in season 
 at the same period of the year; and loves to feed 
 in a depth of water which is in about the same proportion to 
 its size as is that depth best loved by the Barbel to its size. Of 
 course angling for this fish is widely different to Barbel fishing, 
 though, without much impropriety, the analogy may be pursued. 
 To revert to analogy from fact, let me enumerate the salient' 
 features of its natural history, which bear immediately upon 
 angling for it. It is a ground-feeder, and chiefly lives on 
 animalcute and larvae of insects which find their homes under 
 stones, and in the sand and gravel of streams. It is erroneous 
 to suppose that Gudgeons will not thrive in still water. This 
 they undoubtedly will do always, providing that there are 
 gravel margins, or a gravel bottom under water of not greater 
 depth than about six feet. 
 
 The haunts of the Gudgeon are almost too well known to 
 need enumeration. On the shallows, in summer, shoals may 
 
THE GUDGEON. Ill 
 
 be seen from afar; and, of course, the use of the rake ground- 
 baits them sufficiently. The fish is a bold biter, so bold in- 
 deed as warrant Shakespeare's epithet, fool-gadgeon; and, 
 unless, some such electrical or thermal influence, as that 
 adverted to when speaking of Tench, upsets their appetites, 
 they are more easily and rapidly taken than any other fish. 
 
 The rod, line, reel, and tackle are of the lightest possible 
 description. The rod need not be more than nine feet long, 
 and of East Indian cane, or bamboo. When fishing from a 
 boat the reel and line are of the most Liliputian dimensions 
 — indeed a running line is not necessary, unless the angler 
 is desirous of being prepared for a possible Perch. The 
 bottom tackle is of fine gut, and the float may be of some- 
 what stalwart dimensions, as compared with the float for 
 Dace, because the rapid stream, and consequent necessary 
 large amount of lead, obliges such a float. The hook should 
 not be the tiniest procurable, but a No. 12 or 13 round bend 
 long shanked hook, is the best. I lay stress on the length of 
 shank, because I always find that it is best to thread the 
 bait as one would for Barbel. GoMo has a certain method in 
 his foolishness and voracity, and sometimes will cleverly con- 
 trive to shun the hook, if the bait be k:notted. Rake the 
 ground well before fishing, and sparingly from time to time. 
 
 This brings me to the bait. Red worms, tiny pieces of 
 fresh meat, brandling, and caddis are acceptable. Red worms, 
 well scoured, are best. 
 
THE PIKE. 
 
 HERE is no other representative of the Esocidse,. 
 or Pike (Esox Indus) family, in the United King- 
 dom at this time. Whether, in a few years' time, 
 it will be found practicable to introduce the Lucio 
 perca, or Pike-Perch, which is plentiful in American waters, 
 remains to be seen. At present, our own Pike is a good and 
 eminently plentiful fish, likely to hold its own against even the 
 salmonidcB, for many years to come, as a popular quarry of 
 the angler. 
 
 Termed by Buffon the "fresh-water shark," it is not surprising, 
 when its voracity is borne in mind, that the weight it occa- 
 sionally attains rivals that of the "lordly" salmon. There 
 are, at the present time, preserved by English taxidermists, 
 three specimens of over thirty-five pounds each — two taken 
 by Mr. Jardine, an angler well known in piscatorial circles, ar(d 
 one by the Royal Fisherman (Keene), from Windsor Great 
 Park, Historians of natural history speak of prodigious Pike 
 from continental rivers ; for instance, Pliny, of a Pike from 
 the Rhine of i,ooo pounds. Block is the originator of the 
 story of the celebrated Manheim Pike, which was nineteen 
 feet long and weighed 350 pounds, caught at Kaiserlautern 
 
THE PIKE. 
 
 "3 
 
 near Manheim. The average size, however, for Pike, is 
 certainly not more than ten or twelve pounds, under the most 
 favourable circumstances in this country. 
 
 Perhaps the first characteristics which arrests the notice of 
 the angler, on seeing a Pike before him, is the immense 
 muscular indications of the moter powers, namely, tail aud fins. 
 Its alligator-like head, with its array of razor-shaped teeth, are 
 next suggestive of rapine and unrelenting ferocity. Clearly, the 
 fish is one of prey, and, in consequence, the methods for its 
 capture are, in no case, necessary to be of so refined a nature 
 as are employed for the snaring of other firesh-water fish. 
 
 Special contrivances, which but imperfectly answer for any 
 other fish are necessary and these will receive consideration in 
 the succeeding pages. 
 
 Certain remarks in regard to points of interest to the angler 
 concerning the further personal history of this fish are necessary 
 to here be made. The method of its taking a bait, for example, 
 is quite one of its own. Usually the selected victim, when the 
 victim is selected, is hunted down, and the attacking fish ordin- 
 arily rises from underneath, and takes the bait cross-wise. It 
 is then turned by means of the palatine bones, and swallowed 
 head-first, the moveable teeth on the middle of the mouth aid- 
 ing in the deglutition. Pike are monogamic, that is they reside 
 or hunt in pairs, and, as a result, it is always possible to take 
 the fellow-pike after capturing the first. The fact is an inter- 
 esting one, and should be borne in mind by the Pike-fisher. 
 
 The spawning-time of the Pike is usually April, but oc- 
 casionally the process is delayed till June. Unless the temper- 
 ature of the preceding season has been exceptionally mild, 
 however, this is not the case. The, prime season of the fish is 
 from September to January, or even' February — sometimes, 
 during the latter month, there appears a deterioration of con- 
 dition consequent on the advance towards spawning. 
 
 H 
 
114 , THE angler's COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 The digestion of the Pike is remarkable, from more than one 
 point of view. Its capacity and rapidity is of the most ex- 
 ceptional character. According to Jesse, eight ordinary fishes 
 consumed eight hundred Gudgeon in three weeks. Not only 
 fish but all sorts of articles of vertu are occasionally found in 
 its inside, and like the ostrich all of these it contrives to dis- 
 pose of. A child is actually said to have been found in the 
 stomach of a large Pike from the Volga, by Dr. Crull in his 
 "Present State of Muscovy" (1698). The fish unquestionably 
 possesses a splendid vision; and chiefly hunts by sight. I can- 
 not accord it much refinement, either of taste or smell, though 
 it is a certain fact that no Pike will retain a dead or stinking 
 bait in its mouth for any considerable period nor swallow it. 
 
 Its colour is a weed-green, chiefiy, though its belly is white. 
 This predominating colour is priDbably to secure it against de- 
 tection by the fry and small fish whose destruction it seeks to 
 compass. Its haunts are chiefly in and near weeds, generally ;• 
 those of the sheltering kind. It does not absolutely lie en- 
 shrouded under any circumstances, but in contiguity, so that 
 its ever- watchful eye may detect the passing innocent fry, and 
 itself may dart out with the speed of a tiger and the unrelentiiig 
 ferocity of the pitiless hysena. 
 
 There are three methods of capture in popular use for this 
 fish, viz.: spinning, live-baiting, and trolling, and a fourth 
 which is but rarely practised, namely, fly-fishing. Each of 
 these I shall treat of seriatium. 
 
 I.-SPINNING. 
 
 The Rod. 
 
 There are various makes of rods for Pike-spinning. They are 
 usually of a somewhat stout build, and ordinarily identical in 
 principal, though not in make, for some are worthless on ac- 
 count of the unsuitability of material; and others ill-made, and 
 
THE PIKE. 115 
 
 SO easily worn out. Mottled cane, which is mottled by the 
 natives of India-^why I cannot tell — for it is quite easy to 
 mottle them with far better taste, without injury, in this 
 country. For my part I prefer a cane rod, it being lighter and 
 less fatiguing in a long da/^ Pike-fishing. Greenheart, or 
 hickory, with lance or whalebojie at the top, are indifferently 
 manufactured, and according as the purse of the piscator runs 
 so he can be obliged for fifteen shillings to three guineas. 
 The character of the rod is briefly-^length, about twelve feet, 
 or even fourteen, and of a stiff build, the taper should be as 
 perfect as possible; the rings upright, with agate or steel re- 
 volving rings. Of course the agate is not a necessary feature, 
 for hardened steel will serve, but it is eminently desirable, and, 
 in the end, is likely to save its price in lines, there being no 
 friction, or very little. ' 
 
 The Wincli 
 
 Is of the patterns figured on pages 33 and 34, only larger. 
 Some persons prefer a wooden reel of the so-called Nottingham 
 'style, from which they throw. By a coinbination of ingenious 
 machinery, a check can be put on an adaption of what ' is 
 called the Oxford reel. This admits of the line being thrown 
 from the reel, or of its use as a check reel. Of course, it is only 
 an experiencd angler that can throw from the reel. I would 
 therefore recommend the beginner to use the ordinary winch. 
 In each case the handle is counter-sunk in the plate, and of 
 the conical shape, that the line cannot catch, but must slide 
 off, no matter what emergency takes place. 
 
 The Line 
 
 Is usually of plait dressed silk, and no' better can be used. It 
 should be carefully selected, as some of the cheaper goods are 
 plaited loosely and are hollow, or nearly so, in the centre, 
 
 H 2 
 
ii6 
 
 THE angler's complete GUIDE, 
 
 <::i^ 
 
 Fig. 23. 
 
THE PIKE. 
 
 117 
 
 though their appearance is that of good sound- lines. These 
 lines soon rot, no matter how well dressed, causing disappoint-' 
 ment, and often dismay, to the fisherman as he finds his fish 
 
 Fig. 24. 
 
 depart with but little effort. A really good line, well dressed, 
 cannot be sold at a small price, and it is vastly superior in the 
 end to all cheaper imitations of the genuine article. The best 
 
Il8 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 colour is a light green in clear water, a dusky-brown is some-- 
 times very serviceable, and this colour is produced by the 
 dressing only, and contaihs no dye ; it is found that it retains 
 its strength much longer than the former. 
 
 For further information, concerning lines, I refer my readers 
 to pages 10 and ii, chapter on Salmon. 
 
 The Tackles. 
 
 The tackles consists first of the trace, which is composed of 
 several articles deserving of notice. A trace briefly consists 
 of lengths of twisted or plaited gut or girap. If the former, 
 the gut should be selected so that each strand twisted, or 
 plaited, is of the same thickness as its fellow. It is necessary 
 that only good gimp be . used in all traces. The finest silk 
 cord is the best for river or lake Pike spinning. Common 
 gimp, the interior of which is of hemp or cotton, is of little 
 value, and should be avoided. The trace is about three feet 
 in length, and either brass or steel swivels are placed at in- 
 tervals, so that the rotary motion of the bait may not 
 kink the line. Mr. Pennell's lead is now usually employed, 
 as it hangs, as it were, from the under side of the line, and, 
 in consequence, obviates kinking. 
 
 The Pennell trace is made firom stained gimp, though many 
 anglers prefer the unstained materials, on account of the stain 
 having a tendency to rapidly deteriorate the gimp. I, myself, 
 prefer a trace of twisted or plaited gut of the same pattern. 
 As before remarked, on page 40, I believe in all spinning leads 
 being painted green. 
 
 There is a great variety of spinning flights, amongst the best 
 of which are the following : — 
 
 The first is fig. 22 (Chapman Spinner) ; the bait is a 
 Dace or Gudgeon, and retained in its place by the small hooK' 
 
THE PIKE. 
 
 119 
 
 shown at the lower part of the lead, the spinning motion is 
 imparted by the pectoral fins at the top of it. 
 
 Fig. 26. Fig. 27. Fig- 28. 
 
 The next, fig. 23, is the ordinary spinning^ flight, and is 
 baited in the following manner: — 
 
I20 THE angler's COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 Insert the last treble hook close to the tail of the bait, 
 then insert, tightly, the next treble hook in the bait, 
 higher up, from the direction of the tail. If this is done pro- 
 perly it will keep the tail part of the bait bent, to assist its 
 spinning. Next insert the third triangle, or treble hook, in 
 the upper side of the bait, towards the shoulder. Then finish 
 baiting by inserting the lip hook through the lips of the bait 
 If baited properly, it should be done so that when finished the 
 bait lies straight, with the exception of the bend near the tail. 
 In all spinning flights a trace should be used with two or more 
 swivels; the larger the swivels the more freely the bait will spin. 
 
 We give an illustration, fig. 24, of Pennell's flight, and 
 the following are the directions given by him in his work, 
 "The Book of the Pike." First to fix the tail hook, insert the point 
 by the side or lateral line of the bait near to the tail, and pas- 
 sing it under a broadish strip of the skin, and through the end 
 of the fleshy part of the tail, bring it out as near the base of 
 the tail fin as practicable; next ipsert the small reversed hook, 
 in such a position as to curve the bait's tail, nearly to a right 
 angle; finally, pass the lip hook through both its lips, always 
 putting it through the upper lip first when the bait is a Gud- 
 geon, and through the lower one first with all others. This is 
 very important in securing a really brilliant spin. The fl3dng 
 triangle or triangles should not be hooked into the bait in any 
 way, but be allowed to fly loose in the position shown in the 
 engraving. The upper, that is the shoulder, portion of ths 
 body of the bait, should lie perfectly straight; and great care 
 must be taken that the gimp or gut is tightened sufficiently to 
 prevent any strain on the lips of the bait, and yet not so tight 
 as in any degree to bend or crook its body. If these directions 
 are not exactly attended to, the bait will not spin. I also show 
 Pennell's flight baited, fig. 25. Fig. 26 shows Pennell's flight 
 with the addition of an extra treble hook. 
 
FIG. 29. 
 
 Fig. 30. 
 
THE ANGLEJl'S COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 Mr. Francis in his "Book on Angling" gives the latest im- 
 provement on flights. Fig. 27 shows it. Compairing it with Mr. 
 Pennell's tackle he there says, " I very much like my own 
 tatckle ... for small baits the tackle figuredis perfect." 
 Fig. 28 shows the Francis tackle baited. ' 
 
 There is also a great number of artificial baits for Pike, as 
 well as Trout. Those being most in use are as follows : spoon^ 
 
 Fig. 31. 
 Size— I. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9^ 
 
 *i. Long Hook. *2. Watch Spring. *3. Buckle. •4. Hook. *s. Double Swivel. , 
 
 baits, Clipper (fig. 29) Colorado, artificial fish of all descriptions, 
 and the Eclipse (fig. 30), which claims to be an improvement 
 on the ordinary spoon-bait. 
 
 I give an illustration of swivels in use of all sizes and kinds 
 (fig. 31). Special attention is drawn to the illustration on 
 each swivel being of the exact size; when anglers may be 
 ordering the figure will be found very useful. We also give 
 
THE PIKE. 123' 
 
 figures of loop swivels, which are much more useful than the 
 gimp loop, and more convenient. 
 
 Hook-Baits for Spinning. 
 
 The flight, whether Pennell or any other pattern, of course 
 requires a bait. The best bait is a fine bright Dace or Gudgeon. 
 Sometimes a Roach or small 'Barbel is used. The small Bar- 
 bel or small Chub is a capital bait; but with Falstaff I believe 
 in a Dace. Some of the best and hardiest are got from West- 
 minster Pier; and, in any case, the Thames or Colne Dace are 
 the best and most vigourous. 
 
 How to spin. — The liiie is drawn out from the winch, if a 
 winch and not a reel be used, and coiled, either in the hand of 
 the angler, or at his feet, or on some smooth surface, such 
 as the till or well of a punt. The rod is then taken in the 
 right hand, and with the butt, resting against the abdomen or 
 right side, and the left hand restraining the line, a gentle swing- 
 ing motion is given to the bait, from either left to right or right 
 to left. When this has acquired sufficient power, the left hand 
 releases the line, and the bait is urged on in the air till it falls. 
 Just ere it falls, in order to prevent too great a splash, the point 
 of the rod is raised, so that the bait is temporarily arrested — 
 ■ hence a noiseless cast. If the angler chooses to fish throwing 
 from the reel, the following is the way to throw. The right 
 hand embraces the rod below the reel, allowing the forefinger 
 ,to act a^ a break on the periphery of the wheel when it re- 
 volves. The other hand lightly clasps the rod some eighteen 
 inches higher. To make the cast, first sight the spot whereto 
 it is desired to send the bait. Turn almost right- or left-about; 
 and then, with a swiftly increasing impulse of the rod, bring it, 
 and yourself, round to and pointing to the destination of the 
 bait. Having thus delivered the bait, the butt of the rod, which, 
 according to convenience, did, or did not, rest upon the angler's 
 
124 THE angler's COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 hip, must now do so. The grasp of the left hand is tightened, 
 and the right winds in. The pace of the bait, and the move- 
 ments of the baits are, of course, regulated by the angler's wrist 
 and the rod. 
 
 II.-LIVB-BAITING. 
 
 The Rod. 
 
 . The rod should be much shorter in live-baiting than is neces- 
 sary for spinning. Not that a very short and stiff rod, as is 
 commonly preferred for trolling, but a: rod capable of giving a 
 strong and vigorous resistance to the fish. A rather shorter 
 and stiffer top will serve on the spinning-rod before recom- 
 mended ; no further modification is necessary. 
 
 The Beel, or Winch, and the Line 
 
 Are of the same, or a similar make, as for spinning. 
 
 The Tackle 
 
 Is as follows : — the lower hook-line, or trace, consists of a 
 length of gimp to which is attached a hook of a snap, doublej 
 or even single make ; a cork-float, buoyed by a lead placed 
 about a foot from the hook. The bait is fixed at about a yard 
 from the float, which is a stalwart cylindrical cork of about the 
 size of a hen's egg. 
 
 How to live-bait. — The bait is baited by passing the loop- 
 end, to which is attached a baiting-needle, .in at the shoulder 
 of the bait, about a half-inch fi-om the gUl-cover in the lateral 
 line, under the skin, and out about an inch-and-a-half towards ' 
 the tail, nearer the back than belly. This is called the gorge 
 live-bait, because it is necessary to allow the fish at least five 
 minutes for gorging before the strike is made. I, therefore, 
 recommend the snap-tackle, which consists of one treble and a 
 
THE JIKE. 125 
 
 lip hook, which can be either sliding or fixed, the single hook is 
 inserted under the root of the back fin: the triplet is arranged 
 to lie one each side of the bait. When a fish takes the bait, 
 as before indicated — cross-wise, of course — the strike may be 
 nearly immediate; hence the word, .snap-ta.ck\e. The single- 
 hook tackle allows only of the insertion of the hook in the 
 bait's mouth, and, of course, requires that time be allowed for 
 gorging ; it is not, however, near so sure as either the snap ■ 
 or gorge styles, and is but seldom used. Live-baiting does not 
 require much practice. One has almost only to be sure of 
 .there being fish in the water,, and a properly-adjusted bait will 
 be sure to do execution, if any tackle will. I must not be 
 understood to advocate live-baiting where it is possible to spin 
 believing, as I do, that spinning is incomparably more artistic, 
 and, hence, that it requires infinitely greater skill for its 
 success. 
 
 III.-DEAD-BAIT FISHING OR TROLLING. 
 
 The Rod 
 
 For dead-baiting is of -stouter build than that required for 
 either spinning, or live-baiting. Occasionally, rods are built 
 with adjustable joints and tops, so that a trolling-, live-baiting-, 
 or spinning-rod can be satisfactorily made at almost a moment's 
 notice. Whilst this arrangement may do excellently for live- 
 baiting and spinning, it cannot, within my experience, be 
 satisfactorily accompHshed for gorge-fishing. The superior 
 weight of the bait, the strain often encountered when amongst 
 weeds, and when there is nothing for it but a. sort of " puUey- 
 hauley" policy, and the extra coarseness of hne almost always, 
 necessary, together, combine to injure theJ residual joints of a 
 converted spinning-rod. I, therefore, recommend the gorge- 
 
126 
 
 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 g^; ' 
 
 iA*: 
 
 'k^ 
 
 Fig. 32. 
 
