There is also a little fish called a STICKLEBAG, a fish without scales,
but hath his body fenced with several prickles. I know not where he
dwells in winter; nor what he is good for in summer, but only to make
sport for boys and women-anglers, and to feed other fish that be fish of
prey, as Trouts in particular, who will bite at him as at a Penk; and
better, if your hook be rightly baited with him, for he may be so baited
as, his tail turning like the sail of a wind-mill, will make him turn
more quick than any Penk or Minnow can. For note, that the nimble
turning of that, or the Minnow is the perfection of Minnow-fishing. To
which end, if you put your hook into his mouth, and out at his tail; and
then, having first tied him with white thread a little above his tail,
and placed him after such a manner on your hook as he is like to turn
then sew up his mouth to your line, and he is like to turn quick, and
tempt any Trout: but if he does not turn quick, then turn his tail, a
little more or less, towards the inner part, or towards the side of the
hook; or put the Minnow or Sticklebag a little more crooked or more
straight on your hook, until it will turn both true and fast; and then
doubt not but to tempt any great Trout that lies in a swift stream. And
the Loach that I told you of will do the like: no bait is more tempting,
provided the Loach be not too big.
And now, scholar, with the help of this fine morning, and your patient
attention, I have said all that my present memory will afford me,
concerning most of the several fish that are usually fished for in fresh
waters.
Venator. But, master, you have by your former civility made me hope that
you will make good your promise, and say something of the several rivers
that be of most note in this nation; and also of fish-ponds, and the
ordering of them: and do it I pray, good master; for I love any
discourse of rivers, and fish and fishing; the time spent in such
discourse passes away very pleasantly.
The FIFTH day-continued
Of Rivers, and some Observations of Fish
Chapter XIX
Piscator
WELL, scholar, since the ways and weather do both favour us, and that we
yet see not Tottenham-Cross, you shall see my willingness to satisfy
your desire. And, first, for the rivers of this nation: there be, as you
may note out of Dr. Heylin's Geography and others, in number three
hundred and twenty-five; but those of chiefest note he reckons and
describes as followeth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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