The Complete Angler 1653

by Izaak Walton

And after this manner you may also keep Gentles all winter, which is a good bait then, and much the better for being lively and tuffe, or you may breed and keep Gentle thus: Take a piece of beasts liver and with a cross stick, hang it in some corner over a pot or barrel half full of dry clay, and as the Gentles grow big, they wil fall into the barrel and scowre themselves, and be alwayes ready for use whensoever you incline to fish; and these Gentles may be thus made til after Michaelmas: But if you desire to keep Gentles to fish with all the yeer, then get a dead Cat or a Kite, and let it be fly-blowne, and when the Gentles begin to be alive and to stir, then bury it and them in moist earth, but as free from frost as you can, and these you may dig up at any time when you intend to use them; these wil last till March, and about that time turn to be flies.

But if you be nice to fowl your fingers (which good Anglers seldome are) then take this bait: Get a handful of well made Mault, and put it into a dish of water, and then wash and rub it betwixt your hands til you make it cleane, and as free from husks as you can; then put that water from it, and put a small quantitie of fresh water to it, and set it in something that is fit for that purpose, over the fire, where it is not to boil apace, but leisurely, and very softly, until it become somewhat soft, which you may try by feeling it betwixt your finger and thumb; and when it is soft, then put your water from it, and then take a sharp knife, and turning the sprout end of the corn upward, with the point of your knife take the back part of the husk off from it, and yet leaving a kind of husk on the corn, or else it is marr'd; and then cut off that sprouted end (I mean a little of it) that the white may appear, and so pull off the husk on the cloven side (as I directed you) and then cutting off a very little of the other end, that so your hook may enter, and if your hook be small and good, you will find this to be a very choice bait either for Winter or Summer, you sometimes casting a little of it into the place where your flote swims.

And to take the Roch and Dace, a good bait is the young brood of Wasps or Bees, baked or hardened in their husks in an Oven, after the bread is taken out of it, or on a fire-shovel; and so also is the thick blood of Sheep, being half dryed on a trencher that you may cut it into such pieces as may best fit the size of your hook, and a little salt keeps it from growing black, and makes it not the worse but better; this is taken to be a choice bait, if rightly ordered.

There be several Oiles of a strong smel that I have been told of, and to be excellent to tempt fish to bite, of which I could say much, but I remember I once carried a small bottle from Sir George Hastings to Sir Henry Wotton (they were both chimical men) as a great present; but upon enquiry, I found it did not answer the expectation of Sir Henry, which with the help of other circumstances, makes me have little belief in such things as many men talk of; not but that I think fishes both smell and hear (as I have exprest in my former discourse) but there is a mysterious knack, which (though it be much easier then the Philosophers-Stone, yet) is not atainable by common capacities, or else lies locked up in the braine or brest of some chimical men, that, like the Rosi-crutions, yet will not reveal it. But I stepped by chance into this discourse of Oiles, and fishes smelling; and though there might be more said, both of it, and of baits for Roch and Dace, and other flote fish, yet I will forbear it at this time, and tell you in the next place how you are to prepare your tackling: concerning which I will for sport sake give you an old Rhime out of an old Fish-book, which will be a part of what you are to provide.

My rod, and my line, my flote and my lead,
My hook, & my plummet, my whetstone & knife,
My Basket, my baits, both living and dead,
My net, and my meat for that is the chief;
Then I must have thred & hairs great & smal,
With mine Angling purse, and so you have all.

But you must have all these tackling, and twice so many more, with which, if you mean to be a fisher, you must store your selfe: and to that purpose I will go with you either to Charles Brandons (neer to the Swan in Golding-lane); or to Mr. Fletchers in the Court which did once belong to Dr. Nowel the Dean of Pauls, that I told you was a good man, and a good Fisher; it is hard by the west end of Saint Pauls Church; they be both honest men, and will fit an Angler with what tackling hee wants.

Viat. Then, good Master, let it be at Charles Brandons, for he is neerest to my dwelling, and I pray lets meet there the ninth of May next about two of the Clock, and I'l want nothing that a Fisher should be furnished with.

Pisc. Well, and Ile not fail you, God willing, at the time and place appointed.

Viat. I thank you, good Master, and I will not fail you: and good Master, tell me what baits more you remember, for it wil not now be long ere we shal be at Totenham High-Cross, and when we come thither, I wil make you some requital of your pains, by repeating as choice a copy of Verses, as any we have heard since we met together; and that is a proud word; for wee have heard very good ones.

Pisc. Wel, Scholer, and I shal be right glad to hear them; and I wil tel you whatsoever comes in my mind, that I think may be worth your hearing: you may make another choice bait thus, Take a handful or two of the best and biggest Wheat you can get, boil it in a little milk like as Frumitie is boiled, boil it so till it be soft, and then fry it very leisurely with honey, and a little beaten Saffron dissolved in milk, and you wil find this a choice bait, and good I think for any fish, especially for Roch, Dace, Chub or Greyling; I know not but that it may be as good for a River Carp, and especially if the ground be a little baited with it.