 Fig. 33 
 
THE PIKE. 127 
 
 bait fisher to procure a specially-made trolling fishing-rod, 
 which should not be more than a dozen feet in length, ' 
 
 The Winch 
 
 May be the same kind as that used in spinning. 
 
 The Line 
 
 Should be stouter and stronger than an ordinary spinning-line ; 
 ' not, of course, necessarily clumSy, but of a good, stable character, 
 that, in an emergency, it may be strong enough to cut through 
 any intercepting weeds. 
 
 The Tackle. 
 
 This consists of a trace of, say, a yard of fairly fine silk gimp, 
 with a brass or steel hook swivel at the lower loop, so that the 
 gyrations of the bait may in no case be interrupted, and also 
 not be able to kink the line. The gorge-hook ordinarily 
 consists of a cylindrical cone of lead modelled on wire, to 
 which is attached a double-hook. We give figure (32) of the 
 Pennell hook, which does not possess the lead brought right 
 on to the hooks, as is the case with the old-fashioned kind, 
 because, as its designer argues, the throat of the bait would be 
 inordinately and unreasonably distended thereby. Fig. 33 
 shows the same when baited. 
 
 Fig. 34 indicates the various sizes of treble hooks, which is 
 given for the benefit of those desirous of making their own 
 flights, and for the convenience of those ordering from a 
 distance by post. Each hook, as to size, is exact the actual 
 triplets, having been photographed before engraved. 
 
 How to fish with gorge-hook. The bait is, of course, thrown in the 
 usual manner, and a sink-and-draw motion is imparted to it gently. 
 As the bait is being raised the fish usually takes it. Too great, 
 a rapidity is incQUsistent with invariable sport, and in all things 
 
THE PIKE. 
 
 129 
 
 let the angler take Care to be imperturbably calm, and when it 
 is evident, from the indescribable tug, tug at the bait, that a fish 
 
 Fig. 3S. Fig. 36. 
 
 has really seized the bait, let him allow whatever line is re-' 
 quired, till the fish finding its covert, proceeds to pouch. Ten 
 
130 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 minutes axe usually allowed for this process, and at the end of 
 that time the line should be wound up and the fish drawn in — 
 not struck, as has usually been said, for a strike will often in- 
 vert the maw and tear out the hooks. Begin always near and 
 gradually spread the radius of fishable water. It is a mistake 
 to throw far for throwing's sake. The best fish in angling, as, , 
 in morals, are often nearest home. Try every opening^ in the 
 weeds, and every "pikey" spot near them, such as clear recesses 
 and eddies. The baits enumerated for spinning are the best, 
 viz.. Gudgeon, Dace, etc. 
 
 Two very convenient pieces of apparatus are figured (fig. 35 
 and fig. 36). Fig. 35 is a metal ring, which opens at its 
 thinnest part, and is used for clearing an entangled line. It is 
 especially handy when Jack-fishing. Fig. 36 shows the or- 
 dinary make of steelyard, one of which no angler should be 
 without. 
 
 IV.— PIKE FLY-FISHING. 
 
 There only remains in this brief chapter on Pike to notice 
 the capture of the fish with the so-called fly. Like all fish of 
 prey, the Pike is attracted by gaudiness of colour, and a fly 
 made after the Salmon-fly stamp, only larger and coarser will 
 always take fish in summer — that is, of course, supposing the 
 fish to be there. A Pike-fly is usually dressed on double hooks, 
 and should be as large as a small canary. The rod may be 
 your spinning rod, and a light trace and lead attached will aid 
 in getting the fly out. Its motion should be a sort of -hop, 
 skip, and jump, on the surface of the water. 
 
 We omit giving directions for snaring Pike — believing that, 
 though trimmering, etc., were dwelt on with much unction by 
 the older writers, my readers would in every way disdain such 
 unsportsman-like proceedings, when each fish, of river or lake, 
 may be fairly and legitimately taken with proper tackle and 
 baits. 
 
131 
 
 USEFUL INFORMATION FOR ANGLERS. 
 
 FENCE MONTHS FOR THE THAMES. 
 
 For Trout. — From the loth September to 31st March. 
 
 Pike, Jack, Roach, Dace, Chub, Barbel, Gudgeon, etc., from 
 
 the 14th of March to the i6th of June. 
 
 UNDERSIZED FISH. 
 The following are the Weights and Sizes of Fish that are allowed 
 to te taken below the "City Stone," at Staines: — 
 
 Salmon not less than 6 pounds. 
 
 Trout „ i pound. 
 
 Chub ... „ 9 inches. 
 
 Perch or Roach „ 8 
 
 Flounders „ 7 
 
 Dace or Smelts „ 6 
 
 Gudgeon „ 5 
 
 Pike, Jack, aiid Barbel „ 12 
 
 In each measuring from the eye to the end of the tail. 
 All persons taking Fish of less size and weight than those given 
 above, are liable to a penalty of ^5 for every offence. 
 
 POWER OF THE RIVER-KEEPERS. 
 
 " To enter any boat, vessel^ or craft of any fisherman or dredger- 
 man, or other person or persons fishing or taking fish, or endea- 
 vouring to take fish ; and there to search for, take and seize all 
 spawn, firy, brood of fish, and unsizeable, unwholesome, or unsea- 
 sonable fiph ; and also all unlawful nets, engines, and instruments 
 for taking or destroying fish as shall then be in any such boat, 
 vessel, or craft in and upon the river, and to take and seize on the 
 shore or shores adjoining to the said river, all such spawn, fish, and 
 also all unlawful nets, engines, and instruments, for taking and des- 
 trojdng fish as shall there be found." 
 
 I 2 
 
132 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 ABOLITION OF NETTING. 
 
 "Be it ordered and established, That the i6th item of the Rules, 
 Orders, and Ordinances for the Fisheries in Thames and Medway, 
 made on the 4th day of October, 1785, be repealed, and, that hence- ^ 
 forth no person shall use any net for the purpose of catching Fish 
 in the River Thames, between Richmond Bridge and the "City 
 Stone" at Staines, except a small net for the purpose of taking bait 
 only, of the following dimensions, namely, not exceeding 13 feet in 
 circumference, and an angler's landing net, under penalty to forfeit 
 and pay £s for every such offence." — The, Seal of the Conservators 
 of the River Thames was this 23fd day of January, i860, affixed by 
 order. 
 
 FISHING STATIONS. 
 
 ISLEWORTH. 
 Fisherman.— W. Clarke. 
 
 Railway Fares. — Single, is. 2d., is. gd. ; Return, is. gd., is. 6d., 
 IS. 4d. 
 
 RICHMOND. 
 
 Preserve. — Westward of Bridge to Duke of Buccleuch's, 700 yards. 
 Fishermen.— Messrs. G. Howard, H. Howard, C. Brown, E. Brown, 
 
 J. Brown, W. Piatt, W. Wheeler, Job Brain, and H. Mansell. 
 Railway Fares. — Single, is. 3d., is. gd. ; Return, is. gd., is. 6d., 
 
 is. 3d. 
 
 TWICKENHAM. 
 
 Preserve.— The West-end of Lawn, Pope's Villa, to the Ait, 400 
 yards. 
 
 Fishermen.— Messrs. T. Coxen, John Coxen, W. Francis, G. 
 
 Francis, S. Cole, S. Mesley, J. Brand, T. Chamberlain, E. Fkich, 
 
 R. Moffatt, and G. Rednap. 
 Railway Fares.— Single, is. 6d., is. 2d., iid.; Return, 2s. 4d., 
 
 IS. lod., IS. 6d. 
 Hotel.— The Two Sawyers. 
 
riSHING STATIONS, I33 
 
 ' TEDDINGTON. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. James Kemp, Alexander Kemp, Francis 
 
 Kemp, T. Sawyer, Joseph Baldwin, B. Stevens, W. Baldwin, 
 
 J. Stevens, C. Baldwin, and T. Cole. 
 Railway Fares. — Single, as., is. 6d., is. ; Return, 2s. 6d., 2S., 
 
 IS. 8d. 
 Hotel. — The Anglers. 
 Lock Keeper. — Mr; Tame. 
 Assistant Lock Keeper. — Mr. Richard Smith. 
 
 ' KINGSTON. 
 
 Preserve. — From the Lower Malthouse at Hampton Wick to the 
 ,east end of Mr. J. C. Park's Lawn at Teddington (including the 
 back-water known as the Crolock), i,p6o yards. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. John Johnson, senior, John Johnson, junior, 
 
 and W. Clarke. 
 RAitwAY Fares.— 'Single, 2s., is. 6d., is.; Return, 2s. 6d., 2S., 
 
 is. 8d. ' 
 
 Hotels.— The Sun, and The Griffin (Proprietor Mr. J. Bond). 
 
 THAMES DITTON AND LONG DITTON. 
 Preserve, — From Lord Henry Fitzgerald's, running eastward 512 
 
 yards. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. E. Tagg, A. Tagg, ^. Buttery, and H- 
 
 Hammerton. 
 Railway Fares.— Single, 2s., is. 6d., is. 2d. ; Return, 2s. 8d., 2s., 
 
 is. gd. 
 
 HAMPTON COURT AND EAST MOULSE,Y. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. W. Milboume, T. Davis, W. Rogerson. J. 
 
 Smith, Thomas Watford, W. Watford, T. Wheeler, W. Griffin, 
 
 C. Griffin, C. Stone, C. Davis, and G. Martin. 
 Railway Fares. — Single, 2s., is. 6d., is. 3d. ; Return, 2s. gd., 2s., 
 
 IS. lod. ' 
 
 Hotels. — The Mitre and the Island, Hampton Court ; the Castle 
 
 and Carnarvon Castle, East Moulsey. 
 Lock Keeper.— Mr. Daniel Phillips. 
 
134 THE angler's complete guide. 
 
 HAMPTON. 
 
 Preserve. — From the west-end of Garrick's Lawn (including the 
 
 Tantling Bay) to the lower end pile below Moulsey Lock, 1,514 
 
 yards. 
 Fishermen.— Messrs. W. Benn and Son, John Snell, W. Si^ell, R. 
 
 Goddardi and J. LangsKaw. 
 Railway Fares. — Single, 2s. 3d., is. gd., is. 2d. ; Return, 25. gd., 
 
 2s. 3d., 2S. 
 lloTEL.— The Bell. 
 
 SUNBURY. 
 
 Preserve. — From the Weir eastward to the east-end pile of break- 
 water, 683 yards. 
 
 F'lSHERMEN. — Messrs. Thomas Stroud, Alfred Stroud, John Stroud, 
 and Edward Clarke. 
 
 Railway Fares. — Single, 2s. 6d., 2s., is. 4d. ; Return, 3s., 2s. 6d., 
 2s. 3d. 
 
 Lock Keeper. — Mr. Henry Joist. 
 
 WALTON. 
 
 Preserve. — At the east of Taukesvilles and the west of the Horse 
 Bridge, called Walton Sale, 250 yards. 
 
 Fishermen — Messrs. John Rosewell, George Hone, George Roger- 
 son, and William Rosewell. 
 
 Railway Fares. — Single, 3s., 2s., is. 5d. ; Returnj 4s., 3s., 2s. 6d. 
 
 Hotel. — The Swan. 
 
 SHEPPERTON. 
 Preserve. — Upper Deep, 200 yards. Old Deep, east of the Creek 
 
 rails, 240 yards. Lower Deep, east of the drain, 200 yards. ' 
 Fishermen.— Messrs. W. , Rogerson, G. Rosewell, A. Purdue, 
 
 F. Purdue, H. Purdue, and D. Blackett. 
 Railway Fares. — Single, 3s., 2s. 4d., is. yd. ; Return, 4s., 3s., 
 
 2s. 6d. 
 Lock Keeper. — Mr. James Newble. 
 
FISHING STATIONS. 135 
 
 HALLIFORD. 
 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. T. Rosewell, Thomas Purdue, and Alfred 
 
 Trodd. 
 Railway Fares (Shepperton Station). — Single, 3s., as. 4d., is. 7d. ; 
 
 Return, 4s., 3s., 2s. 6d. 
 Hotels. — The Ship and the Red Lion. 
 
 WEYBRIDGE. 
 Preserve. — From the Weir to Shepperton Lock, 830 yards. 
 Fishermen. — M. House. 
 Railway Fares. — Single, 3s. 6d., 2s. 66.., is. 76..; Return, 5s., 
 
 3s. 6d., 2s. lod. 
 Hotels. — The Lincoln Arms, and the Portmore Arms. 
 
 CHERTSEY. 
 
 Preserve. — The Weir to 80 yards eastward of the Bridge, 445 
 yards. 
 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. W. Galloway; T. Taylor, senior, T. Taylor, 
 junior, J. Poulter, and James Haslett. 
 
 Railway Fares.— Single, 4s., 3s., is. lod. ; Return, ss. 6d., 4s., 
 2s, 4d. . 
 
 Lock Keeper. — Mr. W. Watford. 
 
 Note. — Mr. James Forbes is carrying on the process of Fish Cul- 
 ture at Chertsey Bridge, at his own cost, for the benefit of the 
 Lower Thames. 
 
 ,:,. LALEHAM AND PENTON HOOK. 
 
 Preserve at Penton Hook. — From the Guard Piles eastward 
 round the Hook, to the east end of the Lock. 
 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. Alfred Harris, Frank Harris, William Har- 
 ris, and D. Harris. 
 
 Railway Fares (Staines). — Single, 3s. 3d., 2s. 3d., is. jd. ; 
 Return, 5s., 3s. 6d., 3s. < 
 
 Lock Keeper. — Mrs. Trotter. 
 
136 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 STAINES. 
 Preserve. — The City Boundary Stone to 210 yards eastward Of 
 
 the bridge. 
 Fishermen.— Messrs. W. Chambers, T. Fletcher, H. Amor, J. 
 
 Keene, and J. Tims. ' 
 Railway Fares.— Single, 3s. 3d., 2s. 3d., is. 7d. ; Return, 
 
 5s., 3s. 6d., 3s. 
 Hotels.— The Railway Hotel, and the Pack Horse. 
 
 EGHAM. 
 Fisherman.— Mr. G. Rowles. 
 Hotel.— Angler's Rest. 
 
 , OLD WINDSOR. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. T. Haynes^ senior, and T. Haynes, junior. 
 Hotel.— Bells of Ousely. 
 Note.— Train to Wraysbury, L. & S. W. R. 
 
 DATCHET. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. George Keene, G. Bailey, and James Hoare. 
 Hotel. — The Manor House. 
 
 WINDSOR. 
 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. George Holland (Nottingham George), 
 James Gray, James Bunce, John Maisey, junior, Charles 
 Kempster, George Plumridge, Charles Smith, Thomas Bunce, 
 and George Smith. 
 
 Hotel. — The Bridge House, Eton. 
 
 BRAY. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. James Hedger and George Chapman. 
 Hotel. — The George. 
 
 MAIDENHEAD AND TAPLOW. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. H. Wilder, E. Andrews, J. Gill, and G. 
 
 Winn. 
 Hotel. — Lewis's, Maidenhead Bridge. 
 
FISHING STATIONS. I37 
 
 MARLOW. 
 
 ; Fishermen.— Messrs. James Hatch, George White, W. Rockell, 
 R. Shaw, T. White', W. Shaw, James ,Whit,ei Henry Rockell, 
 W. Thorpe, J. Sparkes, George Coster, and T. Barnes. 
 
 Hotel. — The Complete Angler. 
 
 HENLEY. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. W. Parrott, Alfred Parrott, Edward Vaughan, 
 E. Woodley, H. Allum, G. Jerome, F. Potter, and G. Hamilton. 
 Hotels. — Red Lion' and Catherine Wheel. 
 
 WARGRAVE. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. W. Wyatt, S. Crampton, F. Wyatt, T. 
 
 . King, and D. Brown. 
 Hotel.— George and Dragon (Mrs. Wyatt). 
 
 SONNING. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. W. Hull, E. S. Lockley,and James Bromley. 
 Hotel. — The French Horn. 
 
 READING. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs, R. Mills, W. Clarke, H. Knight, Oldway, 
 
 W. Moss, and J. P. Hall. 
 Hotels. — ^White Hart and the Swan, Reading ; and the Crown, 
 
 Caversham. 
 
 PANGBOURNE., 
 Fishermen.— Messrs. G. Ashley, W. Davidson, R. Albury, F. 
 
 Albury, and T. Lovegrove. 
 Hotel.— Elephant and Castle, and Bridge House, Whitchurch. ' 
 
 GORING AND STREATLEY. 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. J. Rush and Bartholomew. 
 Hotel. — The Swan, Streatley. 
 
138 ,THE ANGLER'S COMPLETE GUIDE. 
 
 MOULSFORD. 
 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. Frank Strange, Dawson, Cox, and Swadling. 
 Hotel. — Beetle and Wedge. 
 
 WALLINGFORD. 
 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. Joseph Gulston, Cloudesley, T. Turner, and 
 
 William Moody. 
 Hotel.— The Lamb. 
 
 OXFORD. 
 
 Fishermen. — Messrs. A. Beesley, P. Beesley, and D. Talboys. 
 Hotels. — The Roebuck and the Weir's Inn. 
 
 TOLLAGE ON BOATS 
 
 through each lock. 
 
 For every steam pleasure-boat, not exceeding 35ft. in 
 
 length 006 
 
 For every steam pleasure-boat, exteeding 3Sft. in length, 
 
 for every additional 5ft. of length o- o 3 
 
 Class I. — For ever)' pair-oared row-boat, skiff, out-rigger, 
 and company-boat, and for every randan, 
 canoe, punt, and dingey 003 
 
 Class 2. — For every four-oared row-boat (other than the 
 
 boats enumerated in Class I ) ... 006 
 
 Class 3. — For every row-boat, shallop, and company- 
 boat over four oars (other than the boats 
 enumerated in Classes X and 2) 009 
 
 For every house-boat o .2 6 
 
 The above charges to be for once •passing through the lock and 
 
 returning in the same day. 
 
139 
 
 ANNUAL TOLLS. 
 
 For every steam pleasure-boat, not exceeding, 35ft, 
 
 length 
 
 For every additional number of five feet 
 
 For every row-boatof Class i 
 
 For every row-boat of Class 2 
 
 For every row-boat of Class 3 
 
 For every house-boat 
 
 In computing the Tolls every number less than the entire 
 numbers above stated is to be charged as the entire number. 
 
 o 
 
 5 
 o 
 10 
 o 
 o 
 
 ORDINARY TIME OF HIGH WATER 
 
 At the fallowing places on the River Thames. 
 
 ,The time after the names of the places to be added to the time 
 given in the calendar of high water at London Bridge. 
 
 H. M. , H. M. H. M. 
 
 Chelsea o 35 1 Hammersmith i o I Kcw i 30 
 
 Putney o 50 1 Barnes i 10 | Richmond i 50 
 
 BOARD OF THAMES CONSERVANCY, 
 
 41, Trinity Square, Tower Hill. 
 
