The Art of Angling

day long, the more the better: at night set some small weight, as may stay the Boy, as a Ship lyeth at Anchor, till the Fish taketh. For the River, you must turn all loose with the streame; two or three be sufficient to shew pleasure, gaged at such a depth as they will go currant downe the River; there is no doubt of sport, if there be Pikes: for the hooks, they must be doubled books, the shanks should be somewhat shorter than ordinary: my reason is, the shorter the hook is of the shank, it will hurt the live Fish the lesse, and must be armed with small wyre well softned; but I hold a hook armed with twisted silk to be better, for it will hurt the live fish least.

If you arm your hook with wyre, the neeld must be made with a small hook at the one end thereof. If you arme with silke, the neeld must be made with an eye: then must you take one of those Baits alive (which you can get) and with one of your neelds enter within a strawes breath of the Gill of the Fish, so put the neeld betwixt the skin and t