The anglers delight containing the whole art of neat and clean angling; wherein is taught the readiest way to take all sorts of fish, from the pike to the minnow, together with their proper baits, haunts, and time of fishing for them, whether in mere, pond, or river. As also, the method of fishing in Hackney River, & the names of all the best stands there; with the manner of making all sorts of good tackle fit for any water whatsoever. The like never before in print. By William Gilbert, gent.

THE Anglers Delight: OR, THE Method of Fishing in Hack∣ney-River.

Of making the Tackle.

FIrst, You must be provided with a good Angle-Rod, of at least four Yards, when it is at the shortest; which must be Taper all the way: And to take in so many pieces, that you may make it of what length you please. Then you must go,

and buy some Hooks, of all these sizes, viz.

[illustration] depictions of fish-hooks

[illustration]

The Bleak, or Gudgeon.

[illustration]

The Roach, or Dace.

[illustration]

The Roach.

[illustration]

The Pearch, or Barbel.

[illustration]

The Chub.

Next, You must be provided with excellent strong, round, long, and white or gray Stone-Horse-Hair; Silk to whip your Hooks with, and Wax to wax the Silk.

Then must you have Swans, and Goose-quill-Floats, of all sizes; And for Chub-Lines, or Barbel-Lines, you may buy them Cheaper of Silk and Hair, than you can make them: But for Hair-Lines, you will not meet with any to be sold, that you can do any good with, in Hackney-River: Therefore, being thus provided, begin to make (first) a Line for the Chub, or Cheven; putting eight Hairs in the first Link next your Rod; and so make it Taper (by leaving out a Hair every other Link) till you have made it; when it comes to the last, to be but four or five Hairs at

the bottom; to which, tye such a Hook as is before described for the Chub.

Next, You must put on a Float, one of the largest you have; and Lead, in manner following: So that Line, Float, Lead, Hook, and all (being fixed toge∣ther) will be thus

[illustration] depiction of a fishing line with float, lead and hook

Now, for your Roach, and Dace-lines, they must be far more fine; for, you must not (by any means) exceed above one Hair, at, or next the Hook, or two at the most; for, if you do, where you take one Fish, they that Fish with a single Hair, will catch half a dozen: And ob∣serve, that, be it for what Fish you will, the finer you Fish, the more, and larger Fish you will Catch. But you must ne∣ver be without your Landing-Hook, or Landing-Net.

You may for Roaches, put three hairs next your Rod, and two about the mid∣dle; but at the bottom only one: And these Lines ought to be a yard, or a half-yard shorter than your Rods, for

your conveniency of striking your Fish: And you must fit them with three sizes of Float, though you have Hair at the Hook; that is to say, the larger Float∣ed Line for swift Streams, the middling size for Streams that run slow, and the smallest of all, which ought to be of a Duck's Quill: for those which scarce move at all, you must leaden them with small Shot, eight Inches from the Hook; and then you will find this Line to be thus Compleat,

[illustration] depiction of a fishing line

When you have two or three of a sort of these Lines, and Shots, and Floates, Links, Hooks, and Supplies for every thing that you can possibly use; then go to Mother Gibert's, at the Flower-de-Luce at Clapton, near Hackney and whilst you are drinking of a Pot Ale, bid the Maid make you two or three Peny-worth of Ground-Bait, and some Paste (which they do very neatly, and well); and observing of them, you will know how to make

it your self for any other Place: which is too tedious here to Insert.

Then go down to Cunnis-Hole, or else Maries-Hole; where pull out your Tackle, and Fish there-abouts; First, Plumming your Ground exactly, that your Paste may swim within half an Inch of the bottom.

The Plummets must be made of Lead, with a Pin in them, after this man∣ner,

[illustration] depiction of lead plummets

some bigger, and some lesser, according to the size of your Line: And be sure that you find your Ground eeven at the bottom; and if it be between two little Ascents, the Place is the better.

Then seeing your Float swim, accor∣ding as you would have it, you must (in that very Place) throw in some of your Ground-Bait; and if it be in a Stream, you must knead a little Pibble Stone, in∣to some of your Ground-Bait, in the fa∣shion of a Ball, of this size; and that will sink it to the bottom, which other∣wise the Water would cary away: And when you have thrown in five

[illustration] diagram showing size of float

or six of these Balls, you may Fish there.

The more you are out of sight the better; and you must be sure that you put not a bigger Bait upon the Point of your Hook, of your Red-Paste, than this size, viz.