 Secretary :—C2cii\.2:\-a Burstall, R.N. Engineer: — Mr. S. W. 
 Leach. Receiver ::^M.t. W. H. Hoard. Superintendent of 
 the Upper Thames : — Captain Etheridge, Reading. 
 
 SALMON FISHERIES' OFFICE. 
 4, Old Palace Yard, Westminster. 
 Inspectors: — Professor Huxley, and Spencer Walpole, Esq. 
 Clerk:— Q. E. Fryer, Esq., F.R.S., A.A. 
 
140 
 
 THE ANGLER'S COMPLETE, GUIDE. 
 
 The following table is compiled from the most authorative :' 
 sources : — 
 
 LOCKS ON THE THAMES. 
 
 DISTANCES OF VARIOUS LOCKS FROM EACH OTHER, AND FROM 
 LONDON BRIDGE TO OXFORD, 'AND vice versA. 
 
 From 
 
 
 From 
 
 From 
 Oxford. ' 
 
 Preceding 
 ■ Lock. 
 
 Locks. 
 
 London 
 Bridge. 
 
 M. r. 
 
 
 M. F. 
 
 M. F. 
 
 
 Teddington ... 
 
 17 I 
 
 93 7 
 
 A 7 
 
 Moulsey ... 
 
 
 
 22 
 
 89 
 
 2 7 
 
 Sunbury ... 
 
 
 
 24 7 
 
 86 I 
 
 3 6 
 
 Shepperton 
 
 
 
 28 5 
 
 82 3 
 
 2 
 
 Chertsey ... 
 
 
 
 30 s 
 
 §0 3 
 
 2 
 
 Penton Hook 
 
 
 
 32 s 
 
 78 3 
 
 2 6 
 
 Bell Weir ... 
 
 
 
 35 3 
 
 75 5 
 
 ,2 7 
 
 Old Windsor 
 
 
 
 38 2 
 
 72 6 
 
 3 
 
 Romney 
 
 
 
 41 2 
 
 69 6 
 
 2 3 
 
 Boveney ... 
 
 
 
 43 5 
 
 67 3 
 
 3 2 
 
 Bray 
 
 
 
 46 7 
 
 64 I 
 
 2 I 
 
 Boulter ... 
 
 
 
 49 
 
 62 
 
 6 2 
 
 Marlow j.. 
 
 
 
 55 2 
 
 55 6 
 
 I 5 
 
 Temple ... 
 
 
 
 56 7 
 
 54 I 
 
 5 
 
 Hurley 
 
 
 
 57 4 
 
 S3 4 
 
 3 S 
 
 Hembledon 
 
 
 
 61 I 
 
 49 7 
 
 3 2 
 
 Marsh 
 
 
 
 64 3 
 
 46 S 
 
 2, 4 
 
 Shiplake' ... 
 
 
 
 66 7 
 
 44 I 
 
 2 7 
 
 Sonning, . . . 
 
 
 
 69 6 
 
 41 2 
 
 2 5 
 
 Caversham... 
 
 
 
 72 3 
 
 38 5 
 
 4 3 
 
 Maple Durham 
 
 
 
 76 6 
 
 34, 2 
 
 2 2 
 
 Whitchurch 
 
 
 
 79 
 
 32 
 
 4 I 
 
 Goring 
 
 
 
 . 83 I 
 
 27 7 
 
 S 
 
 Cleeve 
 
 
 
 . 83 6 
 
 27 2 
 
 6 4 
 
 Benson's' ... 
 
 
 
 90 2 
 
 2(5 6 
 
 4 
 
 Day's 
 
 
 
 94 2 
 
 16 6 
 
 , 3 
 
 Clifton , ... 
 
 
 
 97 2 
 
 13 6 
 
 2 7 
 
 Culham ... 
 
 
 
 100 I 
 
 10 7 
 
 2 3 
 
 Abingdon ... 
 
 
 
 102 4 
 
 8 4 
 
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 Sandford . . . 
 
 
 
 107 I 
 
 3 7 
 
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 Iffley 
 
 
 
 108 7 
 
 2 I 
 
 2 I 
 
 Oxford 
 
 III 
 
 
141 
 
 FRESH WATER FISHERIES ACT, 1878. 
 (41 and 42 Vict., cap. 39). 
 
 ( Extracted from the " Commercial Law Annual," 1879^. 
 
 An Act for the protection of Freshwater Fish. 
 
 This statute received the Royal assent on the 8th of August. 
 It does mot extend to Scotland or Ireland, and only sub-sections 
 four and five of section eleven, and the whole of section twelve, 
 are applicable to the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and the 
 county arid city of Norwich. 
 
 The following are its principal sections. So far as is con- 
 sistent with their tenor they are to be read as one with the 
 Salmon Fishery Acts, 1861 to 1876. The Act came into 
 operation on the ist of January, 1879. 
 
 5. Extension of provisions of2/\. S^ 25 Vict., c. 109, ss. S,.g,and 
 28 (Sr»,29 Vict., c. 121, s.64, to Trout and Char. — Sections 
 eight and nine of the Salmon Fishery Act, 1861 (which relate 
 to fishing with lights, spears, and other prohibited instrur 
 
 ' ments, and to using roe as a bait), and section sixty-four of 
 the Salmon Fishery Act, 1865 (which provide a close time 
 for Trout and Char), shall, as amended by the subsequent 
 Salmon Fishery Acts, apply to Trout and Char in all waters ■ 
 within the limits of this Act ; and the term " Salmonriver," 
 as used in section sixty-four of the Salmon Fishery Act, 
 1865; shall include any such watei% 
 
 6. Formation and dissolution of fishery districts in Trout and 
 * Char rivers.-^The provisions of the Salmon Fishery Acts, 
 
 1865 and 1873, which relate to the formation) alteration, 
 combination, and dissolution of fishery districts, and to the 
 appointment, qualification, proceedings, and powers of con- 
 servators, shall extend and apply to all waters within the 
 limits of this Act, frequented by Trout or Char ; and the 
 
142 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 term " Salmon river," in the fourth and nineteenth' sections 
 of the Sahnon Fishery Act, 1865, and in the twenty-sixth' 
 section of the Sahnon Fishery Act, 1873, shall mean any 
 river frequented by Salmon, Trout, or Char. 
 
 7. Provisions as to licences. — In any fishery district subject to 
 
 ( a board of conservators, the conservators shall have power 
 
 to issue licences for the day, week, season, or any part 
 
 thereof, to all persons fishing for Trout or Char, and in the 
 
 event of the power being exercised in any fishery district, 
 
 the provisions of the thirty-third, thirty-fourth, thirty-fifth, 
 
 thirty-sixth, and thirty-severith sections of the Salmon 
 
 Fishery Act, 1865, and of the twenty-first, twenty-second, 
 
 twenty-fourth, and twenty-fifth sections of the Salmon 
 
 Fishery Act, 1873 (relative to hcences), shall, with respect 
 
 to such district, be construed as if the words "Trout or 
 
 Char " were inserted throughout, after the word " Salmon," 
 
 Provided as follows : — 
 
 (i.) A hcence to fish for Salmon shall have effect as a licence to 
 
 fish for Trout and Char. 
 (2.) The fee payable for a licence to fish for Trout or Char, ex- 
 clusively of Salmon, in any district, shall not exceed one third 
 of the maximum amount chargeable for fishing for Salmon 
 under the provisions of the twenty-first section of the Salmon 
 Fishery Act, 1873. 
 
 8. Powers of the water-bailiffs. — ^The provisions of the thirty- 
 first section of the Salmon Fishery Act, 1865, and of the 
 thirty-sixth, thirty-seventh, and thirty-eighth sections of the 
 Salmon Fishery Act, 1873, relative to the powers of water- 
 bailiffs, shall extend and apply to all waters within the Umits 
 of this Act, as if the words " Salmon-river,'' wherever they 
 occur in such sections, included all waters frequented by 
 Salmon, Trout, or Char. 
 
 9. Justice may grant warrant to enter suspected places. — The 
 provisions of the thirty-fourth section of the Salmon Fishery 
 Act, 1 86 1, which empower any justice of the peace, upon in- 
 formation on oath, to authorise the search of any premises 
 
FISHERIES ACT. I43 
 
 shall extend to all offences committed or alfeged to have 
 been committed under this Act, and that section shall be 
 construed, and have effect, as if the word "Salmon" included 
 Trout, Char, and all freshwater fish. 
 
 10. Power to extend close season to Char. — The provisions of 
 the Salmon Fishery Act, 1876, which empower a board of 
 conservators to alter the period during which it shall be 
 illegal to take pr kill Trout in any fishery district, shall ex- 
 tend to Char, and the fourth section of that Act shall be 
 construed, and have effect, as if the words " pr Char," fol- 
 lowed the word " Trout," in that section. 
 
 1 1 . Close season for freshwater fish. — 
 
 (i.) In this section, the term "freshwater fish" includes all kinds 
 of fish (othej: than Pollan, Trout, and Char) which live in 
 freshwater, except those kinds which migrate to or from the 
 open sea : 
 
 (2.) The period between the fifteenth day of March and the 
 fifteenth day of June, both inclusive, shall be a close season 
 for freshwater fish : 
 
 (3.) If any persen during this close season fishes for, catches or 
 attempts to catch or kill any freshwater fish in any river, lake, 
 tributary stream, or other water connected or communicating 
 with such river, he shall, on summary conviction before two 
 justices, be liable to a fiiie not exceeding forty shillings : 
 
 Nothing in this sub-section shall apply — 
 
 (a.) To the owner of any several or private fishery where Trout, 
 Char, or Grayling are specially preserved destroying within 
 such fishery any freshwater fish other than Grayling ; 
 
 (h.) To any person angling in any several fishery with the leave 
 of the owner of such fishery or in any public fishery under the 
 jurisdiction of a board of conservators with the leave of said 
 board ; 
 
 (c.) To any person taking freshwater fish for scientific purposes. 
 
 (d.) To any person taking freshwater fish for use as bait : 
 
 (4.) If any perspn during this close season buys, sells, or exposes 
 for sale, or has in his possession for sale, any freshwater fish, 
 he shall, on summary conviction before two justices, be liable 
 to a fine not exceeding forty shillings ; 
 
144 THE angler's COMPtETE GUIDE. 
 
 (5.) On a second or any subsequent conviction under this section 
 the person convicted shall be liable to a fine not exceeding 
 five pounds : 
 
 (6.) After every conviction under this.section the person or persons 
 convicted shall forfeit all fish so caught, bought, sold, exposed 
 for sale, or in possession for sale, and shall be liable, at the 
 discretion of the convicting justices, to the forfeiture of all 
 instruments used in the taking of such fish : 
 
 (7.) A board of conservators appointed under the Salmon Fishery - 
 Acts, i86l to 1876, or under this Act, may, as regards any or 
 all kinds of freshwater fish, with the approval of the Secretary 
 of State, exempt the whole or any part of their district fi-om 
 the, operation of the' first, second, and third sub-sections of 
 this section. "The exemption shall be advertised in such man- 
 ner as the Secretary of State shall direct : 
 
 ^8.) The provisions of the Salmon Fishery Acts, 1861 to 1876, as 
 to legal proceedings, offences, and penalties under those Acts, 
 shall apply to legal proceedings, offences, and penalties under 
 this section. 
 
 12. ^Extension of ip &" 41 Vict., c. 65, to private waters.— The 
 Fisheries (Dynamite) Act, 1877, .which prohibits the use of 
 dynamite or other explosive substance for the catching or 
 destruction of fish in a puWic fishery, shall apply to the use 
 of any substance for the catching or destruction of fish in 
 any water, whether public or private, within the limits of 
 
 < , this Act. 
 
 13. Repeal of part of \% G. 2,, c. 33, as to fishing in the Severn 
 and Vemiew in June and July. — So much of the Act of 
 Parliament made and passed in the eighteenth year of the 
 reign of King George the Third, chapter thirty-three, inti- 
 tuled " An Act for the better preservation of fish and regu- 
 lating the fisheries in the River Severn and Vemiew," as 
 prohibits any person or persons in thQ months of June or 
 July laying, drawing, making use of, or fishing within the 
 said riverfe, or either of them, with any net the meshes 
 whereof shall be under two inches and a half square by the 
 standard, and not extended, or ten inches round, allowing 
 to each mesh four knots, is hereby repealed. 
 
145 
 ; ' Close Times for Fixed Engines, or Snares for Eels. 
 
 • THE DATES ARE INCLUSIVE. 
 
 England and Wales. — In all Salmon rivers from January I to 
 June 24, except the Severn, which is open for the capture of elvers, 
 or eel-face, i.e., young eels. 
 
 Ireland. — Frojti January 11 to June 30, *ith the following excep- 
 tions : — 
 
 Limerick district,- January i to June 30. 
 
 Corrib, or Galway River, February 1 1 to June 30. 
 
 Drogheda district, December i to Juoe 30. 
 
 River Shannon, February i to June 30. 
 , Coleraine district, January 11 toMay 31. 
 
 Close Time for the Lower Thames. 
 
 Special close time for the Thames is fixed for the following 
 fish, 
 Below City Stone, Staines, and Including Medway. 
 ALL DATES INCLUSIVE. 
 
 Flounders. — (From Hall, Haven, and Fishness, to City Stone, in 
 the Medway) December 22 to February 20. 
 
 Shad. — July I to May 9. 
 
 Eels. — '(For fixed engines only) November i to April 20. 
 
 Smelts. — East of Purfleet, March 26 to October 31, West of 
 Purfleet, May 2 to March 24. 
 
 Whiting. — Ember Week to September 28. 
 
 Lamperns. — April i to August 23. 
 
 Legal Sizes for Lea Fish. 
 
 Fish of less than the undermentioned sizes may not be retained 
 when captured. 
 
 Measure from eye to end of tail: — Pike, isin.; Barbel, i2in. ; 
 Carp and Chub, loin. ; Grayling, gin.; Bream, Sin. ; Tench, 
 Roach, Perch, Rudd, and Dace, 6in. ; Salmon, 4lb.; .Salmon- 
 Trout and Trout, ilb. 
 
 K 
 
146 
 
 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 ' Close Time for Rivers and Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk. 
 
 ALL DATES INCLUSIVE. 
 
 Salmon^ — Angling, November 2 to F.ebruary i ; netting, Sep- 
 tember I to February i. For all other fish the close times follow- 
 ing refer to modes of fisljing other than anghng. 
 
 .Eels. — Rivers Yare and Wensum, above Hardly Cross, April i . 
 to June 30 ; only skim or skeine nets to be used. In other rivers 
 fixed nets only to be used ; no line with more than one hook to be 
 used anywhere. 
 
 , Trout. — Netting, September 10 to January 25. All other fish 
 (except Roach, Pope or Ruff, Rudd, Gudgeon, Dace, and Minnow, 
 under 8in. long, used for "bait," and except Smelts, Eels, and 
 Tench), March I to June 30. 
 
 Smelts. — Rivers Yare, Waveney, and Wensum, May 13 to March 
 9 ; no nets allowed, except cast- or drop-nets, under i6ft. in 
 diameter. Rivers Ouse, Nar, and Nen, April i to Augusf3o; no 
 mesh allowed under 5ft. Sin. square. 
 
 Netting at night, spearing (except for Eels), bow-nets, and drag- 
 nets with pockets, prohibited. Up to June 30, 1881, no mesh 
 under three inches square to be used except for " bait," as above. 
 
 These regulations do not apply to Breydon Water. 
 
 Weight of Trout. 
 
 ^ Length. 
 
 7^ in. 
 
 8 in. 
 %yz in. 
 
 9 in. 
 9^ in. 
 
 10 in. 
 \o}i in. 
 
 11 in. 
 wyi in. 
 
 lbs. 
 
 OZ5. 
 
 Length. 
 
 P 
 
 3K 
 
 12 in 
 
 
 
 Z% 
 
 IS in 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 i^yi in 
 
 
 
 4>^ 
 
 16 in 
 
 
 
 ^% 
 
 17 in 
 
 
 
 6H 
 
 18 in. 
 
 
 
 lY^ 
 
 iSyz in. 
 
 
 
 m 
 
 19 in. 
 
 
 
 9% 
 
 
 lb 
 ... 
 
 . ozs. 
 
 ... I 
 ... I 
 
 5 
 8^ 
 
 ... I 
 
 I0>^ 
 
 ... 2 
 
 
 
 ... 2 
 
 6 
 
 .. 2 
 
 9 
 
 ... 2 
 
 13 
 
WEATHER WISDOM. 
 
 The following admirable remarks are taken from the " Country" 
 Pocket Book (170, Strand). The angler needs not to be reminded 
 of the vital importance of weather-wisdom, no matter to what fish 
 he turns his attention. 
 
 " A south-west wind is generally accompanied by rain, a.nd a 
 nor'-east by dry weather. 
 
 " In regard to the barometer. It always stands highest with a 
 north or easterly wind, and the lowest with a south or westerly one. 
 If the barometer fall and the thermometer rise, wet may always be 
 expected, and the reverse action pf the mercury in the instruments 
 is generally accompanied with fine, dry, and cool weather. The 
 slower the changes that then take place the longer will be the 
 probable duration of th? coming change. Sudden falls of the 
 barometer always precede storms, high winds, and cyclones. 
 
 " The clouds give a general indication of changes of weather, 
 while a red sky in the morning indicates wet. Inky clouds foretell 
 rain, while light scudding clouds indicate wind also. Streaks and 
 wisps of clouds show rain and wind, and the appearance of the 
 halo round the moon is almost invariably followed, within twelve or 
 eighteen hours, by rain. 
 
 " These rules only to apply from 24 to 30 degrees across. 
 
 " There are numerous indications in nature arising from the 
 instincts of animals. Before a storm, or rain, sea-birds fly inland, 
 swallows and rooks fly low and keep, near home, frogs are unusually 
 noisy, moles throw up much earth, cattle and sheep huddle together 
 and seek shelter." 
 
 BAROMETRICAL READINGS. 
 
 " A rapid rise indicates unsettled weather. 
 
 " A gradual rise indicates settled weather. 
 
 " A ' rise ' with dry air and cold, in summer, indicates wind from 
 the northward, and, if rain has fallen, better weather is to be expected. 
 
 "A 'rise' with moist air and a low temperature indicates wind 
 and rain from northward. 
 
 " A ' rise' with south wind indicates fine weather. 
 
 K 2 
 
148 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 " A ' Steady ' barometer, with dry air and a reasonable tempera- 
 ture, indicates a continuance of fine weather. 
 
 " A ' rapid ' fall indicates stormy weather. 
 
 " A 'rapid ' fall with westerly wind indicates stormy weather from 
 northward. 
 
 " A ' fall ' with a northerly wind indicates storm, with rain and 
 hail in summer, and snow in winter. 
 
 •" A ' fall ' with increased moisture and heat indicates wind and 
 rain from southward. 
 
 " A ' fall ' with dry air and cold increasing, in winter indicates 
 snow. 
 
 " A ' fall ' after very calm and warm weather indicates rain, with 
 squally weather." 
 
 Victorian Fishing Laws. 
 
 The following Acts of ParUament, during the present reign, refer 
 to fishing: — Fisheries (freshwater) — Vic. 41 and 42, chap. 39. 
 Pollution of Rivers— Vic. 39 and 40, chap. 75. Salmon Fisheries, 
 — ^Vic. II and 12, chap. 92 ; 13 and 14, chap. 80 ; 24 and 25, chap. 
 109 ; 25 and 26, chap. 97 ; 26 and 27, chaps. 16, 50, 114; 27 and 
 28, chap. 118 ; 28 and 29, chap. 121 ; 31 and 32, chap. 123; 32 
 and 33, chap. 9 ; 33 and 34, chap 33 ; 35 and 36, chap. 88 ; 36 and 
 37, chaps. 71 and 75 ; 39 and 40, chap. 19. 
 
