the complete angler-第36章

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nto　the　sea；　and　after　into　fresh　water。

Roaches　be　accounted　much　better　in　the　river　than　in　a　pond；　though　ponds　usually　breed　the　biggest。　But　there　is　a　kind　of　bastard　small　Roach；　that　breeds　in　ponds；　with　a　very　forked　tail；　and　of　a　very　small　size；　which　some　say　is　bred　by　the　Bream　and　right　Roach；　and　some　ponds　are　stored　with　these　beyond　belief；　and　knowing…men；　that　know　their　difference；　call　them　Ruds：　they　differ　from　the　true　Roach；　as　much　as　a　Herring　from　a　Pilchard。　And　these　bastard　breed　of　Roach　are　now　scattered　in　many　rivers：　but　I　think　not　in　the　Thames；　which　I　believe　affords　the　largest　and　fattest　in　this　nation；　especially　below　London　Bridge。　The　Roach　is　a　leather…mouthed　fish；　and　has　a　kind　of　saw…like　teeth　in　his　throat。　And　lastly；　let　me　tell　you；　the　Roach　makes　an　angler　excellent　sport；　especially　the　great　Roaches　about　London；　where　I　think　there　be　the　best　Roach…anglers。　And　I　think　the　best　Trout…anglers　be　in　Derbyshire；　for　the　waters　there　are　clear　to　an　extremity。

Next；　let　me　tell　you；　you　shall　fish　for　this　Roach　in　Winter；　with　paste　or　gentles；　in　April；　with　worms　or　cadis；　in　the　very　hot　months；　with　little　white　snails；　or　with　flies　under　water；　for　he　seldom　takes　them　at　the　top；　though　the　Dace　will。　In　many　of　the　hot　months；　Roaches　may　also　be　caught　thus：　take　a　May…fly；　or　ant…fly；　sink　him　with　a　little　lead　to　the　bottom；　near　to　the　piles　or　posts　of　a　bridge；　or　near　to　any　posts　of　a　weir；　I　mean　any　deep　place　where　Roaches　lie　quietly；　and　then　pull　your　fly　up　very　leisurely；　and　usually　a　Roach　will　follow　your　bait　up　to　the　very　top　of　the　water；　and　gaze　on　it　there；　and　run　at　it；　and　take　it；　lest　the　fly　should　fly　away　from　him。

I　have　seen　this　done　at　Windsor　and　Henley　Bridge；　and　great　store　of　Roach　taken；　and　sometimes；　a　Dace　or　Chub。　And　in　August　you　may　fish　for　them　with　a　paste　made　only　of　the　crumbs　of　bread；　which　should　be　of　pure　fine　manchet；　and　that　paste　must　be　so　tempered　betwixt　your　hands　till　it　be　both　soft　and　tough　too：　a　very　little　water；　and　time；　and　labour；　and　clean　hands；　will　make　it　a　most　excellent　paste。　But　when　you　fish　with　it；　you　must　have　a　small　hook；　a　quick　eye；　and　a　nimble　hand；　or　the　bait　is　lost；　and　the　fish　too；　if　one　may　lose　that　which　he　never　had。　With　this　paste　you　may；　as　I　said；　take　both　the　Roach　and　the　Dace　or　Dare；　for　they　be　much　of　a　kind；　in　manner　of　feeding；　cunning；　goodness；　and　usually　in　size。　And　therefore　take　this　general　direction；　for　some　other　baits　which　may　concern　you　to　take　notice　of：　they　will　bite　almost　at　any　fly；　but　especially　at　ant…flies；　concerning　which　take　this　direction；　for　it　is　very　good。

Take　the　blackish　ant…fly　out　of　the　mole…hill　or　ant…hill；　in　which　place　you　shall　find　them　in　the　month　of　June；　or　if　that　be　too　early　in　the　year；　then；　doubtless；　you　may　find　them　in　July；　August；　and　most　of　September。　Gather　them　alive；　with　both　their　wings：　and　then　put　them　into　a　glass　that　will　hold　a　quart　or　a　pottle；　but　first　put　into　the　glass　a　handful；　or　more；　of　the　moist　earth　out　of　which　you　gather　them；　and　as　much　of　the　roots　of　the　grass　of　the　said　hillock；　and　then　put　in　the　flies　gently；　that　they　lose　not　their　wings：　lay　a　clod　of　earth　over　it；　and　then　so　many　as　are　put　into　the　glass；　without　bruising；　will　live　there　a　month　or　more；　and　be　always　in　readiness　for　you　to　fish　with：　but　if　you　would　have　them　keep　longer；　then　get　any　great　earthen　pot；　or　barrel　of　three　or　four　gallons。　which　is　better。　then　wash　your　barrel　with　water　and　honey；　and　having　put　into　it　a　quantity　of　earth　and　grass　roots；　then　put　in　your　flies；　and　cover　it；　and　they　will　live　a　quarter　of　a　year。　These；　in　any　stream　and　clear　water；　are　a　deadly　bait　for　Roach　or　Dace；　or　for　a　Chub：　and　your　rule　is　to　fish　not　less　than　a　handful　from　the　bottom。