[illustration] diagram showing size of bait

; For, if you do, the Fish will bob & bob at it, and make you think you have a Bite, when you have not.

Now, you must observe, That your Float swim just over the Place, where your Ground-Bait lies; and then obser∣ving (with a diligent and quick Eye) the first Motion of your Float, that then you strike gently; and, according as as you find the weight of the Fish you have hold of, to play him: You need not doubt of Sport enough, following but these Directions.

There is an excellent Stand, in the second Meddow, on the left-hand, be∣yond the Ferry, under a Willow-Tree; in the midst of the Meddow, by the Water-side.

But in my former Piece (where I did speak of the Chub), I did promise that I would give farther Directions for the Taking of him; So that, now, I intend to perform it. And now, when you have filled your Basket of Roach, and Dace; or else the Wind is so high, that

you cannot well Angle for them, or that you find they will not bite; then I would have you try this way (which I am going about to teach you) to Take a Chub: And first, observe, That here are large ones in Hackney; and there∣fore, provide you strong Silk, and Hair Lines, with your Swan's-Quill-Floats, as was before directed: And walk either up or down the River, till you see a Place clear from Weeds, that you can swim your Float half a score yards without danger of Entangling: But if you knew the place before, it would be better; for fear your coming too near the Water should fright away the Chubs, that may, peradventure, be there: But this must be in such a Place as I told you before (in my Discourse of the Chub or Cheven); where the Chub, or Cheven's Haunts are.

Then must you keep as much out of sight as you can, that you can but just see the Top of your Float swim; And having baited your Hook with a Pellet of Paste thus big

[illustration] diagram showing size of pellet

, you must first throw in a Ball of your Ground-bait, about

as big as a Walnut without a stone in it, a little broken between your Fingers; and then follow it with your baited Hook, and it is very likely you will have a Fish within eight or ten Swims, or else there is none there. But trying two or three likely Places, you need not doubt of having a good Chub, or Cheven. If you fail in your Expecta∣tion of Chub-Fishing, then be upon the Drable for a Barbel, which is in this na∣ture: You must have a strong Line, of about six yards long of Hair and Silk; which must be put (before you fasten it to your Rod) through a piece of Lead thus

[illustration] diagram showing line and lead

that it may slip to and fro, if any thing bite at it; and that the Water may move it upon the Ground, which will entice the Barbel to bite without Suspi∣tion of Danger: And being baited with a good Lob-Worm, it is not much to be questioned, but you will Catch a Bar∣bel.

How to Make the Ground-Bait.

NOw, by reason that some People in the Country may be ignorant of the way of Making this Ground-Bait, I thought meet to let such know, that it is made by cutting a two-penny, or three penny Loafe (according to the quantity you would make) into Slices, and lay them in soake into a Platter of fair Water; which, being soaked half a quarter of an Hour, powr the Water from it; and with Bran, make the Bread up into a Stiffe Paste; and then make that Paste up into two or three large Balls for your use; which you must make use of according to my former Directions. But note, If you Fish in a Pond you need not put Stones into your Bait, but rather Crumble it.

To make Paste.

THis is made by the cutting off, of the Crust of a White-Loafe, that is two or three dayes old; and holding it in your hands, being clean washed, about two Minutes in fair Wa∣ter till it be soaked; then squeeze out the Water: and (with a little Pains in working of it in your hands) it will come to be a very stiffe Paste, and hang mightily upon the Hook without wa∣shing off. You may colour it with a lit∣tle red Lead, either more or less, ac∣cording as you find it most agreeable to the colour of the Water where you Fish.

There are many sorts of Pastes; but I esteem this the best for any Fish, ex∣cepting a Carp; for, they love sweet Pastes best, as those made of Bean-Flower, Honey, &c.

I might say more, but I think this suf∣ficient; only letting you know, that if you would be set-out like a Fisher-man, as you ought to be: Then, when-ever

you go out to Fish, faill not to have with you, viz.

A good Coat for all Weathers.

An Apron to put your Ground-Bait, Stones, and Paste in.

A Basket to put your Fish in.

A neat-Rod of about four Foot long, in several pieces, one within another.

Two or three Lines fitted up, of all Sorts.

Spare Hooks, Links, Floats, Silk, Wax, Plummets, Caps, Floats, and a Lan∣ding-Nett, &c.

And if you have a Boy to go along with you, a good Neats-Tongue, and a Bottle of Canary should not be wan∣ting: To the Enjoyment of which I leave You.

FINIS.