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THE ANGLERS REMEMBRANCER^ 151 
 
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THE ANGLERS REMEMBRANCER. 155 
 
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 5 rf 5> "s a § 
 
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 ," Vh !-l C3 rd J3 1) J3 rfl .i iJ /I? r>-* 
 
 M •SB"' ^i-ii 1^ 
 
156 THE angler's complete GUIDE. 
 
 GROUND-BAITS. 
 
 1. Chewed bread, cast in near the float; go6d for Carp, Crucian 
 Carp, Dace, Roach, etc. 
 
 2. Soaked greaves and clay, in balls the size of a egg, for Barbel, 
 Chub, etc. 
 
 ' 3. Clay and gentles. Make a ball of clay, in the midst of which 
 put a few gentles,' cover lightly, and cast in ; the gentles will gradu- 
 ally work out in the water. Good for Carp, etc. 
 
 4. Chopped worms. This like the former is a very good general 
 ground-bait. 
 
 5. Pollard and bran, worked into a paste with soaked bread ; good 
 for Chub, Carp, Dace, Roach, etc. 
 
 6. Simple bran and clay, mixed ; good for Roach and Dace. 
 
 7. Gentles, called carrion gentles, thrown in by the handful; ex- 
 cellent for Carp, Tench, Roach, Dace, etc. 
 
 8. Grains, procured from the brewer's; excellent foi: Tench, 
 Carp, etc. Be careful that the grains are perfectly fresh ; for if 
 spur, the fish will not touch them. 
 
 WORMS. 
 
 The lob or dew worm. The older sorts are knotted — the youngpr 
 not. They have a streak down the back. Found in gardens and 
 churchyards at night. 
 
 The brandling, red, and gilt-tail worms are found under old dung 
 heaps. These are smaller than the lob worm. ■ 
 
 The cow-dung bobb, found under cow-dung, is valaed as a bait 
 for Carp, Roach, Dace, Trout, Perch, Chub, Tench, Bream. 
 
 The blood worm is found in stagnant waters. A very small 
 worm. ^ 
 
 There are many more varieties of worms, but quantum sufficit. ' 
 
BAITS, ETC. 157 
 
 PASTES. 
 
 1. Second day's white bread, dipped into water, squeezed directly, 
 and kneaded tg a proper consistence. Some anglers put fresh 
 butter on the bread used for this paste — it prevents the water's 
 action. 
 
 2. New bread, dipped into honey, and kneaded. 
 
 3. The same as No. i, with the addition of a little vermilion to 
 make it pink. Carp are supposed to, have a predilection for paste 
 made with turmeric in the hot months. 
 
 4. Flour, grains, and honey, kneaded. 
 
 5. Flour, strong old cheese, and a little honey, beat to a paste in 
 a mortar. 
 
 TEN ANGLING AXIOMS; 
 
 OR, IT IS REQUISITE. 
 
 1. To keep as far as possible from the water, and from your 
 brother bobs (thirty feet.) 
 
 2. To plumb your depth carefully. 
 
 3. Never to make paste with dirty hands. 
 
 4. To secure your rods, if fishing with more than one. 
 
 5. To remember that water spoils a rod. 
 
 6. That the best sport is met with early and late. 
 
 7. That you must remember not to forget or leave anything 
 behind you. 
 
 8. To remember that to drink pond water while warm is very 
 unhealthy. 
 
 9. Never lose your temper— perseveraniia vincit omnia. 
 
 10. Do nothing in a hurry. 
 
iS8 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 ITHOUT presuming to attempt a learned disserta- 
 tion on the art and history of angling, I have thus, 
 I think, placed the outhnes of the sport, and 
 particulars of the necessary apparatus, before my readers. 
 I might, it is true, have attempted an elaborate treatise 
 dealing with the natural characteristics of the fishes for 
 which the angler seek, but, on turning to my library, I find 
 that this has been done (to me at least) ad nauseum. At the 
 same time, I discovered that a compact and really practical list 
 of tackle had never been exhaustively placed in print by one 
 who knew, from his own experience, what the value and true 
 character of such tackle was. Having been' a manufacturer 
 from . boyhoodj I think, with all modesty, I can lay claim to 
 having, at least, accomplished this. 
 
 The history of tackle-making would be very interesting from 
 such a point of view : of that there can be no doubt. How 
 machinery has, in many quarters, superseded hand-labour, to 
 the detriment of actual value, and the possible improvement of 
 appearance, with a decrease of price, might find notice in such 
 , a treatise. I prefer, however, in this connexion, to let what is 
 written remain intact, simply contenting myself by applying 
 the old adage — " the proof of the pudding," etc. — in regard to 
 the tackle which is still made on the old principliP s. Careful 
 selection of material a,nd manual labour in the make-up can, in 
 my opinion, never be surpassed. 
 
159 
 
 I 
 
 However, I have frankly laid before my readers the outcome 
 of a large experience, and I shall be rewarded in knowing that 
 the work will certainly be of service to those, at least, who 
 profess the really fine art of fly-fishing, if to notie others ; 
 though I, by no means, despair of having set forth soilie very 
 certain facts which concern the " coarse " fisherman also. 
 
 G. LITTLE. 
 
 October, 1881. 
 
i6o 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Acts, freshwater fisheries, 141, 
 
 „ Victorian, 148. 
 Angler's vade mecum and Iremem- 
 
 brancer, The, 149. 
 ■ Angling axioms, ten, 157. 
 
 B. 
 
 Barbel, habitat, character, season, 
 
 etc., 92, 93. 
 Barbel, legering rod for, 94. 
 winch and line, 94. 
 legering "the leger," 94. 
 slide corking, the rod for, 95 
 „ the reel & line, 95. 
 „ ' bottom tackle, 96. 
 tight corking, „ 96. 
 
 • ). J, ground baits, 
 
 etc., 97, 98, 99. 
 Barbel -hook, baits, 99. 
 ,, fishing, leger, loo. 
 ,, ,, slide corking, loi. 
 ,, ,, _ when Barbel feed, 102 
 ,, legal size of, in Thames, 131. 
 Bleak, 80. 
 BloWTfly, 40. 
 Blow-line, 40. 
 Blue-head worm, 107. 
 Barometical readings, 147, 148. 
 Brandling worm, 107. 
 Bream, character, habitat, food, sea- 
 son, etc., 103, 104. 
 Bream legering, rod for, 104. 
 
 Bream legering, reel and line, 104. 
 ,, ,, the "leger," 105 
 „ rod. for slide and tight cork- 
 ing, 105. 
 Bream fishing, ground-baits, and how 
 
 to use theim, 105, 106. 
 Bream, hook-baits, 106, 167. 
 
 ,, tackle, and hook-baits, and 
 remarks on using, 108, log. 
 
 C. 
 
 Carp, character, habitat, etc., 6i, 62- 
 
 , , fishing, the rod, 62. 
 
 ,, „ reel and line, 62. 
 
 ,, ,, bottom tackle, 62. 
 . ,, ,, ground baits, and how 
 
 to use them, 63. 
 Carp fishing, hook-baits, 63. 
 
 ,, „ , how to use tackle and 
 
 hook-baits, 64. 
 Carp fishing, how to cast, 65. 
 Cast, left shoulder( 20. 
 Casting lines, Salmon, 15. 
 „ „ testing, 15. 
 Chub, its character, habits, habitat, 
 
 etc, 85, 86. 
 
 Chub, slide corking, rod for, 86. 
 
 ,, ,, „ ' winch & line, 87. 
 
 ,, ,, ,, bottom tackle,87. 
 
 ,, ,, ,, ground baits and 
 
 how to use them, 87. 
 Chub, slide corking, how to fish, 88. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 i6i 
 
 Chub, slide corking, hook baits, 88. 
 
 „ -jwhipping the rod, 88. 
 
 „ ,, winch and line, 89. 
 
 ,, ,, bottom tackle,. 89. 
 
 ,, hook baits & remarks thereon, 89. 
 Chub, equal sizes of, in Thames, 131. 
 'Clearing ring, 129. 
 Close times for fixed engines, 145. 
 „ for lower Thames, 145. 
 
 „ for Norfolk and Suffolk, 
 
 146, 
 Gockspur worm, 107. 
 Conclusion, 158. 
 
 D. 
 
 Dace, character, habits, etc., 81. 
 „ fishing with fly, 82. 
 
 „ the rod, 82. 
 „ the reel and line, 82. 
 ,, fly, the tackle, 82. 
 „ float, the rod, 83. 
 ,, ,, reel, & line, 83. 
 „ tackle, 83. 
 ,, „ ground and 
 hook-baits, 83. 
 Dace fishing, with remarks on tackle, 
 
 and baits, etc., 84. 
 Dace, legal size of, in Thames, 131. 
 Dry fly, 40. 
 
 F. 
 
 Fence months for Thames, 131. 
 Fishing stations on Thames, with 
 
 names of fishermen, preserves, 
 
 railway fares, etc., etc., 132. 
 Flies, Salmon, 15. 
 
 ,, Fennells, 18. 
 
 „ Trout, 3S. 
 Flounder, legal sue of, m Thames, 
 
 131- 
 Fly fishing, Trout, 32. 
 
 ,, for Pike, 130. 
 Fly-working, Salmon, 20. 
 Fly-book, Salmon, 24. 
 „ Trout, 36. 
 
 Gaff, 18. 
 
 Gentle, how to bait hook with, 77. 
 
 Gudgeon, legal size of in Thames, 
 
 131- 
 
 Gilt-spur worm, 1 07. 
 Grasshoppers for Grayling, 52. 
 Grayling, 49. 
 
 „ food, habits, etc., 50. 
 
 „ fly-fishing 50. 
 
 ,, grasshopper fishing, 51. 
 
 „ „ „therod,5i 
 
 Grayling, grasshopper tackle, $1. 
 
 „ how to use grasshopper 
 tackle, 52. 
 Grayling, when to strike, £2. 
 
 ,, size of, 52. 
 Ground baits, 156. 
 Gudgeon, character, haunts, etc., 1 1 1. 
 
 „ fishing tackle and b^its,l 1 1. 
 
 H. 
 
 High-water, ordinary time, 139. 
 Hooks, triplets, 128. 
 
 ,, * Dublin, Limerick, 16 and 17. 
 
 „ Francis' sizes, 16 and 17. 
 
 ,, various makes. 
 
 L. 
 
 Landing nit, 18, 36. 
 Lines, gauges of, 10, 11. 
 
 „ waterproof, Salmon, 14. 
 
 „ ■ heavy & light, for Salmon, 14. 
 
 ,, American, 14. 
 Lob-worms, 107. 
 Locks on Thames and distances, 140. 
 
 M. 
 
 Marsh-worms, 107. 
 
 Minnows, how to catch for Perch 
 
 fishing, 58. 
 Minnows, transporting, 58. 
 ,, to preserve, 44. 
 
 ■ N. 
 Netting, abolition of, 132. 
 
 P. 
 Pannier, 37. 
 1 Pastes, 157. 
 
l62 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Pastes, honey-comb, 76 ; white, 76 ; 
 
 red, 76; streaky, 76. 
 Paternoster,, for Perch, 56. 
 
 ,, how to use, 59- 
 
 Perch, where found, habits, etc., S4> 
 
 55- > , 
 Perch, paternostering, 55- 
 „ „ rod for, 55. 
 
 ,, ,, reel and line 
 
 for, 55. 
 , Perch, paternoster, 56. 
 
 „ whipping for, 59. 
 
 ,, ground baits, 57. 
 
 ,, hook-baits, 58., 
 
 ,, legal size of, in Thames, 131.' 
 Pike, character, weight, season, and 
 
 methods of fishing, 112, 113; 
 
 114. 
 Pike, spinning the rod, 114. 
 
 „ ,, the winch, 115. 
 
 ,, ,, the line, 115. 
 
 ,, ,, tackles, the Pennell, 
 
 117. 
 Pike ,, ,, the Chapman, 
 
 116. 
 
 ,, ,, ,, the Francis, 
 
 119. 
 Pike ,, ,, artificial 
 
 Colorado, and the Eclipse, 122. 
 Pike spinning swivels, 122. 
 
 ,, dead bait fishing or troHing the 
 
 rod, 125. 
 Pike, dead bait fishing, the winch, 
 
 127. 
 Pike, dead bait fishing, the line, 127. 
 ' ,, ,, „ the tackle, 
 
 127. 
 Pike, dead bait, Pennell's gorge 
 
 hook, 127. 
 Pike, dead bait, how to fish with, 127. 
 
 „ live baiting, the rod, 124. 
 
 ,, „ the reel, winch, 
 
 and line, 124. 
 Pike, live baiting, the tackle, 124, 
 
 125. 
 Pike, fly-fishing, 130. 
 Pike spinning, hook-baits for, 123. 
 
 ,, ,, how to spin, 123. 
 
 ,, legal size of, in Thames, 131. 
 
 R. 
 
 Rudd, habits, appearance, capture, 
 
 etc., etc., 78, 79. 
 Roach, legal size of, in Thames, 131, 
 Boach pastes, 76. 
 ,, hook-baits, 75. 
 , , fishing, remarks on tackle and 
 hook baits, & methods of use, 77. 
 Roach fly-fishing, 78. 
 Roach, character, habits, habitat, 
 
 etc., 69, 70. 
 Roach fishing, blow-line for, 70. 
 
 float fishing, rod for, 70, 71, 72. 
 , , reel and line, 72. 
 
 , , bottom tackle, 73. 
 
 " legering," 74. 
 ground baits, and how to use 
 them, 74, 75. , 
 River-keepers, power of, 131, 
 
 S. 
 
 Salmon-flies, 15. 
 
 „ Pennell's, 18. 
 
 Salmon rod, 6, 7- 
 
 „ Pennell's, 6. 
 „ Francis', 6. 
 ,, American, glued up, 7. 
 „ Castle Connell, 10. 
 winch, 10, II. 
 click or check, 11, 14. 
 fly, what it imitates, 6. 
 pursuit of, 5. 
 season of, 5. 
 migration of, 5. 
 the, 5. , 
 
 fisheries commissioners, 27. 
 Trout and pollen, close time 
 in Ireland, 28. 
 Salmon, close times in England and 
 
 Wales, 25. 
 Salmon, close time in Scotland, 27. 
 how to play, 21. 
 butting the fish, 21. 
 behaviour when hooked, 22. 
 habitat of, 23. 
 how to fish for, 19. 
 how to strike, 19, 20. 
 how to cast, 20. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 163 
 
 Salmon, legal size of, in Thames, 131. 
 ,, fisheries office, officials of, 
 
 139. 
 Salmon, spinning for, 23. 
 
 „ ,, „ with eel tail, 23. 
 , Phantom, 
 
 Appetiser, Spleskin, 23. 
 Salmon, spinning with Phantom, 
 
 Francis', Appetiser, Soleskin, 24. 
 Silk-weed for Koach, 77. 
 Sizes (legal) offish, 131. 
 
 ,j „ of Lea fish, 145. 
 Stewart's worm tackle, 45. 
 Worm-fishing, .44. 
 Steelyard, 130. 
 Swivels, 122. 
 
 Tench, character, habits, etc., 67. 
 
 ,, where found, 67. 
 
 „ when it feeds, 68. 
 
 „ spawning season, 68. 
 
 ,, fishing, method of capture, 
 68. 
 Thames Conservancy, board of, 139. 
 
 „ Trout, 47. 
 Tolls, annual on boats, 139. 
 ToUage on boats (Thames), 138. 
 Triplet hooks, 127. 
 Trout and Char, close times, 27. 
 
 ,. 31- 
 
 ,, common brown, 31. 
 
 „ S. fario, 31. 
 
 „ fly-fishing, 32. 
 
 „ „ the rod, 32. 
 
 „ the winch, 32, 33. 
 » „ the line, 34. 
 
 „ „ casting line, 35. 
 
 „ flies, 35. 
 
 ,, fly book, 36. 
 
 ,, landing net, 36. 
 
 „ where to fish, 38. 
 
 „ how to cast, 38. 
 
 ,, working of fly, 39. 
 
 ■ „ striking, 39. 
 
 Trout, working a stream, 39. 
 
 ,, playing the fish, 39. 
 
 ,, worm fishing, 44, 
 
 ,. ,. » rod, 45. 
 
 ,, „ ,, winch & line, i^. 
 
 ,, minnow spinning, 40. 
 
 ,, „ „ rod, 40. 
 
 ,, winch, 40. 
 
 ,, line, 41. 
 
 „ trace, 41. 
 
 ,, artificial baits, 41. 
 
 ,, „ Appetisers, 24: 
 
 ,, ,, Dace, Gudgeon, 
 Devons, 41. 
 
 ,, Colonel Hawker tackle, 41. 
 
 ,, Pennell's tackle, 42. 
 
 ,, Chapman's „ 42. 
 
 ,, common flight tackle, 43. 
 
 ,, how to spin, 44. 1 
 
 ,, where to cast, 44, 
 
 „ live baiting, 44. 
 
 ,, Thames, 47. 
 
 ,, Great Lake, 47. 
 
 ,, „ ,, where to fish, and 
 
 baits, 48. 
 Trout, Loch Leven, 48. 
 
 ,, Bull, 48. 
 
 ,, Sea, 48. 
 
 ,, worm fishing casting line, 45. 
 
 ,, „ ,, 'hooks, 45. 
 
 ,, ,, „ Stewart's tackle, 45 
 
 ,, legal size of in Thames, 131. 
 
 ,, casting the worm, 46. 
 
 „ how to play, 46. 
 
 ,, Keene on ditto, 47. 
 
 , , comparative weight of, 146. 
 
 W, 
 
 Wasp-grubs, 76. 
 Water-proof bag for fish, 37. 
 Weather wisdom, 147. 
 Whipping for Perch, 59- 
 Winch, Salmon, 10, 11, 14. 
 Worms, 156. 
 
 L2 
 
164 
 
 FISHING ROD k TACKLE MANUFACTURERS 
 
 " The Silver Grayling," 
 
 15, FETTER LANE, FLEET STREET, 
 
 L O 3Sr D O 3Sr, IB. o. 
 
 TN issuing our new and revised Price List, we beg to return 
 thanks to the Nobility, Gentry, and PubUc for the liberal pat- 
 ronage received for so many years past, and solicit a continuance 
 of favours and recommendation. 
 
 We can confidently ask the attention of Anglers to our superior 
 Tackle — being manufactured under our personal superintendence, 
 we guarantee that every care is taken to supply . all Goods of 
 superior quality and finish, and such as to maintain our reputation 
 as Fishing Tackle Manufacturers. 
 
 We solicit a perusal of the Testimonials at the end of the book, 
 which will, it is hoped, be an inducement to Anglers, who have 
 not hitherto used the Tackle of our Manufacture, to become 
 purchasers. 
 
 G. LITTLE & CO. 
 
i6S 
 
 \* Highest Award at the National Fisheries Exhibition 
 at Norwich — Gold Medal and Diploma of Honour for Fishing 
 Rods, Tackle, etc. 
 
 •CATALxOGUE- 
 
 OF SUPERIOR 
 
 Fishing Rods & Tackle. 
 
 No. 
 
