Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 3, Anatomy-Astronomy

156
angling.
Angling, than a small reddish beetle called the bracken clock in the
north of England, the Melolontha horticola of naturalists.
Salmon roe is greatly lauded by Barker, who appears to
have been the first to discover its merits. “ I have found
an experience of late which you may angle with, and take
great store of this kind of fish. First, it is the best bait
for trout that I have seen in all my time, and will take
great store, and not fail if they be there. Secondly, it is
a special bait for dace or dare, good for chub, or bottlin,
or grayling. The bait is a roe of a salmon or trout. If it
be a large trout, that the spawns be any thing great, you
must angle for the trout with this bait as you angle with
the brandling, taking a pair of scissors and cut so much
as a large hazel-nut, and bait your hook; so fall to your
sport,—there is no doubt of pleasure. If I had known it
but twenty years ago, I would have gained a hundred
pounds only with that bait: I am bound in duty to di¬
vulge it to your honour, and not to carry it to my grave
with me. I do desire that men of quality should have it,
that delight in that pleasure. The greedy angler will
murmur at me, but for that I care not.”
Many kinds of pastes are prized by the bait-fisher.
They may be used for chub, carp, and bream in Septem¬
ber and during all the winter months, and may be made
up about the size of a hazel-nut; if for roach and dace,
the bigness of a pea will suffice. All pastes are improved
by being mixed up in the making with a little cotton
wool, which makes them firmer and more tenacious, and
hang better on the hook. They suit well for fishino- in
quiet places, with a small hook and quill float. We sliall
here subjoin a few recipes for the making of fishing pastes,
which, although we introduce them under the head of the
river-trout, may be regarded as equally efficacious in the
capture of other kinds of fish.1
Minnow-fishing for trout is a favourite pastime with
many anglers, and the process is one by which very large
fish are frequently captured. The tackle used resembles
that for salmon, but is lighter and finer, with a single line of
gut at the bottom. The hooks vary in size according to the
general dimensions of the trout angled for; and the middle-
sized and whitest minnows are the most esteemed. The
following were Walton’s directions for baiting, with a view
to this department of the sport. Put your hook in at his
mouth and out at his gill; then having drawn your hook twn a
or three inches beyond or through his gill, put it again
into his mouth, and the point and beard out at his ta 1
and then tie the hook and his tail about very neatly with
a white thread, which will make it the apter to turn Quirk
in the water: that done, pull back that part of your linr
which was slack when you did put your hook into thl
minnow the second time ; I say, says Walton, pull that
part of your line back so that it shall fasten the head Z
that the body of the minnow shall be almost straight on
your hook : this done, try how it will turn by drawing it
across the water or against a stream ; and if it do not turn
nimbly, then turn the tail a little to the right or left hand
and try again till it turn quick. We may add, that the
practice of fishing with the artificial minnow is justly dis
carded by all judicious anglers. For representations of
the minnow tackle, and hooks baited, see Plate XLI
fig. 12, 13, and 19. *’
The Great Lake Trout. (Salmo Ferox.f
It appears that the gray or great trout of the British
fresh-water lakes, though never described or characterized
as a distinct species, has at various times excited the at¬
tention of ichthyologists. Trout of enormous dimensions
are mentioned by Pennant as occurring in the Welsh
lakes; and Donovan gives Loch Neagh in Ireland as an¬
other locality. Very large trout have been killed in Ulls-
water in Cumberland, and still larger in Loch Awe in
Argyllshire The late Mr Morrison of Glasgow claimed
the merit of discovering these fish in the last-named lo¬
cality about 60 years ago; and the largest recorded to
have been killed there weighed 25 pounds. Mr Lascelles
a Liverpool gentleman, has also of late years been equally
assiduous and successful in their capture; and it appears
that any persevering sportsman is almost certain, with the
proper tackle, to obtain specimens in Loch Awe, of this
great fish, weighing from 6 to 12 pounds. The largest
we have lately heard of weighed 191 pounds. It is said
to be by far the most powerful of our fresh-water fishes
exceeding the salmon in actual strength, though not in
activity. The most general size caught by trolling ranges
from 3 to 15 pounds: beyond that weight they are of
uncommon occurrence. If hooked upon tackle of mode-
until tough. A Ldl^ulntTty1W,ith the whUe of>n eS& and worked with the hands
over the paste when pressed flat in the hand; it must be well kneadll ? 1 b? added’ toffefher with some cotton-wool spread equally
hon. A small piece of fresh butter will prevent it from becoming l2 anH™!* tbe.t0ttfm thoroughly; colour it with a little vermi-
of the same ingredients, omitting the vermilion; and Z/Hn ml n , Wll -?1??u ^ a week. White paste may be composed
Salmon paste.—Take one pound of salmon-snawn in 11 manner, with the addition of turmeric,
sufficiently mixed, with an ounce of salt and a quarter of an ounce of ? b<)l1 lt/lJ|0ut mini'tes, then beat it in a mortar until
s contamed, as it is disengaged from it; when beat to a nroner ^onsi^Sf1 f <:.are^uli-v P|ck out the membrane in which the spawn
down close, and it will keep good for many months. P P stence, put it into gallipots, and cover it over with bladders tied
°^™P^^If^etheirrrepetibonOV A baitS’ bUt 38 We believe their beneficial effects
now I shall tell you that which may be called a secret • T havt IfP « u-* A .S1Me extract from Izaak Walton will suffice. “ And
UttlVr uand Tlmon’ and have observed that he 'would usuaffv^akeTlf mth ^ °llVer Henle^ n°w with God, a noted fisher
attle box m his pocket, where he would usuallv let them conlinnl^lf v1”'86 °r four worms out of his bag, and put them into a
tW ^ TW !!inuhlS/eaS0^ and he has replied,he did but pick the best'orn^ °T m.°re be1fore he would bait his hook with them. I
with him beei? °hser.vedA both by others and mvself to catch more fish ri 6 T readiness against he baited his hook the next
^ltbb™,COulddo’ arid especially salmons; and I havTbeen old latelv hv 71 °r °ther bod^ that has ever gone a-fishing
tojK h6 7 h°Se worms. was anointed with a drop, or two or three ’ °f J'S TSt intimate and secret friends, that the box
told that by the worms remaining in that box an houi or a like time ti * ofj^-berries made by expression or infusion; and
th^t th!V7d0mFhhtl°f0rCta-ny cS.h Within the smdl them ^o bite ” We needds “C°7orated a kind of smell, that was irresistibly at-
that that admirable work is of higher value for the manner • u- i ® need scarcely remind the reader of the “ Complete Amrler ”
styie poetical sentiment, and picturesque illustration than forTh^ 119 fSU A,e,Ct is discussed, and the beautiful accessories of pure
simplicity and goodness of Izaik Walton’s nature to hwe inr^"1 ° ^ Practical information which it conveys The
with an accurate perception of the truth, and hence evervchanLr ai?d T* a £reater degree of credulity than was always consistent
critical days. As a useful work in relation to the mlr^an^I which oouldnot pass current fn theSe more
the general reader, and all who desire to refresh themselves hv » th* 1 ^ ^ d a hiSh rank, although it must ever delight
2 We are indebted for the principal materials Slhr tlZr7 he Pure wflj «f English undefiled.” k g
dine’s, with which we have been kindly favoured by the author ^It'fbrms thlSf infterestl.ng fish to a manuscript of Sir William Jar-
assiduous naturalist has been for some time past preparing ?or tJ'e press ^ °f " ^ °f Memoir* Fisttcs, which that