will serve as well. And you are yet to know that you may salt them, and
by that means keep them ready and fit for use three or four days, or
longer; and that, of salt, bay-salt is the best.
And here let me tell you, what many old anglers know right well, that at
some times, and in some waters, a minnow is not to be got; and
therefore, let me tell you, I have, which I will shew to you, an
artificial minnow, that will catch a Trout as well as an artificial fly:
and it was made by a handsome woman that had a fine hand, and a live
minnow lying by her: the mould or body of the minnow was cloth, and
wrought upon, or over it, thus, with a needle; the back of it with very
sad French green silk, and paler green silk towards the belly, shadowed
as perfectly as you can imagine, just as you see a minnow: the belly was
wrought also with a needle, and it was, a part of it, white silk; and
another part of it with silver thread: the tail and fins were of a
quill, which was shaven thin: the eyes were of two little black beads:
and the head was so shadowed, and all of it so curiously wrought, and so
exactly dissembled, that it would beguile any sharp-sighted Trout in a
swift stream. And this minnow I will now shew you; look, here it is,
and, if you like it, lend it you, to have two or three made by it; for
they be easily carried about an angler, and be of excellent use: for
note, that a large Trout will come as fiercely at a minnow as the
highest-mettled hawk doth seize on a partridge, or a greyhound on a
hare. I have been told that one hundred and sixty minnows have been
found in a Trout's belly: either the Trout had devoured so many, or the
miller that gave it a friend of mine had forced them down his throat
after he had taken him.
Now for Flies; which is the third bait wherewith Trouts are usually
taken. You are to know, that there are so many sorts of flies as there
be of fruits: I will name you but some of them; as the dun-fly, the
stone-fly, the red-fly, the moor-fly, the tawny-fly, the shell-fly, the
cloudy or blackish-fly, the flag-fly, the vine-fly; there be of flies,
caterpillars, and canker-flies, and bear-flies; and indeed too many
either for me to name, or for you to remember. And their breeding is so
various and wonderful, that I might easily amaze myself, and tire you in
a relation of them.
And, yet, I will exercise your promised patience by saying a little of
the caterpillar, or the palmer-fly or worm; that by them you may guess
what a work it were, in a discourse, but to run over those very many
flies, worms, and little living creatures, with which the sun and summer
adorn and beautify the river-banks and meadows, both for the recreation
and contemplation of us anglers; pleasures which, I think, myself enjoy
more than any other man that is not of my profession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account