 I Three-joint Bamboo Bottom Rods, lo ft 6 in 2/6 each 
 
 2' Four-joint do do do 12 ft 3/6 „ 
 
 3 Three-joint do do best splice tops, 10 ft 6 in 3/6 „ 
 
 4 Three-joint do do ringed, 10 ft 6 in 4/6 „ 
 
 5 Three-joint dodo,brazed,ringed,andwinchferrulesandbag 6/0 „ 
 
 6 Four-joint do, do, best splice top, 12 ft 3/6 „ 
 
 7 Four-joint do, do, do, ringed, do 5/6 „ 
 
 8 Four-joint do,do,brazed,ringed,and winch ferrulesand bag 8/6 „ 
 
 9 Five-joint do, do, best splice top, 12 ft 3 in 5/6 „ 
 
 10 Five-joint do, do, ringed, do.... 7/6 „ 
 
 11 Five-jointdo,do,brazed,ringed,andwinchferruleSandbag 10/6 „ 
 
 12 Six-joint do, do, best splice tops 7/0 „ 
 
 .13 Six-joint do, do, ringed 9/0 „ 
 
 14 Six-joint do,do,brazed,ringed,and winch ferrules andbag 12/0 „ 
 
 BOTTOM AND TROLLING RODS. 
 
 15 Four-joint Bamboo, 2 tops, brazed, ringed, winch ferrules 
 
 and bag, 12 ft 10/6 each 
 
 16 Four-joint do, do. Mottled Cane, 13 ft 15/0 „ 
 
 17 Four-joint do, do. Hickory or Greenheart, do .....15/0 „ 
 
r66 CATALOGUE OF 
 
 GENERAL RODS. 
 
 No. * 
 
 1 8 Four-joint do, do, Mottled Cane, 3 tops, partition bags, 
 
 upright rings, lOj n, 12, and 13 ft 21/0 each 
 
 ig Four-joint do, do, superior double brazed, do 30/0 „ . 
 
 20 Four-joint do, do, very superior, double brazed, brazed 
 
 under winch slide, spring stoppers, beautifully whipt, 
 
 and superior bag..'. ...........42/0 „ 
 
 21 Four-joint do, do. Hickory or Greenheart, 3 tops, upright 
 
 rings, partition bag, 13 ft 6 in 25/0 „ 
 
 22 Four-joint, do, do, superior double brazed, do 35/d „ 
 
 23 Four-joint, do, do, very superior double brazed, brazed 
 
 under winch slide, spring stoppers, beautifully whipt, 
 
 4 tops, and superior bag 50/0 „ 
 
 N.B. — ^Mottled Cane General Rods can be had from 14 to 15 ft, 
 at 2/0 per foot extra; or from 16 to 18 ft at 3/oper ft extra. 
 
 TROLLING RODS. 
 
 24 Four-joint best Hickory, Greenheart, or Mottled Cane, 
 
 with upright rings, plain bag, 10, 11, and 12 ft in 
 
 length, winch ferrules, etc 15/0 each 
 
 25 Four-joint do, do, 2 tops, and partition bag 21/0 „ 
 
 26 Four-joint do, do, superior double brazed 30/0 „ 
 
 27 Four-joint do, do, very superior, double brazed, brazed 
 
 under winch slide, spring stoppers, superior bag, etc.42/0 „ 
 
 BEST HICKORY AND GREENHEART BOTTOM 
 RODS, 
 
 Twelve Feet — In Bags. 
 
 28 Four-joint Bott9m Rod, plain bags , ...6/6 to ia/6 each 
 
 29 Four-joint do, do, ringed, brazed, winch ferrules, and par- 
 
 tition bags 12/9 to 15/0 „ 
 
FISHING RODS AND TJtCKLE. 167 
 
 PRINCE ALBERT BOAT RODS, 
 
 Twelve Feet. 
 
 In partition Bags, Horn Spinning Button, with upright or 
 lay-down rings. 
 No. I 
 
 30 Five-joint, five tops, beautifully whipt , 35/0 each 
 
 31 Five-joint, do, do, superior double brazed 45/0 „ 
 
 32 Five-joint, do, do, double bra-zed, braced under winch 
 
 slide, spring stopper, etc. ...'. 55/0 „ 
 
 33 Five-joint, do, do, very superior, with German silver 
 
 niounts, etc. 65/0 „ 
 
 H.R.H. the late Prince Consort greatly admired these rods, from 
 whom they derive their name. 
 
 FLY AND MINNOW SPINNING RODS, 
 Upright Rings, Partition Bags, 10, 11, or 12 feet. 
 
 34 Four-joint, three tops ,.25/0 each 
 
 35 Four-joint, do, four tops 30/0 „ 
 
 36 Four-joint, very superior, double brazed, brazed under 
 
 winch slide, spring stoppers, four tops, etc 45/0 „ 
 
 The butts are made hollow to hold tops ; can be used for fly, or 
 spinning for Trout. This is the only rod that we have seen 
 that answprs the purpose of both fly and spinning for Trout. 
 The four-top rods could be used for light trolling also. 
 
 BEST TROUT FLY RODS, 
 Partition Bags, Spear, and Button, beautifully Whipt. 
 
 37 Four-joints, beautifully whipt, 10, 1 1, or 12 ft., two tops, 
 
 hollow butt, to contain one top 21/0 each 
 
 38 Ditto double-brazed 30/0 „ 
 
 39 Ditto, ditto, very superior, double brazed, brazed under 
 
 winch slide, spring stoppers, superior Bag, &c. ......42/0 „ 
 
 Can be had in three joints at same prices, or five joints at 2/0 each 
 extra. 
 
l68 CATALOGUE OF 
 
 No. 
 
 40 Three or four joints, double-handed, two tops, 14 feet ...30/0 each 
 
 41 Ditto ditto double-brazed 40/0 „ 
 
 42 Ditto ditto joints, double-brazed, brazed under winch 
 
 slide, spring stopper, superior Bag, etc 50/0 „ -' 
 
 43 Five joints at 2/- each extra 
 
 44 Solid butts, and top cases, to hold tops, at the same prices. 
 
 BEST HICKORY OR GREENHEART 
 SALMON RODS. 
 
 Two Tops, Partition Bag, and Button, beautifully Whipt, etc, 
 
 45 Three or four-joint Salmon Rod, 16, 17, and 18 ft ...42/0, 
 
 45/0, and 50/0 each 
 
 46 Three or four-joint do, do, double brazed, 16, 17, and 18 ft 
 
 52/0, 55/0, and 60/0 „ 
 
 47 Three or four-joint do, very superior do, double brazed, 
 
 brazed under winch slide, spring stoppers, etc., 16, 
 
 17, and 18 ft 65/0, 70/0, and 75/0 „ 
 
 Can be had with an extra spinning top for mahseer at 5/0 each 
 extra. When ordering, if required for mahseer, please note the 
 same, that we may select that which is most suitable. 
 
 CASTLE CONNELL SALMON AND TROUT RODS, 
 
 With Partition Bags, Etc. 
 
 48 Two-joint, 12, 13, and 14 feet. Trout 15/0 18/0, and 21/0 each 
 
 49 „ ,, Superior, two tops, 12, 13, and 14 feet 21/0, 
 
 25/0, and 30/0 „ 
 
 50 ,) „ Ditto, 10, n, and 12 feet 21/0 „ 
 
 51 „ „ 16, 17, and 18 feet, Salmon ...30/0, 35/0, and 40/0 „ 
 
 52 „ „ Superior, two tops, 16, 17, and 18 feet, 40/0, 
 
 50/0, and 60/0 „ 
 
FISHING RODS AND TACKLE. 169 
 
 VERY SUPERIOR GLUED-UP CANE RODS, 
 Salmon and Trout, Two Tops, Partition Bags, 
 
 No. 
 
 53 Three-joint 10, 11, and 12 feet, Trout £4 los. each 
 
 54 „ „ nickel-plated, 10, II, and 12 feet £s » 
 
 55 „ „ 14 feet £7 7s. » 
 
 56 „ „ 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 feet, Salmon 
 
 ;^io los., £11 IIS., ;£i2 I2S., ^13 13s., 
 
 and £14 14s. „ 
 
 A large assortment of Punt and Ladies' Rods kept in stocic. 
 Rods made to pattern, or mounted in Gold or Silver. 
 
 WHITE-CANE ROACH ROD. 
 
 57 Sixteen feet, with two tops 21/0 each 
 
 58 „ „ Ditto, ringed, and winch ferrules 25/0 
 
 59 „ „ Ditto, ditto 30/0 
 
 60 „ „ Ditto, /ery superior 3S/0 
 
 61 Eighteen,, Plain, with two tops,.^ 25/0 
 
 62 „ „ Ringed and winch ferrules 33/0 
 
 63 „ „ Ditto, ditto 35/0 
 
 64 „ „ Very superior, three tops 40/0 
 
 65 Twenty „ Plain, two tops 30/0 
 
 66 „ „ Ditto, ringed and winch ferrules 35/0 
 
 67 „ „ Ditto .40/0 
 
 68 „ „ Ditto, very superior 45/0 
 
 WALKING-STICK RODS. 
 
 69 Three-joint Bamboo Plugs, about ten feet 3/0 each 
 
 70 Four „ Ditto, 12 feet 4/6 „ 
 
 71 Three „ Ditto, brass screw ends, ten feet 3/6 „ 
 
 72 Four „ Ditto, ditto 5/0 „ 
 
 73 „ „ Best splice top, metal or horn heads, 12 feet ...7/6 „ 
 
 Also a variety, with fancy outsides, and superior finished, 
 from 12/0 to 30/0. 
 
17° CATALOGUE OF 
 
 BEST PLAIN WINCHES. 
 
 , Fig. lo— page 33. 
 
 No. 
 
 74 Two inches in diameter 2/9 each 
 
 75 Two-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 3/3 „ 
 
 76 Two-and-a-half inches in diameter 3/9 „ 
 
 77 Two-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 4/6 „ 
 
 78 Three inches in diameter 6/0 „ 
 
 79 Three-and-a-quarter inches in diameter : . .8/0 „ 
 
 80 Three-and-a-half inches in diameter lo/o „ 
 
 81 Three-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 12/0 „ 
 
 82 Four inches in diameter 14/0 „ 
 
 83 Four-and-a-quarter inches in diameter ...16/0 „ 
 
 BEST CHECK-WINCHES. 
 
 Fig. II— page 33. 
 
 84 Two inches in diameter , ..6/6 each 
 
 85 Two-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 7/6 „ 
 
 86 Two-and-a-half inches in diameter 8/6 „ 
 
 87 Two-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 9/6 „ 
 
 88 Three inches in diameter 10/6 „ 
 
 89 Three-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 11/6 „ 
 
 90 Three-and-a-half inches in diameter 12/6 „ 
 
 91 Three-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 13/6 „ 
 
 92 Four inches in diameter •••14/6 » 
 
 93 Four-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 16/6 „ 
 
 Multiplying Winches not recommended. 
 The above can be had Bronzed at -/6 each extra. 
 
 BEST PLAIN REVOLVING PLATE-WINCHES. 
 
 Fig. 12— page 34. 
 
 94 Two inches in diameter 7/6 each 
 
 95 Two-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 8/0 j, 
 
 96 Two-and-a-half inches in diameter 9/0 „ 
 
 97 Two-and-three-quarter inches in diameter lo/o „ 
 
FISHING RODS AND TACKLE. 17I 
 No. 
 
 98 Three inches in diameter ii/oeach. 
 
 99 Three-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 12/0 „' 
 
 100 Three-and-a-half inches in diameter ij/o » 
 
 I o I ' Three-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 18/0 „ 
 
 102 Four inches in diameter 21/0 » 
 
 103 Fout-and-a-quarter inches in diameter , -25/0 » 
 
 The above can be had Bronzed at -/6 each extra. 
 
 BRONZED REVOLVING PLATE-WINCHES. 
 
 Steel Checks. 
 
 Fig. 12— page 34. , ■, 
 
 104 Two mches m diameter 12/0 each 
 
 105 Two-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 12/6 „ 
 
 106 Two-and-a-half inches in diameter 14/6 „ 
 
 107 Two-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 16/6 „ 
 
 108 Three inches in diameter 18/6 „ 
 
 109 Three-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 21/0 „ 
 
 ijo Three-and-a-half inches in diameter 24/0 „ 
 
 111 Three-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 26/0 „ 
 
 112 Four inqhes in diameter ,-. 28/0 „ 
 
 113 Four-and^a-quarter inches in diameter 30/0 „ 
 
 114 Four-and-a-half inches in diameter 33/0 „ 
 
 115 Four-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 36/0 „ 
 
 116 Five inches in diameter 40/0 „ 
 
 DITTO, SUPERIOR— SAME QUALITY AS 
 
 Fig. s— page i3- 
 
 117 Two inches in diameter 18/0 each 
 
 118 Two-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 18/6 „ 
 
 iig Two-and-a-half inches in diameter 20/0 „ 
 
 Larger sizes made to order. 
 
 SUPERIOR BRONZED CIRCULAR-PLATE WINCHES 
 Steel Checks. 
 
 Fig. 5— page 13. 
 
 120 Two-and-three-quarter inches.in diameter 22/0 each 
 
 121 Three inches in diameter 24/0 „ 
 
 122 Three-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 26/0 „ 
 
172 CATALOGUE OF 
 
 No. 
 
 123 Three-and-a-half inches in diameter 28/0 each 
 
 124 Three-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 30/0 „ 
 
 125 Four inches in diameter 35/0 „ 
 
 126 Four-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 40/0 „ 
 
 127 Four-and-a-half inches in diameter 45/0 „ 
 
 128 Four-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 50/0 „ 
 
 129 Five inches in diameter •. 55/0 „ 
 
 SUPERIOR BRONZED CIRCULAR-PLATE WINCHES. 
 Outside Pillars. Steel Checks. 
 
 Fig, 4— page 12. 
 
 130 Two inches in diameter 22/6 each 
 
 131 Two-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 26/6 „ 
 
 132 Two-and-a-half inches in diameter 29/6 „ 
 
 133 Two-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 33/6 „ 
 
 134 Three inches in diameter 36/0 „ 
 
 135 Three-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 39/6 „ 
 
 ,136 Three-and-a-half inches in diameter 44/0 „ 
 
 1 37 Three-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 48/0 „ 
 
 138 Four inches in diameter 52/0 „ 
 
 1 39 Four-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 56/0 „ 
 
 140 Four-and-a-half inches in diameter 60/0 „ 
 
 Line Rollers, 3/- each, extra. 
 
 SUPERIOR OUTSIDE PILLAR WINCHES. 
 
 Fig. 2— page g. 
 
 141 Two inches in diameter .24/0 each. 
 
 142 Two-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 28/0 „ 
 
 143 Two-and-a-half inches in diameter 31/0 „ . 
 
 144 Two-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 34/0 „ 
 
 14s Three inches in diameter 37/0 „ 
 
 146 Three-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 41/0 „ 
 
 147 Three-and-a-half inches in diameter 45/6 „ 
 
 148 Three-and-three-quarter inches in diameter 50/0 „ 
 
 149 Four inches in diameter 54/0 „ 
 
 150 Four-and-a-quarter inches in diameter 58/0 „ 
 
 151 Four-and-a-half inches in diameter ^ 63/0 „ 
 
FISHING RODS AND TACKLE. 1 73 
 
 LINES. 
 No. 
 
 152 Best Derby silk lines, in 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, and 100 yard lengths 
 
 at l/o per score yards. 
 
 153 Best plaited silk lines, three-quarters, o/i and oli}i per yard. 
 
 154 Waterproof silk lines, sizes. Fig. 3 — ^page 10. 
 
 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. 
 
 0/4 0/4 0/3 0/3 0/2 0/2 ojiyiojiyi 
 
 155 Very superior American braided waterproof silk lines, 
 
 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. 
 
 8/3 7/8 6/10 6/0 s/2 4/8 4/4 3/10 per score yards. 
 
 156 Ditto taper, A. B. C. D. E. F. G. 
 
 9/4 8/3 7/8 6/10 6/0 5/2 4/8 per score yards. 
 
 '57 Patent taper silk and hair trout fly lines in 15,25, 30, and 40 yard 
 
 lengths oli% per yard. 
 
 '58 Ditto, ditto, best ..0/2 „ 
 
 '59 Ditto, ditto, ditto, plaited 0/3 „ 
 
 " Salmon, best, in 60, 80, 120, and 140 yard lengths... 0/3 „ 
 
 '^' Ditto, ditto plaited 0/4 „ 
 
 '"^ Fine Nottingham rough silk lines in 80 yard- lengths,... 2/0 each. 
 
 '^3 Ditto, ditto, Barbel 2/6 „ 
 
 For sea lines, &c., see pages 187 and i88. Any other line 
 supplied to order. 
 
 FURNISHED LINES. 
 
 164 Cork float, silk hne, hook and winder complete, 0/6 and 0/9 each. 
 
 165 Ditto, ditto, ditto on reels, cork or quill float i/o and 1/6 „ 
 
 166 Ditto, ditto, ditto, gut lines 1/6, 2/0, 2/6 „ 
 
 167 Ditto, ditto, two line reels with floats, hooks, etc. 3/0, 4/0, 5/0 „ 
 
 168 Four Une reel with box centre, containing shot, caps, 
 
 plummet, gut lines, floats, hooks, etc 6/0 and 8/6 „ 
 
174 
 
 CATALOGUE OF 
 
 GUT CASTING LINES. 
 
 PER DOZEN. 
 
 No. 
 
 169 Gut lines, regular 
 
 170 Ditto, superior — 
 
 171 Ditto, fine or extra fine 
 
 172 Ditto, fine drawn 
 
 173 Ditto, stout '. 
 
 174 Ditto, extra stout 
 
 175 Ditto, salmon ., 
 
 176 Ditto, extra stout 
 
 177 Ditto, three-gut twisted fine 
 
 178 Ditto, six-gut twisted fine 
 
 179 Ditto, three-gut twisted stout 
 
 180 Ditto, six-gut twist 
 
 181 Ditto, nine-gut twisted 1 
 
 182 Ditto, twelve-gut twisted 
 
 183 Ditto plaited four-gut 
 
 184 Ditto, ditto eight ditto 
 
 185 Ditto, taper half twisted gut and half single 
 
 salmon 
 
 186 Ditto, extra single 
 
 187 Ditto, half twisted gut and half double gut... 
 
 I yd. 
 
 3/0 
 3/0 
 
 .4/0' 
 4/0 
 6/0 
 
 1 0/0 
 
 iS/o 
 
 i}6yd. 
 
 iS/o 
 21/0 
 12/0 
 
 IS/o 
 
 16/6 
 
 2 yds, 
 
 6/0 
 
 '6/0 
 
 8/0 
 
 8/0 
 
 12/0 
 
 20/0 
 
 28/0 
 
 3 yds. 
 6/0 
 9/0 
 9/0 
 
 I2/0' 
 
 12/0 
 
 18/0 
 
 30/0 
 
 42/0; 
 
 24/0 
 
 36/0, 
 
 30/0 
 
 42/0 
 
 52/O' 
 
 62/0. 
 
 33/0 
 
 52/0; 
 
 30/0 
 36/0 
 130/?' 
 
 G. L. & Co. being importers 'of silkworm-gut, gendemen may 
 rely on all the above being made from new selected gut, and of the 
 first quality ; theyare sent out stained grey(unless ordered otherwise), 
 in envelopes containing half a dozen in eaph, bearing our registered 
 trade mark, without which none are genuine. They can be had in 
 smaller quantities if desired. 
 
 ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 
 Trout-flies, tied on selected fine gut and best hooks... 2/0 per dozen 
 
 ,, Pennell's : 2/6 
 
 „ Lake 3/0 ■ 
 
 „ „ mixed wings 4/0 
 
 192 May-flies, as Nos. 51 and 57 (see coloured plates) ...3/0 
 
 193 „ as Nos; 48 and 50 ditto ...4/0 
 
 194 „ floating naturals, as 47 and 49 ditto ...5/0 
 
 195 Grilse, or Sea-trout 6/0 
 
 196 Double hooks (Palmer's) see No. 4 coloured plates ...4/0 
 
 197 Alexandra flies, see Nos. 5 and 6 ditto —3/0 
 
 198 „ „ see Nos. 7 and 8 ditto ...4/0 
 
 188 
 189 
 190 
 191 
 
FISHING RODS AND TACKLK. 175 
 
 Salmon-flies of every description. 
 jj. Plain wool-bodies^split, or mallard wings. 
 
 When ordering flies, state about the size required (for sizes see p. 16) 
 
 199 Salmon-flies, from the Book on Angling by F. Francis, kept in stock. 
 
 200 Sizes, I, 2, 3, 4, 5 (see page 16 for sizes) lo/o per dozen 
 
 201 Ditto, i/o, 2/0 12/0 „ 
 
 Plain flies, i.e., Butchers, Bakers, Mahseers, etc. 
 
 202 Size, I, 2, 3,4, 5 12/0 „ 
 
 203 „ i/o 14/0 „ 
 
 204 „ 2/0 16/0 „ 
 
 20s „ 3/0 18/0 
 
 With one golden pheasant topping in wing. 
 
 206 Size, I, 2, 3, 4, 5 18/0 
 
 207 „ i/o 20/0 „ 
 
 208 „ 2/0 24/0 „ . 
 
 209 „ 3/0,4/0 28/0 „ 
 
 Flies with two or more golden pheasant toppings in wings, are 
 
 charged according to the price per dozen of the extra popping 
 
 required. 
 
 N.B. — Most particular attention is given to this department. Flies 
 
 dressed to pattern; (no extra charge) and forwarded with 
 
 as little delay as possible. 
 
 210 Flies from the Book on Angling, by Francis Francis, kept in stock. 
 
 FISHING-BASKETS. 
 
 Fig. 15— page 37. 
 
 211 First size Panniers 2/6 each 
 
 212 Second „ .....' 3/0 „ 
 
 213 Third „ 4/0 „ 
 
 214 Fourth „ 5/0 „ 
 
 215 Fifth „ 6/0 „ 
 
 216 Sixth „ 7/0 „ 
 
 217 Eighth '„ ..'. .9/0 „ 
 
 The above are stained chocolate colour. 
 
 218 Superior mountings for above, with lock and key 6/0 each 
 
 219 - „ n bronzed 6/6 „ 
 
 220 Straps for ditto ..1/3 „ 
 
 221 „ ' webb 2/6 „ 
 
176 
 
 CATALOGUE OF 
 
 No. TACKLE-BOOKS. 
 
 222 One Fold 2/6, 3/6, 4/6, and 5/6 each 
 
 223 Two „ 3/6, 4/6, s/6, 6/6, 8/6, and 10/6 „ 
 
 224 Two „ with fly-leaves 5/0 to 20/0 „ 
 
 FLY-BOOKS.— Hand Sewn. 
 
 Ilicli. 
 
 225 4 
 
 226 A% 
 
 227 5 
 
 228 S^ 
 
 229 6 
 
 230 6X 
 
 231 7 
 
 232 7}i 
 
 233 ^ 
 
 234 8>^ 
 
 23s 9 
 
 236 9>^ 
 
 
 Each. 
 2/0 
 2/6 
 3/0 
 
 3/6 
 4/0 
 4/6 
 5/0 
 
 Black. 
 Each. 
 
 4/6' 
 5/0 
 5(6 
 6/6 
 
 7/6 
 
 8/6 
 
 9/6 
 
 1 0/0 
 
 Each. 
 
 5/6 
 6/6 
 7/6 
 8/6 
 
 10/6 
 1 1/6 
 12/6 
 
 "Si 
 f s n !i 
 
 00^ o. 
 
 Black 
 Each. 
 
 lo/o 
 
 1 1/6 
 13/0 
 14/6 
 16/0 
 17/6 
 
 19/0 
 21/0 
 23/0 
 
 Kuss. 
 Each. 
 
 13/0 
 15/0 
 16/0 
 17/0 
 18/6 
 20/6 
 
 22/6 
 24/6 
 26/0 
 
 „• 2 10" S - 
 On. i>.T. S aj.^ 
 
 Black 
 Each. 
 
 13/0 
 14/6 
 16/0 
 17/6 
 19/0 
 lo Leaves. 
 
 Russ. 
 Each. 
 
 
 16/0 
 18/0 
 
 20/0 
 22/0 
 24/0 
 
 21/0 
 
 24/0 
 
 26/0 
 28/0 
 
 26/0 
 
 28/0 
 30/0 
 33/0 
 
 Black 
 Each. 
 
 12/0 
 14/0 
 16/0 
 Dble. Pkts' 
 
 Kuss. 
 Each. 
 
 16/0 
 19/0 
 21/0 
 
 20/0 
 22/0 
 34/0 
 26/0 
 
 24/0 
 26/6 
 29/0 
 33/0. 
 
 A variety of other kinds kept in stock. 
 
 The new Fly Book, as noticed on pp. 35 and 36, will shortly be 
 
 completed. 
 
 LANDING OR GAFF HOOKS. 
 
 237 Trout size ; i/o each 
 
 238 Ditto steel 2/oand3/o „ 
 
 239 Salmon or pike 2/0 „ 
 
 240 Ditto steel 4/oand.5/o » 
 
 241 Gaff hook with folding knife 2/6 „ 
 
 242 Ditto with folding hook and knife 4/6 „ 
 
 243 The new superior telescope gaff (fig. 7 — ^page 18)..... 25/0 „ 
 
 LANDING HANDLES. 
 
 244 Bamboo, three feet six inches long i/o each 
 
 245 Black ash, four feet 2/0 „ 
 
 246 Ditto, best polished 5/0 „ 
 
FISHING RODS AND TACKLE. 177 
 No. 
 
 247 Mottled cane 2/0 each 
 
 248 Ditto, but with springs '..-. ■. ...3/0 „ 
 
 249 Ditto, extra long for salmon ....^...5/0 „ 
 
 250 Two-joint telescope handles 5/6 „ 
 
 251 Two-joint ditto, superior, with springs 8/6 „ 
 
 252 Three-joint, telescope .6/0 „ 
 
 253 Three-joint ditto, superior with springs ; 10/6 „ 
 
 LANDING RINGS. 
 
 254 Plain round, nine, ten, and twelve ;, 0/9 each 
 
 255 Ten inch folding (fig. 15— page 37) 2/6 „ 
 
 256 Twelve inch ditto , 3/0 „ 
 
 257 Fourteen inch ditto 3/6 
 
 258 Sixteen inch ditto , 4/5 „ 
 
 259 Eighteen inch ditto , 5/0 „ 
 
 260 Ten inch superior ditto, made of a new metal, nickel plated 4/6 „ 
 
 261 Twelve inch ditto 5/6 „ 
 
 262 Fourteen inch ditto 6/6' „ 
 
 263 Sixteen inch ditto 8/6 „ 
 
 264 Eighteen inch ditto 10/6 „ 
 
 265 Whalebone ditto, very superior collapsing with tanned net 
 
 18, 20, 22, 24, 27, and 30 inches when closed (fig. 6 — 
 
 page 18) 20/0, 21/0, 22/0, 2S/0, 30/0, and 35/0 „ 
 
 266 Steel collapsing with tanned net (same pattern as fig. 6), 
 
 18, 20, and 22 inches when closed 10/6 „ , 
 
 267 Ditto, 24, 27, and 30 inches li/6, 12/6, and 13/6 „. 
 
 BEST STEELYARDS. 
 
 Fig. 36— page 129. 
 
 268 2 lbs. or 3 lbs., marked in ozs 7/6 each 
 
 269 4 „ marked in 2 ozs 7/6 „ 
 
 270 3 „ to 10 lbs., plain 4/9 „ 
 
 271 12 „ to 18 lbs., plain 6/9 „ 
 
 272 20 „ 9/0 » 
 
 273 30 „ 12/0 „ 
 
 274 40 „ 15/6 ,, 
 
 M 
 
178 CATALOGUE OF 
 No. 
 
 275 50 lbs ^ .19/0 each 
 
 276 60 „ , 22/6 „ 
 
 127710 „ plated 9/6 „ 
 
 378 20 „ „ 13/6 „ 
 
 27930 ,, ,, 17/6 „ 
 
 28040 „ „ 22/0 „ 
 
 281 50 „ „ 26/0 „ 
 
 282 60 „ „ 30/0 „ 
 
 28320 „ German silver faces 12/0 „ 
 
 284 30 » „ „ ' „ 15/6 „ 
 
 28540 „ „ „ „ 19/0 ,, 
 
 286 50 „ „ „ „ 23/6 „ 
 
 287 60 „ „ „ „ 27/0 „ 
 
 SILKWORM-GUT. 
 
 288 Silkworm-Gut 1/6,2/0,2/6 per hank 
 
 '289 „ '„ stout 2/6,3/6,5/0 „ 
 
 290 „ „ fine .2/0,2/6,3/6 „ 
 
 291 „ „ Salmon.; 7/6 „ 
 
 292 „ „ „ stout 10/6 „ 
 
 293 „ „ selected „ 3/6,4/6 „ 
 
 294 „ „ fine 4/6,5/6 „ 
 
 295 „ „ stout 5/6,7/6 „ 
 
 296 „ „ Salmon' 15/0, 20/0, 25/0,30/0 „ 
 
 297 Drawn Gut, 10^ in. long '. 4/0 
 
 298 „ „ ii}4 „ '. 4/6 
 
 299 „ „ 12X „ • 5/0 
 
 3°° „ „ 13^ „ 5/6 
 
 3-01 „ „ 14^ „ 6/6 
 
 302 „ „ 15X „ :...7/9 
 
 The above are subject to fluctuations of the market. 
 
 NETS. 
 
 303 Landing nets, gudgeon mesh 0/9, i/o, 1/3, and 1/6 each 
 
 304 Ditto, salmon 2/6, 3/6, and 5/0 „ 
 
 305 Ditto, minnow mesh 1/3, 1/6, 2/0, 2/6,'and3/o' „ 
 
FISHING .RODS AND TACKLE. 1 79 
 
 >No. 
 
 306 Live bait or drum nets v2/6, 3/6, 4/6, and S/6 each 
 
 307 Minnow wonders, 14 inch ..: 3/0 „ ' 
 
 308 „ .„ 16 „ -3/6 „ 
 
 309 >> » 18 „ , 4/0 » 
 
 310 !. » 20 „ 4/6 „ 
 
 3"i » , » 22 „ s/6 „ 
 
 Cast Nets, Trawls, etc., made to order. 
 
 ARTIFICIAL BAITS. - 
 Mounted with best Hooks, ' etc. 
 
 i3i2 Flexible fly Minnows for Trout, etc 0/4 each 
 
 313 „ Creepers for Trout, Chub, etc 0/6 „ 
 
 314 „ Frogs for Chub, etc 0/6 „ 
 
 315 „ „ for Pike 0/9. „ 
 
 316 „ Fluttering May-flies for Trout, Chub, etc i/o „ 
 
 317 „ Appetisers for Salmon, Trout, Perch, Pike, etc., 
 
 (fig. 9— page 24,) I ^, 2, 2X', and 2X inch... 1/6 ,1 
 
 318 ' „ Ditto, 3X and 3^ inch...: 2/0 ; „ 
 
 319 „ Ditto, 4X inch 2/6 „ 
 
 320 f„ Soleskin phantom, patent, for Salmon, Trout, 
 Perch, Pike, etc. (fig. 8— psige 23), iX, i^ 
 2, and 2 X inch... 2/6 „ 
 
 32l'''-(„ Ditto, 2J and 3 inch 3/0 ,, 
 
 322 „ Ditto, 3>^ inch 3/6 „ 
 
 323 « Ditto, 4 inch , 4/0 „ 
 
 324 l„ Ditto, 4^ inch ...4/6 „ 
 
 325 „ Bass baits for Perch, Pike, Bass, and Salmon, 
 
 i>^, iK')2, 2X inch 2/0 „ 
 
 326 „ Ditto, 2^ and 3 inch j.. 2/6 „ 
 
 327 „ Ditto, 3X and 3;^ inch ; 3/0 „ 
 
 328 „ Ditto, 4 inch..' 3/6 „ 
 
 329 Guttapercha Minnows for Trout, Peirc^, etc. (plate, fig. ) 1/6 „ 
 
 330 Ditto ditto, superior 2/6 „ 
 
 331 Ditto Gudgeon or Dace 2/0, 2/6, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, and 7/6 „ 
 
 332 Ditto Caledonian assorted colours (plate, fig. ) for 
 
 Perch, Trout, etc., i}i, i^, 2, and 2X inch 2/0 „ 
 
 * Special Diploma fqr these at the Norwich Exhibition. 
 
 M 2 
 
l8o ' CATALOGUE OF 
 
 No. . , , 
 
 333 Gutta Percha Caledonian, assorted colours, for Trout, 
 
 Perch, etc., 2yi. inch 2/6 each 
 
 334 Ditto, for Salmon, Pike, etc., 3 and 3X inch 3/0 „ 
 
 335 Ditto, ditto, 3^ inches.. 3/6 ,; 
 
 336 Ditto, ditto, 4X^, and 4|^ iiiches 4/0 , „ 
 
 337 Artificial quill shrimps and prawns for Salmon, etc.; 0/9 and I/O „ 
 
 338 „ caterpillars for Trout, etc 4/0 per dozen 
 
 339 » » » double hooks 6/0 „ 
 
 ■ ARTIFICIAL CORK INSECTS, 
 For Chub, Trout, etc. 
 
 340 House-flies 4/0 per dozen 
 
 341 Blue-bottlels 4/0 
 
 342 Black-beetles 4/0 
 
 343 Cockchafers '. 4/0 
 
 344 Wasp 4/0 
 
 345 Grasshopper 4/0 
 
 346 Gnat 4/0 
 
 347 Bronze-fly 4/0 
 
 348 Cowdung , , 4/0 
 
 349 Fern-fly 4/0 
 
 350 Soldier-fly , ..4/0 
 
 351 Spiders ., 4/0 
 
 352 Hornets ....4/0 
 
 353 Wood-louse 4/0 
 
 354 Gentle 4/0 
 
 355 Wasp-grub , i 4/0 
 
 356 Caddis 4/0 
 
 357 Cricket 4/0 
 
 358 May-fly 4/0 
 
 359 Hurtible-bees 4/0 
 
 , METAL BAITS. 
 
 360 Colorado spoons for Perch, Pike, etc. (plate, fig. ) 2/0 each 
 
 361 Cleopatra baits for Perch, Pike, etc. (plate, fig. ), 2/6, 
 
 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0 „ 
 
FISHING RODS AND TACKLE. • l8l 
 
 No. 
 
 362 American spoon-baits for Pike, Perch, etc. (all sizes) 2/oeach. 
 
 363 Minnows for Perch, Trout, etc. (Tin) 1/6 „ 
 
 364? Ditto for Perch and Pike (Lead) i/o and 1/6 „ 
 
 365 Metal Baits, Devon Minnows for Trout, Perch, etc., i, 1%, 
 
 lyi, and i^ inches 1/6 „ 
 
 366 „ ditto, best solid metal * 2/0 „ 
 
 367 „ ditto, ditto, 2 inch 2/0 „ 
 
 368 „ ditto, ditto 2/6 „ 
 
 369 „ 2^ inch, for Salmon, Pike, etc 2/6 „ 
 
 370 „ ditto, ditto, best solid metal 3/0 „ 
 
 371 „ 3 inch ditto ...: 3/0 „ 
 
 372 „ 3 inch ditto, best solids 3/6 ,, 
 
 373 „ 3>^and4inch 3/6 „ 
 
 374 „ ditto ditto, best 4/0 „ 
 
 375 „ Gold^and silver bait for, Perch, Trout, etc., i^ and 
 
 2 inch 2/0 „ 
 
 376 „ Ditto, 2% inch 2/6 „ 
 
 377 „ Kill Devils for Trout, Perch, etc. (gold or silver) 2/6 „ 
 
 378 „ ShadowEelsforPerch,Trout,etc.,i>^,l^,and2Xinchi/o „ 
 
 379 „ ditto for Salmon, Pike, etc., 3 and 3>^ inch ...1/6 „ 
 
 380 ,. ditto ditto, 4^ and 4>^ inch 2/0 „ 
 
 381 „ Spoon baits for Trout, Perch, etc. , iX and 2 inch ...1/6 „ 
 
 382 „ ditto for Pike, Salmon, etc., 2X, ^yi, 2^, and 3 
 
 inch 2/0 ,. 
 
 383 „ ditto ditto, 3X, 3Xj and 3^ inch ; 2/6 
 
 384 „ ditto ditto, 4 and 4X inch '. 3/0 
 
 38s „ ditto ditto, 5 inch '. 3/6 
 
 386 „ ditto ditto, superior, gold outside, sizes i X to 3X inch, 
 
 0/6 ?ach extra ; 3^, to 5 inch, i/o each extra. 
 
 387 „ Clipper baits for Trout, Perch, etc., i )i inch (fig. 29 
 
 —page 121) „ 2/0 „ 
 
 388 „ ditto for Pike, Perch, etc., 2X and 2^ inch 2/6 „ 
 
 389 „ ditto ditto, 3 inch ;3/o „ 
 
 390 „ Eclipse for Perch, Trout, etc., \% and 2 inch (fig. 
 
 30— page 121) 1/6 „ 
 
 391 „ d'itto for Pike, Salmon, etc., 2, 1%, 2;^, 2^, 3, 3^, 
 
 and 2}4 inch 2/6 „ 
 
l82 CATALOGUE OF 
 
 SPINNING AND TROLLING TACKLE, Etc. 
 
 No. 
 
