So Ancient, so Innocent, so Vertuous, and so Useful is this Recreation, that all the foregoing Divertisements, must needs give place to this, and however (inadvertently) it comes in here, challenges a Preference, and Acceptance before any Pleasure can by the heart of Man be desired. As for its Antiquity some attribute its Knowledge to Belus Son of Nimrod, who first invented all Vertuous Sports; others to Seth and his Sons, he having left it on brazen Pillars engraven with indelible Characters not to be obliterated by the ensuing Flood. Job makes mention of Fishing, who Lived as may be supposed before Moses; nor is it questionable, whether the illustrious Patriarchs used not this Recreation. Certain it is, there were many Fishermen before Christs Coming, whose sole Dependance was on this Innocent Art. Innocent indeed and harmless, when the Lamb of God himself recommended it (as I may say) as such, by his Divine Call of four Fishermen, to be his Disciples, and by distinguishing & dignifying them with the greatest Intimacy with himself, and chiefest place in the Apostolical Catalogue; and by the Inspiration of his Spirit ennobled their Function; he made them Eminent Fishers of men. Nay, at the expence of a Miracle, he shewed the Lawful Use of Fishing, when the mouth of Peter’s Fish he commanded him to take, was the Tribute-Money’s Purse. And why our Saviour made his first Election of Fishermen, before others, this may be the undoubted Reason: Because he knew such men were naturally of more Contemplative and Serene Minds, of more Calme, Peaceable, and sweet Dispositions; And let me add too in the next place, because it is the School of Vertue (as I may call it) wherein the Primitive Christian Vertues are learnt and exercised. Patience is the immediate Vertue wherewith the Angler is endued, without which the Pleasure doth no longer exist; and attended with her three Sisters compleat his Delight. For Justice directs him to the due Place of Sport, where he may freely exercise his Art, without Injury or Incivility to his Neighbours: Temperance prescribes a Measure to the Action, and moderates and rules the Affections. And lastly Fortitude encourages and strengthens his mind, to support the Labour and undergo with Perseverance all Disappointments, excludes Passion (incident to other Recreations,) at the loss of a Hook, or (perhaps that he never had) a Fish. It makes him not fear Wind nor Weather, nor is his delight sowered at last with Melancholy and Vexation; but tho the Anglers Reward is but a little Fish, for a great deal of Pains, the Contentment and Satisfaction is above that. Finally the Usefulness of it is apparently great; for the cherishing the Body, and cheering the Mind, for diverting Sadness, and calming unquiet Thoughts, for moderating Passions and procuring Contentedness, and begetting Peace and Patience in those that profess and practise it. It has been the Recreation of Gods Saints, and Holy Fathers; and of many Worthy and Reverend Divines, this hath been and is now their beloved Pastime. And so I shall conclude this Encomium of Fishing; Volumes may be written in its praise (in which I am something wanting in the other foregoing Sports, this claiming it as its just due above the rest) but I long to tell you How, When and Where, you may taste its Delight.
It hath been the Method of this whole Treatise, to divide the several distinct Heads of each Recreation into three Parts, to render the Observations and Rules the more plain and easy, for the prosecuting the Recreation we treat of.
1. What it is we pursue.
2. Where and When to find that we would delight our selves in.
3. With what proper Mediums or Measures we may obtain the desired Effects of our endeavours therein. And in this delightful Scene of Pastime, we now treat of, Fishing, so full of Variety and Choice, I shall observe the same Method.
First then, What we pursue is Fish, distinguished according to their sundry kinds by these following Names.
The Barbel, Breame, Bleak, Bulhead, or Millers-Thumb; Chevin, Char, Chub, Carp; Dace, Dare; Eel; Flounder; Grayling, Gudgeon, Guiniad; Loach; Minnow; Pope or Pike, Pearch; Rud, Roach; Sticklebag or Bansticle, Salmon, Shad, Suant; Tench, Torcoth, Trout, Thwait, and Umber. All these Alphabetically thus named are the different sorts of Fish, in taking which the Angler commonly exercises his Art. We come next, Where to find them.
I. To know the Haunts and Resorts of Fish, in which they are to be usually found, is the most Material thing the Angler ought to be instructed in, lest he vainly prepare how to take them, and preposterously seek where to find that he prepared for. To prevent which you are first to understand, That as the Season of the Year is, so Fish change their places: In Summer, some keep near the Top, others the bottom of the Waters. In Winter, all Fish in general resort to deep Waters. But more particularly,
The Barbel, Roach, Dace, and Ruff, covet most Sandy, Gravelly Ground, the deepest part of the River, and the Shadows of Trees.
Breame, Pike, and Chub, delight in a Clay, and Ouzie Ground: The Bream chooseth the middle of the River, in a gentle not too rapid Stream: The Pike prefereth still Waters, full of Fry, and absconding himself amongst Bull-Rushes, Water-docks, or under Bushes, that under these shelters he may more securely surprize and seize his Prey: The Chub too chooses the same Ground, large Rivers and Streams, and is rarely destitute of some Tree to cover and shade him.