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butter； and good store of salt mixed with it。 And； to this； add a little thyme
cut exceedingly small； or bruised into the butter。 The Cheven thus dressed
hath the watery taste taken away； for which so many except against him。
Thus was the Cheven dressed that you now liked so well； and commended
so much But note again； that if this Chub that you eat of had been kept till
to…morrow； he had not been worth a rush。 And remember； that his throat be
washed very clean； I say very clean； and his body not washed after he is
gutted； as indeed no fish should be。
Well； scholar； you see what pains I have taken to recover the lost credit
of the poor despised Chub。 And now I will give you some rules how to
catch him： and I am glad to enter you into the art of fishing by catching a
Chub； for there is no fish better to enter a young Angler； he is so easily
caught； but then it must be this particular way：
Go to the same hole in which I caught my Chub； where； in most hot
days； you will find a dozen or twenty Chevens floating near the top of the
water。 Get two or three grasshoppers； as you go over the meadow： and get
secretly behind the tree； and stand as free from motion as is possible。 Then
put a grasshopper on your hook； and let your hook hang a quarter of a yard
short of the water； to which end you must rest your rod on some bough of
the tree。 But it is likely the Chubs will sink down towards the bottom of
the water； at the first shadow of your rod （for Chub is the fearfullest of
fishes）； and will do so if but a bird flies over him and makes the least
shadow on the water； but they will presently rise up to the top again； and
there lie soaring till some shadow affrights them again。 I say； when they lie
upon the top of the water； look out the best Chub； which you； setting
yourself in a fit place； may very easily see； and move your rod； as softly as
a snail moves； to that Chub you intend to catch； let your bait fall gently
upon the water three or four inches before him； and he will infallibly take
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the bait。 And you will be as sure to catch him； for he is one of the leather…
mouthed fishes； of which a hook does scarce ever lose its hold； and
therefore give him play enough before you offer to take him out of the
water。 Go your way presently； take my rod； and do as I bid you； and I will
sit down and mend my tackling till you return back。
Venator。 Truly； my loving master； you have offered me as fair as I
could wish。 I'll go and observe your directions。
Look you； master； what I have done； that which joys my heart； caught
just such another Chub as yours was。
Piscator。 Marry； and I am glad of it： I am like to have a towardly
scholar of you。 I now see； that with advice and practice； you will make an
Angler in a short time。 Have but a love to it； and I'll warrant you。
Venator。 But； master！ what if I could not have found a grasshopper？
Piscator。 Then I may tell you； That a black snail； with his belly slit； to
show his white； or a piece of soft cheese； will usually do as well。 Nay；
sometimes a worm； or any kind of fly； as the ant…fly； the flesh…fly； or wall…
fly； or the dor or beetle which you may find under cow…dung； or a bob
which you will find in the same place； and in time will be a beetle； it is a
short white worm； like to and bigger than a gentle； or a cod… worm； or a
case…worm； any of these will do very well to fish in such a manner。
And after this manner you may catch a Trout in a hot evening： when；
as you walk by a brook； and shall see or hear him leap at flies； then； if you
get a grasshopper； put it on your hook； with your line about two yards long；
standing behind a bush or tree where his hole is： and make your bait stir
up and down on the top of the water。 You may； if you stand close； be sure
of a bite； but not sure to catch him； for he is not a leather… mouthed fish。
And after this manner you may fish for him with almost any kind of live
fly； but especially with a grasshopper。
Venator。 But before you go further； I pray； good master； what mean
you by a leather…mouthed fish ？
Piscator。 By a leather…mouthed fish； I mean such as have their teeth in
their throat； as the Chub or Cheven： and so the Barbel； the Gudgeon； and
Carp； and divers others have。 And the hook being stuck into the leather； or
skin； of the mouth of such fish； does very seldom or never lose its hold：
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but on the contrary； a Pike； a Perch； or Trout； and so some other fish；
which have not their teeth in their throats； but in their mouths； which you
shall observe to be very full of bones； and the skin very thin； and little of it。
I say； of these fish the hook never takes so sure hold but you often lose
your fish； unless he have gorged it。
Venator。 I thank you； good master； for this observation。 But now what
shall be done with my Chub or Cheven that I have caught ？
Piscator。 Marry； Sir； it shall be given away to some poor body； for I'll
warrant you I'll give you a Trout for your supper： and it is a good
beginning of your art to offer your first…fruits to the poor； who will both
thank you and God for it； which I see by your silence you seem to consent
to。 And for your willingness to part with it so charitably； I will also teach
more concerning Chub…fishing。 You are to note； that in March and April he
is usually taken with worms； in May； June； and July； he will bite at any fly；
or at cherries； or at beetles with their legs and wings cut off； or at any kind
of snail； or at the black bee that breeds in clay walls。 And he never refuses
a grasshopper； on the top of a swift stream； nor； at the bottom； the young
humble bee that breeds in long grass； and is ordinarily found by the mower
of it。 In August； and in the cooler months； a yellow paste； made of the
strongest cheese； and pounded in a mortar； with a little butter and saffron；
so much of it as； being beaten small； will turn it to a lemon colour。 And
some make a paste for the winter months； at which time the Chub is
accounted best； for then it is observed； that the forked bones are lost； or
turned into a kind of gristle； especially if he be baked； of cheese and
turpentine。 He will bite also at a minnow； or peek； as a Trout will： of
which I shall tell you more here