I　shall　next　tell　you　a　winter…bait　for　a　Roach；　a　Dace；　or　Chub；　and　it　is　choicely　good。　About　All…hallantide；　and　so　till　frost　comes；　when　you　see　men　ploughing　up　heath　ground；　or　sandy　ground；　or　greenswards；　then　follow　the　plough；　and　you　shall　find　a　white　worm；　as　big　as　two　maggots；　and　it　hath　a　red　head：　you　may　observe　in　what　ground　most　are；　for　there　the　crows　will　be　very　watchful　and　follow　the　plough　very　close：　it　is　all　soft；　and　full　of　whitish　guts；　a　worm　that　is；　in　Norfolk　and　some　other　counties；　called　a　grub；　and　is　bred　of　the　spawn　or　eggs　of　a　beetle；　which　she　leaves　in　holes　that　she　digs　in　the　ground　under　cow　or　horse　dung；　and　there　rests　all　winter；　and　in　March　or　April　comes　to　be　first　a　red　and　then　a　black　beetle。　Gather　a　thousand　or　two　of　these；　and　put　them；　with　a　peck　or　two　of　their　own　earth；　into　some　tub　or　firkin；　and　cover　and　keep　them　so　warm　that　the　frost　or　cold　air；　or　winds；　kill　them　not：　these　you　may　keep　all　winter；　and　kill　fish　with　them　at　any　time；　and　if　you　put　some　of　them　into　a　little　earth　and　honey；　a　day　before　you　use　them；　you　will　find　them　an　excellent　bait　for　Bream；　Carp；　or　indeed　for　almost　any　fish。

And　after　this　manner　you　may　also　keep　gentles　all　winter；　which　are　a　good　bait　then；　and　much　the　better　for　being　lively　and　tough。　Or　you　may　breed　and　keep　gentles　thus：　take　a　piece　of　beast's　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　will　fall　into　the　barrel　and　scour　themselves；　and　be　always　ready　for　use　whensoever　you　incline　to　fish；　and　these　gentles　may　be　thus　created　till　after　Michaelmas。　But　if　you　desire　to　keep　gentles　to　fish　with　all　the　year；　then　get　a　dead　cat；　or　a　kite；　and　let　it　be　flyblown；　and　when　the　gentles　begin　to　be　alive　and　to　stir；　then　bury　it　and　them　in　soft　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　will　last　till　March；　and　about　that　time　turn　to　be　flies。

But　if　you　be　nice　to　foul　your　fingers；　which　good　anglers　seldom　are；　then　take　this　bait：　get　a　handful　of　well…made　malt；　and　put　it　into　a　dish　of　water；　and　then　was＇l　and　rub　it　betwixt　your　hands　till　you　make　it　clean；　and　as　free　from　husks　as　you　can；　then　put　that　water　from　it；　and　put　a　small　quantity　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　inward　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　float　swims。

And　to　take　the　Roach　and　Dace；　a　good　bait　is　the　young　brood　of　wasps　or　bees；　if　you　dip　their　heads　in　blood；　especially　good　for　Bream；　if　they　be　baked；　or　hardened　in　their　husks　in　an　oven；　after　the　bread　is　taken　out　of　it；　or　hardened　on　a　fire…shovel：　and　so　also　is　the　thick　blood　of　sheep；　being　half　dried　on　a　trencher；　that　so　you　may　cut　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　oils　of　a　strong　smell　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　chemical　men；　as　a　great　present：　it　was　sent；　and　receiv'd；　and　us'd；　with　great　confidence；　and　yet；　upon　inquiry；　I　found　it　did　not　answer　the　expectation　of　Sir　Henry；　which；　with　the　help