 392 Spinning-flights, gut or gimp (fig. 23— page 116) i/o each 
 
 393 » Pennell's „ 24 „ 117 i/o ,. , 
 
 394 » » • » 26 „ 119 1/3 „, 
 
 395 » Francis' „ 27 „ 119 i/o „ 
 
 396 „ Gut-flights for Trout (fig. 19 — page 43) ...0/9 ,j 
 
 397 „ PenneU's ,,17 ,,43 ...i/o „ 
 
 398 „ Colonel Hawker's „ 16 „ 42 ...i/o „ 
 
 399 Gorge-hooks , 0/4 „ 
 
 400 „ PenneU's (fig. 32— page 126) 0/4 „ 
 
 401 Ryder snap-tackle., 0/3 „ 
 
 402 Snap-tackle, consisting of one treble-hook and a lip-hook 0/4 „ 
 
 403 „ with two treble-hooks and no lip-hook 0/6 „ 
 
 404 Single live-bait ho'oks 1/6 per dozen 
 
 405 Double „ „ 2/0 „ 
 
 406 Single gut-traces, with two swivels 0/9 each 
 
 407 ,, „ with lead ;.......i/o „ 
 
 408 „ „ with three swivels lyi yards long, for 
 
 the Thames, etc i 1/6 „ 
 
 409 „ „ with extra stout single Salmon-gut 2/6 „ 
 
 410 Gimp traces, with two swivels 0/9 „' 
 
 411 „ „ with lead I/O „ ■ 
 
 412 „ „ Pennell's i/o „ 
 
 413 Twisted gfut traces, with two swivels 1/6 „ 
 
 414 » „ ,. with lead , 1/9 „ 
 
 415 Double gut traces, with two swivels 1/6 „ 
 
 416 „ „ „ with lead 1/9 „ 
 
 417 Stewart?s worm-tackles, with two, three, or four hooks (fig. 
 
 20 — ^page 46) :...i/6, 2/0, and 2/6 per dozen 
 
 418 Chapman's spinners (fig. 22 — page 116) 1/6, 2/0, and 2/6 each 
 
 419 Leger-, or Barbel-bottoms, complete i/o „ 
 
 420 Paternosters, single gut or gimp, complete i i/o „ 
 
 421 „ twisted gut i 1/6 „ 
 
 422 Single wire trimmer-hooks 0/9 per dozen 
 
 423 Double „ „ 1/6 „ 
 
 424 Short live-bait traces 0/6 each 
 
FISHING RODS AND TACKLE. 1 83 
 
 HOOKS MOUNTED ON GUT. 
 
 No. 
 
 425 Best gut-hooks, sizes i to 14 0/9 per dozen 
 
 426 „ „ „ i/o i/o 
 
 427 „ „ „ 2/0,3/0..., 1/6 „ 
 
 428 „ „ on Salmon-gfut , 2/6 „ 
 
 429 » « twisted gut 3/6 „ 
 
 430 Small treblq-hooks on gut, for Chub, etc ....2/6 „ 
 
 HOOKS MOUNTED FOR SEA-FISHING. 
 
 See Pa^es i6 and 17. 
 
 \ 
 
 FLOATS. 
 
 431 American, self-adjusting 0/4, 0/6, 0/9, i/b, and 1/16 each 
 
 432 Cork, egg-shape .....0/2, 0/3, 0/4, 0/61, and 0/9 „ 
 
 433 „ barrel-shape 0/2, 0/3, 0/4, 0/6, and 0/9 „ 
 
 434 „ ' with porcupine centre taper ...0/4, 0/6, 0/9, i/o, and 1/6 „ 
 
 435 Live-bait snaps , „o/4, 0/6, and 0/8 '„ 
 
 436 New taper wood float, light and strong ...0/6, 0/9, i/o, and 1/6 „ 
 
 437 The celebrated and much-admired patent waterproof quill 
 
 0/6, 0/9, l/o, 1/6, and 3/6 „ 
 
 438 Side or Nottingham cork floats, 3, 3}4, 4, and 4.}^ inch, 
 
 (fig. 21— page 97) 0/6, 0/8, I/O, and 1/3 „ 
 
 LOOSE HOOKS. 
 
 439 Eel Hooks per dozen 0/2, or i/o per Hundred 
 
 440 Superfine Kirby Kendall Round 
 
 or Roach Hooks, Nos. i to 12 „ 0/3 „ 1/6 „ 
 
 441 Superfine Lip „ 0/3 „ 1/6 „ 
 
 442 „ Limerick ....^ „ 0/3 „ 1/6 
 
 443 „ „ Iarge,No.i/o „ 0/4 „ 2/0 „ 
 
 444 » >. " » 2/0 „ 0/6 „ 3/0 „ 
 
184 CATALOGUE OF 
 
 No; 
 
 445 Superfine Limericklairge, No. 3/0 per dozen 0/8 or 3/6 per Hundred. 
 
 446 „ „ „ „ 4/0 „ 0/9 „ 4/3 „ 
 
 447 „ „ „ „ S/o » o/io„ S/o ,. ■ 
 
 448 „ „ „ „ 6/0 „ o/ii„ 6/0 „ 
 
 449 „ „ „ „ 7/0 „ i/o „ 6/0 „ 
 
 450 ' „ „ » „ 8/0 „ 1/3 „ 8/0 „ 
 
 451 „ Whiting Hooks „ 0/3 „ 1/6 „ , 
 
 453 „ Mackerel „ „ 0/3 „ 1/6 
 
 453 Cod , „ 0/6 „ 3/0 „ 
 
 454 Treble brazed hooks (fig. 34 — page 128) 1/6 per dozen 
 
 455 Sizes, No. I, 2 2/0 „ 
 
 456 Ditto, extra stout 2/0 „ 
 
 457 Ditto, extra large .2/6, 3/0, and 4/0 „ 
 
 458 Liye-bait hooks 1/6 „ 
 
 Any other kind of hook to order. 
 
 NEW POCKET CORK CUSHIONS. 
 
 459 Ten inches by thirteen-and-a-half. i/o each 
 
 460 Twelve inches by sixteen-and-a-half 2/0 „ 
 
 WATERPROOF BAGS. 
 
 461 First size 3/6 each 
 
 462 Second,, ■. 4/6 „ 
 
 463 Third „ S/6 „ 
 
 464 Fourth „ 6/6 „ 
 
 465 Freke (page 37— fig. 14) first size 9/0 „ 
 
 466 second,, ii/o „ 
 
 467 third „ 14/0 „ 
 
 468 fourth , 18/0 „ 
 
 469 „ superior canvas, with waterproof linings,. first sizeio/o „ 
 
 470 second „ 12/0 „ 
 
 471 third „ 14/6 „ 
 All other kinds of waterproof fishing-goods to order. 
 
FISHING RODS AND TACKLE. 185 
 
 BAIT-KETTLES, BOXES, Etc. 
 
 No. 
 
 472 Japanned bait-cans, ist size— 6>^ ins. long, 4 ins. deep 1/6 each 
 
 473 „ „ 2nd „ 7 „ „ 4>^ „ „ 1/9 „ 
 
 474 „ „ 3rd „ 8 „ „ 4^ „ „ 2/0 „ 
 
 475 „ „ 4th „ gX „ „ S „ „ 2/6 „ 
 
 476 „ „ Sth „ 9^ „ „ s'X „ „ 3/0 „ 
 
 477 „ „ 6th „ io}i „ „ sX „ „ 3/6 „ 
 
 478 „ „ 7th „ 11^ „ „ 6 „ ., 4/0 „ 
 4:79 Best zinc „ ist „ 6}4 „ „ 4 „ „ 3/0 „ 
 
 480 ,, „ 2nd „ 7 „ „ 4.'4 „ „ 3/3 „ 
 
 481 „ ■ „ . 3rd „ 8 „ „ 4^ „ „ 3/6 „ 
 
 482 » „ 4th „ 9X „ „ s' ,, „ 4/0 „ 
 
 483 „ „ .5th „ 9^ „ „ sX „ „ 4/6 « 
 
 484 „ „ 6th „ io}4 „ „ S'A „ „ 5/6 „ 
 
 485 „ „ 7th „ 11^ „ f, 6 „ „ 6/6 „ 
 486 , „ „ Sth „ 12^ „ „ 6/2 „ „ 7/6 „ 
 
 487 Pennell's „ 9 ins. long, 6^ ins. deep, with perfor- 
 
 ated inside linings. 8/6 „ 
 
 488 Ditto ditto, 10^ ins. long; 7 ins. deep '. 9/6 „ 
 
 489 Spinning-flight, or tackle-boxes, best japanned... ...3/0 to 12/0 „ 
 
 490 Japanned gentle-shoots 0/6 „ 
 
 491 „ Ay-hoxes, wM _^annel 3/0 „ 
 
 492 Bait-boxes 0/2 to 1/6 „ 
 
 493 Japanned round boxes, with three partitions for flies, 
 
 casts, etc 3/0 „ 
 
 494 Paternoster boxes 3/6 „ 
 
 EEL SPEARS. 
 
 495 Three, five, seven, and nine prongs 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0 each 
 
 USEFUL ARTICLES, VARIOUS. 
 
 496 Shot Flyers 1/6 per pair 
 
 497 Shot Cutters 2/0 „ 
 
 498 Split Shot, in boxes 0/2, 0/3, and 0/4 each 
 
l86 CATALOGUE OF 
 
 No. 
 
 499 Float Caps, in boxes 0/2, 0/4, and 0/6 each 
 
 500 Twisting Engines, for twisting gut 7/6 and 12/0 „ 
 
 501 Baiting Needles 0/2 „ 
 
 S°2 Disgorgers, bone 0/2 „ 
 
 503 Ditto, brass 0/3 „ 
 
 504 Ditto, ivory 0/6 „ 
 
 5°S Rod Bags, plain ; , 0/9 „ 
 
 506 Ditto, partition , 2/0 and 2/6 „ 
 
 507 Varnish, fpr tackle or rods, i/o per bottle, post free 6/2 extra. 
 
 508 Spinning Leads 1/6 per dozen 
 
 509 Plummets '. o/i and 0/2 each 
 
 510 Brass Jointed Clearing Rings (fig. 35, page 129) 2/0 „ 
 
 Jii Ditto, complete with reel and cord 3/0 „ 
 
 512 Bank Runners 0/9 and i/o „ 
 
 513 Ditto, furnished i/o, 1/6, and 2/0 „ 
 
 514 Rod Rings 0/2 per dozen 
 
 515 Cast Rings, for trolling 2/6 
 
 516 Wire, ditto 0/9 
 
 517 Steel Swivels (fig. 31 — ^page 122) 1/6 
 
 518 Ditto, watch spring (fig. 31 — page 122) 2/0 
 
 519 Buckle Swivels (fig. 31 — page 122) 2/0 
 
 520 Hook Swivels (figf 31 — page 122) 2/0 
 
 521 Brass Swivels 1/6, 2/0, 2/6, 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0 
 
 522 Cork Trimmers, 3)4, 4, 4)4, 5, S/^> ^-nd 6 inch, i/o, 1/3, 
 
 1/6, 1/9, 2/0, and 2/6 „ 
 
 523 Ditto, mounted 1. ....-/6 and -/9 each extra 
 
 524 Bait Kettles, zinc, 2/0, 2/6, 3/0, 3/6, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, 9/0, 
 
 > and lo/o each 
 
 525 One, two, three, four, five, and six line reels, for furnishing, 
 
 rosewood 0/3, 0/6, 0/9, i/o, 1/3, and 1/6 „ ' 
 
 526 Two line ditto, with box cfentre, for shot, caps, etc 1/6 „ 
 
 527 Ditto, ditto, four line 2/0 „ 
 
 528 Glass Minnow Trap, in Japanned case, complete 6/6 „ 
 
 529 Di^to, Eel Traps, 3 1 inches, one entrance 12/6 „ 
 
 530 Ditto, ditto, double, 36 inches, two entrances 15/6 „ 
 
 531 Superior Knuckle Joints 10/6 „ 
 
FISHING RODS AND TACKLE. . 1 87 
 
 No. 
 
 532 Steel Rod Spikes 0/6 and i/oeack 
 
 533 India Rubber Spinning Buttons 
 
 534 Rod Rest ., 0/9 and 1/6 per pair 
 
 Any Article not in List can be Procured or made to Order. 
 
 FURNISHED SEA-LINES. 
 
 535 Lines on winders, with leads and hooks 1/6 each 
 
 536 « „ 1/9 ,, 
 
 537 Lines, hooks, winders, and wire i/o „ 
 
 538 Ditto 1/6 „ 
 
 539 Ditto 1/8 „ 
 
 540 Ditto 2/0 „ 
 
 541 Ditto 2/6 „ 
 
 542 Mackerel-lines, with leads, flies, spinner, etc 3/b „ 
 
 543 Ditto ditto 2/6 „ 
 
 544 Ditto ditto 3/0 » 
 
 545 Ditto ditto PoUock 3/6 „ 
 
 546 Ditto ditto ditto 4/0 „ 
 
 547 Pout-lines, for Harbour-fishing 5/0 „ 
 
 548 Railing-lines for Mackerel (yacht use), lib. leads, 30 yds. 
 
 superior cotton lines 8/3 „ 
 
 549 Ditto ditto, 2lb. leads ..' ....8/6 „ 
 
 550 Ditto ditto, 31b. leads 9/0 „ 
 
 551 HiUick-lines fpr PoUock (at anchor) 2/9 „ 
 
 552 Old fisherman lines for boat, whiffing for Pollock 3/9 „ 
 
 553 Best spring Pollock-lines, for along-shore (small fish) 5/9 „ 
 
 554 Best mackerel-lines for boats ,.• 6/9 „ 
 
 555 Whiting-lines, 50 yards, i>^lb. leads (light bay-fishing) ...TJz „ 
 
 556 Light ofHng-hnes for Whiting, Cod, etc!, 2lb. leads, 60 yds. 
 
 superior cotton line, cable laid 9/9 „ 
 
 557 Ditto ditto 31b. leads, 80 yards line... 10/6 „ 
 
UNMOUNTED SEA-LINES. 
 
 No. 
 
 558 Water-cord, tanned or otherwise, 10 yards i/o per dozen 
 
 559 „ » 20 „ 2/0 
 
 560 „ „ 30 „ 3/0 
 
 561 „ „ 40 „ 4/0 
 
 562 „ „ 20 „ stout 2/6 
 
 563 „ „ 30 ,, „ 4/0 
 
 564 „ ,, 40 „ „ S/o 
 
 565 Sea-lines, 2 ounces, yards -/6 each 
 
 566 „ 4 „ „ -/8 „ 
 
 567 „ 6 „ „ -/lo „ 
 
 568 „ 8 „ „ I/O „ 
 
 569 „ Tanned, 2d. each extra. 
 
 570 Best plaited hemp-lines, in 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 150, and 200-yard 
 
 lengths 4/0 per 100 yards 
 
 57L Ditto, stout 6/0 „ 
 
 572 Ditto, extra stout 8/6 „ 
 
 N.B. — These lines are manufactured of the best hemp. Any other 
 lines used in sea-fishing procured to order, at equal low 
 prices. 
 
 Waterproof-lines, etc., see page 173. 
 
 Mounted Sea Hooks, see pages i5 and 17. 
 
1 8^ 
 
 GREAT EXHIBITION, 
 
 HYDE PARK, 1851. 
 
 On the Manufacture of Fishing Tackle, exhibited by 
 Twenty-five Persons. 
 
 The Prize Medal for Fishing Rocis and Tackle was awarded to 
 Giles Little and Co., being the only Medal granted for Fishing 
 Rods and Tackle. 
 
 FROM THE JUROR'S REPORT. 
 
 The articles exhibited under this head are, as might be expected, 
 almost entirely British manufacture, the sport of angling being but 
 little pursued in other countries, and nowhere with the same stiidy 
 and scientific skill as in the United Kingdom. 
 
 Probably there is no other country in which the manufacture of 
 Fishing Tackle constitutes a trade in itself, certainly none in which 
 so much money is annually spent upon the implements which it 
 produces. The British Exhibitors are twenty-five in number. The 
 merits of many of their articles, especially of the rods, could not 
 be completely tested within the limits of the Exhibition. The most 
 valuable properties of a rod consist in the thorough seasoning of 
 the wood, its capabilities to resist weather and wear without warp- 
 
190 OPINIONS OF, THE PRESS. 
 
 ing or twisting, and its retention of an even spring and pliability 
 under constant use, which can be ascertained only after prolonged 
 trial — a test which it has not been in the power of the Jurors to 
 apply. The same may to a great extent be said of Lines, Artificial 
 Flies, and Baits, the durability of which, one of their most valuable 
 and rarest merits, must be proved by experience. The articles 
 exhibited may all claim much credit for execution and high finish. 
 In this respect the only distinction between these works appears to 
 be in the aitiount and character of the ornaments attached to it; 
 but it should be observed that a profiise expenditure of silvering 
 and gilding in the metal work of a fishing rod, the application of 
 precious stones to the reels and joints, the inlaying of the butts 
 with ivory and rare woods, and the use of velvet or silk embossed, 
 and gilt in the place of leather or other more appropriate materials, 
 of which the books and cases for containing fishing tackle are more 
 usually and properly made, cannot be considered as improvements 
 of the article in question. 
 
 Little and Co., 174, page 800, exhibit some improvements which 
 combine practical utility with excellent workmanship. A Multi- 
 plying Reel, in which, by an ingenious arrangement of the cog- 
 wheels, the teeth of the driving-wheel being internal, the handle of 
 the Reel retains its place in the centre, instead of being fixed, as is 
 usually the case in Multiplying Reels, at the edge of the side plate, 
 thereby being- more convenient to wind, and less liable to entangle 
 the loose line. Also an application of Sliding Rings to the outer 
 ferrules of the joints of rods, which are slightly split, and by the 
 pressure of the rings made to grip the inserted joint more closely, 
 whilst the inconvenience of the joints becoming fixed when swollen 
 by wet is obviated. Also a mode of forming and fixing the ferrules 
 on the joints, whereby the sudden transition from pliant wood to 
 stiff metal, which renders a rod when strained apt to give way in 
 those parts, is in a great measure avoided. 
 
 From "BelPs Life," May ziik, i8^z. 
 
 "174. — A perpendicular case in the form, on a large scale, of our 
 well-known eight-day clock cases, its front and sides being of plate 
 glass, and contains a large collection of rods, winches, flies, and 
 
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. I91 
 
 Other tackle, by G. Little and Co., of Fetter Lane, Rod and Tackle 
 Makers to their Royal Highnesses Prince Albert and the Prince of 
 Wales. This contains two very splendid rods with bored ivory 
 butts, and with pure gold and silver fittings. The rod, a boat one, 
 with gold fittings, is ornamented with the arms of the Prince of 
 Wales, and is destined for his Royal Highness ; that With the silver 
 fittings is a Trouting fly rod, decorated with the arms of Prince 
 Albert, and intended for his Royal Highness. We hope that these 
 beautiful rods will hereafter change hands, that the Prince of 
 Wales, who must become a fly fisher for Trout, and then for Salmon, 
 will present to the Princess Royal the charming boat rod, and that 
 the princely father will give to the heir to the throne the fly rod. 
 There is another costly rod, intended, we believe, as a present to 
 the next Lady Mayoress. Nothing can exceed the finish of these 
 rods, and we have no doubt of the goodness of their material and 
 of ba:lance, as the manufacturer of them is a practical workman, 
 having, what few exhibitors of tackle can say, been apprenticed to 
 the trade. 
 
 "The winches we know to be good, for they are made on a new 
 and improved principle, which we have tested. At the bottom of 
 the case are a few good killing' Salmon flies, dressed after the pat- 
 terns from the "Book of the Salmon." Outside this case is a 
 Salmon rod, twenty feet in length, in two pieces, spliced in the 
 middle, which, if we lived on the banks of the Shannon, Tay, 
 Tweed, or Spey, we should prefer to any rod in the Exhibition." 
 
 From "The Illustrated London Newi" June Jtk, 1851. 
 
 "No. 174. — Little and Co., Fetter Lane, send a splendid collec- 
 tion of rods, three of which are remarkable for their exquisite 
 make, great beauty, and of choi<?e material, and although tastefijlly 
 decorated, such decoration is made wholly subservient to their 
 utiUty. The first, a punt or roach rod, is of Spanish white cane, as 
 straight and true as possible ; the butt is of hollow ivory, with gold 
 mountings bearing the Prince of Wales's plume in frosted silver ; 
 the knob is of pearl, the ferrules are gold, and their stoppers are 
 thistles carved in ivory, ornamented with the rose and shamrock ; 
 
192 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 the tops are of North Carolina cane, of exquisite taper, and hollow 
 within an inch or so of the extreme end. This rod is ten feet in 
 length. The second is a fly rod of five joints ; it bears the arms of 
 H.R.H. Prince Albert, and differs from the other in finish only, the 
 mountings being in silver, relieved in gold, and the stoppers being 
 of pearl. The third is equally deserving of notice for its high 
 finish; it is intended for the late Lady Mayoress. These three 
 rods, moreover, present a novelty in their ferrules, which are so 
 pierced as to relieve, by a partial yielding of their parts, that 
 sudden check and stress upon the wood, which we adverted to as 
 an objection to ferrules in general. This ferrule has another ad- 
 vantage, for it can be readily adjusted to the woodwork without 
 rasping down or rather rabetting on, or in any other way weakening 
 or removing the enamel or hard portions of the cane at a part 
 where strength is most required. The plain rods exhibited by Mr. 
 Little are well calculated to sustain his reputation as tackle-maker 
 to the Court, and there can be but Uttle doubt that his constant in- 
 troductions of really useful auxiliaries arises firom his practical 
 knowledge of the gentle craft. To one or twti other rods we 
 noticed another kind of ferrule, which prevents the joints when 
 damp from sticking in their sockets. We likewise were permitted 
 to examine a Salmon rod, on to which were screwed a new set of 
 rings, which are large enough to permit even knots and entangle- 
 ments to pass through, yet lying down close to the rod when out of 
 use and packed away In this case are the only novelties in 
 winches, of which there are several of a new construction. There 
 is one which will take up an immense amount of line with the 
 utmost rapidity — no slight consideration when a hooked Salmon is 
 making towards you. Another winch has the handle contrived to 
 prevent the line becoming fastened between it and the body of the 
 winch — a source of considerable vexation when trolling, etc." 
 
193 
 
 Mmml thk^iti* mkMm\, 
 
 NORWICH, 1881. 
 
 GOLD MEDAL AND DIPLOMA OF HONOUR 
 
 {Highest Award for Superiority of Fishing Rods and Tackle). 
 
 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 i r~*viD ^ C i ^ r-a 
 
 "Land and Water,'' April 22rd, 1881. 
 
 "Mr. Little has good reason to be proud of the exquisite gold- 
 mounted trout rod which he obtained permission to present to the 
 Princess of Wales at the opening ceremony. It was really a work 
 of art, and we hope Her Royal Highness may enjoy some good 
 days sport with it." 
 
 "Little and Co., of Fetter Lane, show a fine case, containing a 
 variety of fishing requisites ; among these the new patent soleskin 
 minnow is exhibited in various sizes. The gold-mounted rod pre- 
 sented to the Princess of Wales is also shown. The exhibits by 
 this firm of rods, flies, artificial baits, winches, etc., is a very exten- 
 sive one." 
 
 N 
 
194 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 "Fishing Gazette^ April yith, 1881. 
 
 " Messrs. G. Little and Co., of London, have a handsome collec- 
 tion of fishing requisites, consisting of rods, lines, flies — one case 
 containing about ijo varieties for trout-fishing — patent phantom 
 minnows, a large number of artificial insects, and an aluminium 
 reel weighing only three ounces. This last is an extremely neat 
 little invention, although it strikes us as being slightly luxurious and 
 costly. The grand feature in Messrs. Little's exhibit is the beau- 
 tiful rod which the firm had the honour of presenting through the 
 president of the exhibition to H.R.H. the Princess of Wales. The 
 rod is in six joints,' is mounted in gold, and is fitted with carved 
 ivory stoppers, showing the Prince of Wales' feathers. . It<was pre- 
 sented to the Princess in a jewel case, and accepted by her in her 
 usual graceful fashion. As notified in our issue of last week^ 
 Messrs. Little have been rewarded with a gold medal and a 
 diploma." 
 
 Want of space compels us to omit further Opinions of the Press, which 
 are in every case, however, of similar tenor. 
 
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 '95 
 
 Reprinted from the "Squire^' September, 1881. 
 
 "It is not on record whether the antediluvian inhabitants of the 
 earth indulged in angling, nor is the question one of interest to 
 sportsmen of to-day. In later times, but yet early, some aquatic 
 Nimrod must, however, have had the idea of fish-capture suggested 
 to him ; and it is most likely that, instead of using a fishing-pole or 
 rod, and an exquisitely tapered and tempered steel hook, the in- 
 strument was in the fonn of a barbed -spear for smaller and of a 
 rough thorn hook for the larger fish — for have we not evidence of 
 such appliances in that most ancient of documents, the book of 
 Job? In any case, the origin of what has now developed into the 
 fine art of angling is hidden in an obscurity which no amount of 
 research can dispel. The denizens of the water were doubtless 
 captured for food by pre-historic man, but how, cannot be deter- 
 mined. The relics of the stone age afford no instances of fishing 
 tackle, though weapons suitable for the chase are plenteous. 
 With peoples of whose civilisation history has furnished a pretty 
 complete sketch the case is somewhat different, and items of con- 
 siderable interest Crop up when studying their monuments and 
 other evidences of their manners and customs. I purpose to 
 briefly show the progress of some of the various articles of the 
 angler's outfit from the earliest to the present time in the following 
 few pages. 
 
 " First, as to the means by which the fish was retained by 
 impalement. These were of two kinds, the spear and the hook. 
 The earliest reference to the fish spear is to be found on some of 
 the Egyptian remains in the British Museum. This took the shape 
 of a bident, and it was the custom to throw it either as a harpoon, 
 with line attached, or simply transfix the fish, drawing it fi-om the 
 water at once. The modem representation of this weapon is, of 
 course, the harpoon and ordinary eel spear, — the latter consisting 
 of many barbed prongs, between which the creature becomes 
 fixed. The earliest notice of the hook occurs, as before noted, in 
 the book of Job, and the material is indicated as being of thorn. 
 This is Curiously coincident with the material used to the present 
 day among the South Sea -Islanders, who manage by carefully 
 
 N 2 
 
196 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 binding segments of stone and wood^ and thorn points together^ 
 to form a rude barbed hook, of most comical and apparently 
 ineffectual appearance. Hooks of metal were undoubtedly used, 
 however, during the palmy days of Rome ; and, indeed, speciinehs 
 of bronze (tin and copper) have been discovered in the debris. 6i 
 Pompeii and Herculaneum. This bronze is said by Pliny to be 
 capable of being drawn out to the fineness of a hair, so great was 
 its tenuity. ' 
 
 " As regards fishing tackle in our own land, the march of progress 
 has very wonderfully developed its mechanical beauty in general, 
 and especially is this so in regard to the very important hook. 
 The earliest booTc on angling- in the language (' The Treatise of 
 Fyshynge with an Angle,' i486) contains cuts of the very rudest 
 of fish-hooks, and directions for making them, including a list of 
 the necessary tools — ^hammer, files, anvil, &c. Nor did the hooks 
 improve very considerably until near upon Walton's time. There 
 is every reason, however, to believe that Walton,s appliances were 
 greatly an improvement on those described by the fair prioress of 
 St. Albans in i486. Par parenthese, it may be stated as an 
 absolute fact that it would be an impossibility to induce the fish 
 of the present day, in England at least, to look at a bait placed on 
 such tackle, much less take it^-an instance this of transmitted 
 intelligence. 
 
 " But the hooks of to-day ! Finest steel, tempered with mathe- 
 matical precision, so that the hook shall neither break without 
 excessive strain nor bend from its shape at all, a point of needle- 
 like fineness, and, finally, shapes admirably adapted to the purpose 
 in view — are their characteristics. The Kendal Sproat, Round, 
 Limerick, Sneck, Crystal, the Pennell, are each and all different 
 shapes, variously estimated by individual sportsmen. Thousands 
 on thousands of these hooks are manufactured by the Redditch 
 and other makers every year, and the question ' What finally 
 becomes of the pins ? ' may be adopted and cited of hooks, for 
 it is a surety that the number of hooks required increases wonder- 
 fully year by year, especially latterly. As in the manufacture of 
 needles, there are several distinct processes in the making of a 
 hook, all of which depend on special knowledge ; and a bad' hook 
 
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 1 97 
 
 from a good firm of tackle sellers, — is, notwithstanding, the 
 quantity sold, an extreme rarity. 
 
 "A curious instance of the truth of Talleyrand's affirmation, 'that 
 nothing is new but that which is forgotten,' is to be found in the 
 fact that not only -wtere hooks known to the Romans — as witness 
 the rich trick played by Cleopatra on Anthony — but absolutely an 
 artificial fly. was used by the Macedonians. According to PUny 
 they tied bunches of feathers on the hook, in imitation of a fly 
 termed "hippurus," and thereby caught fish of a speckled appear- 
 ance — who shall say they were not sea trout? This reference con- 
 stitutes the first mention, and nearly the only one, of fly-fishing in 
 ancient times. Dame Bemers, in her 'Treatyse,' gives a list of 
 artificial flies for each month, and some of them are of extremely, 
 funny make. The fly for August, is, for example, ' The drake flye. 
 The bodye of blackie wull and lappyd aboute with blacke sylke 
 wynges of the mayle of the blacke drake wythe a blacke heed.' The 
 salmon fly was not known to the fair angler-authoress, and I won- 
 der what she would have said could she have revisited earth, and 
 beheld the magnificent pieces of gorgeousness in artificial flies shown 
 at the Norwich Exhibition by Messrs. Little and others ? Some 
 hundreds of species were beautifully arranged ^ on a card by this 
 firm — which gained the gold medal — and I unhesitatingly pronounce 
 the collection to have been the most artistic I have ever seen brought 
 together. Feathers from tropical birds, furs from the most expen- 
 sive and rarest of Skins, and silks of the most valuable, combined 
 with rare art as to colour, go to make up the summum bonum of such 
 exhibits of tackle-making skill, and her sainted prioresship would 
 'have stood aghast at the development of the fishly lures which has 
 taken the place of the crude devices she describes. 
 
 " The earliest lines were probably of flax or hemp, and in the 
 place of the exquisitely fine and transparent gut of to-day, loosely 
 twisted horse-hair or bysshus was employed. Silk, from its 
 supreme value and, the difficulty of its manufacture (as compared 
 with the present method), was but sparsely used. ' The old order 
 changeth, yielding place to new,' however, and hemp and flax are 
 seldom employed for angling in fresh-water, whilst silk reigns 
 paramount. I saw some American lines at the aforesaid makers' 
 
198 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 warehouse the other day which were as strong as steel wire, in 
 comparison with others of the make in vogue ten years ago, and 
 yet.of a gauge no larger than sewing cotton. A waterproof dress- 
 ing of a special nature relieves the line of difficulties as to ' kinking* 
 or knotting, or the premature destroyal by rotting. An artificial 
 bait of coloured sole skin, the patented invention of the proprietor 
 also, drew my attention, and one csmnot help comparing this fish- 
 like and flexible, and practically unwearable, material with the 
 artificial baits of gutta percha and such like make which were alone 
 known some twenty or thirty years ago. 
 
 " In the fifteenth century, and, indeed, in Walton's time, there is 
 no reason to suppose that winches or reels on which hnes are 
 wound, and which are practicably indispensable at the present day, 
 were dreamed of, much less used by every angler. The Roach 
 fisher, who prides himself on killing his largest fish on a tight-line, 
 can alone do without it now. As fly-fishing became more and 
 more the accepted goal of each tyro's apprenticeship, the necessity 
 for, at first, a simj)le reel, and afterwards a more finished article, 
 became apparent. The ordinary plain brass arrangement, which is 
 still the winch of our noviciate, and then the check, or click pattern, 
 with its sm'ooth oxidized fittings, takes its place. There have been 
 many attempts at the improvement of this latter firmly established 
 style of winch, but it is doubtful if the multiplying or the automatic 
 action are any addition to the comfort or creel of the fisherman. 
 The ' Nottingham' spring reel, which is of wood, and especially 
 constructed to take to pieces if the line by any mischance gets 
 entangled round it, is also a useful appliance when one is not 
 fly-fishing. I have used all sorts of reels and winches, and my 
 selections are these two types — the former being made of an 
 especial pattern by the firm I before referred to, and the latter by 
 Slater, of Newark-on-Trent. 
 
 "The practical and useful character of a sporting article lies in the 
 precision of its information, and I therefore make no apology for 
 giving the names of the manufactures of the articles of angling 
 outfit, where pubhc competition recently at Norwich and other 
 exhibitions have shown the climax to which the manufacture of 
 modern tackle has arrived. That such perfection has been attained 
 
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 1 99 
 
 argues strongly in favour of the popularity of the, angling craft, and 
 the intelligence of its votaries, and affords evidence of the rapidity 
 of its advances. 
 
 " Rods were not known amongst the ancients, as far as I can 
 discover. Dame Berners, however, gives a curious cut of an 
 angler fishing with one about as thick as his arm ; and, indeed 
 she speaks of the pole or angle being of ash the " thickness of an 
 arme grete," or as thick as a man's arm. It is to be bound _with 
 hopis (hoops) of ' yren' and must have been, according to another 
 engraving, which figures it "by itself, a most formidable weapon, 
 quite suitable for a quarter-staff or leaping pole on an emergency. 
 It is, of course, on a par with the sturdiness of the other tackle, 
 and, to my thinking, like the conqueror's bow, required a special 
 make of angler to use it. Rods cut from the thicket were deemed 
 sufficiently elegant a caste till long after, but surely and steadily 
 the trusty warid becam e more flexible and, lighter, with a cor- 
 responding increase of toughness and durability. 
 
 " Until, however, within the last decade or-po, rod-making was 
 not looked upon in England as a fine art, and some of the rods 
 which were furnished to the court of George III. and George IV., 
 when they chose to visit and fish in Virginia Water, and which of 
 course, must be regarded as samples of the best in vogue, were 
 but clumsy when placed side -by side with a modern Little or 
 Farlow. Comparisons would certainly ' be " odorous," as Mrs. 
 Malaprop would say, if the most refined creation of the tackle- 
 maker's art in that period — made perchance, of heavy hickory or 
 ash and lancewood — were placed in juxtaposition with the gold 
 and ivory mounted lady's cane rod presented to the Princess of 
 Wales by Mr. Little's firm, at Norwich, on the opening of the 
 National Fisheries? Exhibition. I had an opportunity of .witness- 
 ing its manufacture ; and its mathematical precision of taper, its 
 perfect balance, and its lightness in the hand, were, to one initiated 
 in the niceties of tackle making, wonderful, and entirely creditable 
 to its manufacture. 
 
 " According to the purpose for which the rod is required, its 
 material varies between greenheart — a comparatively new woodl- 
 and the canes, lancewood, and for Nottingham rods, red deal. In 
 
200 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 each case the woods are selected with the most scrutinising care 
 for the best and highest-priced weapons — ^with no goods do the 
 words ' cheap and nasty' apply with greater force — and the inferior 
 qualities are prepared from the inferior woods. As soon as the 
 woods are secured, they are stacked to season, and in no case is a 
 billet used unless quite dry and matured. With the new glued-up 
 cane rods which are constructed of sections of selected cane of 
 hex-or sexagonal shape and glued up, being whipped at intervals, 
 the same caution is exercised in even a greater and more intense 
 degree. These triumphs of the rod-maker are principally for fly- 
 fishing, though there can be no valid reason why trolling and 
 spinning rods should not be constructed on the same principle. 
 Greater elasticity and durability are their characteristics, and their 
 lightness has become a proverb. That a twenty-pound salmon can 
 be — and is often — killed on a rod incapable of lifting five pounds 
 dead weight may seem like a puzzle or paradox, but its solution 
 lies entirely in the exquisitely exciting and exhausting strength of 
 the rod fishwards, and, secondarily, of course, in the finesse of the 
 angler." 
 
201 
 
 lATENT IqLESKIN IhANTOMS. 
 
 rOS'I3Sri03S?-S OE" THE I>H.ESS. 
 
 " The Field;' March ^th, 1881. 
 
 NEW KIND OF PHANTOM MINNOW. 
 " Messrs. Little, of Fetter Lane, have submitted to our notice a 
 new kind of Phantom Minnow. The ordinary phantoms are made 
 of prepared silk, coloured to fancy — one sort to represent a yellow 
 Trout, and the other to represent a blue Salmon parr ; the latter a 
 very inefficient representation, to our fancy, and we understand Mr. 
 Little is engaged in producing some of a more life-like pattern. But 
 the chief novelty in these minnows is the substance of which they 
 are made ; instead of silk, as in the old ones, Mr. Little employs 
 soleskin. This, when coloured, gives the appearance of scales on 
 the fish. The skin is actually a fish's skin, and it is exceedingly 
 tough and tenacious. Whether there will be any slight flavour or 
 ' ancient and fish-like smell ' as an attraction, or no, we cannot, of 
 course, say." 
 
 " The Field;' March \Uh, 1881. 
 
 NEW KIND OF PHANTOM MINNOW. 
 " I should not be surprised if Mr. Little's new minnow was a great 
 success, although I have not seen it; but the mere fact of a min- 
 now being made of tough stuff, like soleskin, will enhance its value. 
 The old phantoms were made of entirely too fragile a material as 
 silk, and when once they had been in the jaws of a perch or jack 
 they were seldom or ever of any use afterwards. How foolish- an 
 angler feels when he finds all his baits mauled, and he a long 
 distance from purchasing others."— Fiery Brown (Ballyshannon). 
 
202 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 "The Field," May i\th, 1881. 
 
 PARR PHANTOMS. 
 
 "Some time ago Mr. Little sent us specimens of a new make of 
 phantom minnow, which were made out of soleskin. As this is a 
 very tough, untearable material, we rather liked them, but suggested 
 certain alterations. Among others we advised that the blue phan- 
 toms, instead of being painted with lines across the back like a copy- 
 book, but quite unlike any fish, should be painted really to imitate 
 salmon or sea-trout parr, copying from "Ephemera's" well-known 
 handbook on the salmon, which contains some very faithfully 
 coloured plates of the fish. This Mr. Little has done, and the 
 result which he sends us very satisfactory. Some of the baits are 
 really very skilfiil imitations, and most of them have a semi-trans- 
 parency, which we believe will be very taking. Some are even as . 
 clear and brilliant as if they were made of strips of isinglass or 
 gelatine. There can be no question that this will be a welcome 
 improvement." 
 
 " Land and Water," February iZth, 1881. 
 
 NEW PATENT PHANTOM MINNOW. 
 
 "Mr. Little, the fishing-tackle maker of Fetter Lane, has just 
 brought out a new patent phantom minnow, which is certainly a 
 novelty in artificial baits. The minnow is made of the skin of sole , 
 and is prepared in such a manner that it is said to bear wear and 
 tear better than any other phantom minnow which has been brought 
 out. We have not had any opportunity yet of testing Mr. Little's' 
 new invention, but we hope to do so shortly.'' 
 
 "Land and Waier," March 5/Aj 1881. 
 
 NEW PATENT PHANTOM.— SOLESKIN v. DOGSKIN. 
 
 " I am much obliged for the specimen of the skin of the dogfish, 
 which material was suggested by "M. G. T." in your last week's 
 issue. I find that, whatever its pliability and toughness may be 
 when the skin is fresh, it is exceedingly brittle when dry, and the 
 specimen I have crumbles in the hand, consequently it is utterly 
 
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