The School of Recreation by Robert Howlett (e book reader online .TXT) 📕

to stick in the Ground, or Bushes, Shrubs, &c. and let it be planted as near the Pheasants pearching Branch, as may be. Place your Rods on the Ground, near the Bush; for when some are taken below by they Rods, they will scare up the others to get on the Bushes to seek what's become of their Fellows, and there become your Prey themselves.

For taking Partridge.

You must first find the Partridges Haunt. Which is mostly in standing Corn-Fields, where they breed; as likewise in Stubble after the Corn is cut, especially Wheat-stubble till it is trodden, and then they repair to Barley-stubble, if fresh; and the Furrows amongst the Clots, Brambles and long Grass, are sometimes their lurking places, for Twenty and upward in a Covy. In the Winter in up-land Meadows, in the dead Grass or Fog under Hedges, among Mole-hills; or under the Roots of Trees, &c. Various and uncertain are their Haunts. And tho' some by the Eye, by distinguishing their Colour from the Ground, others by the Ear, by hearing the Cock call earnestly the Hen, and the Hens answering, and chattering with Joy at meeting, do find Partridge; yet the best, easiest and safest way of finding them is (as you do the Pheasant) by the Call or Pipe: Notes seasonable, as before prescribed, and they will come near to you, and you may count their Numbers; and to your sport.

Surround your Covy, prepare your Nets, and pricking a stick fast in the ground, tye the one end to it, and let your Nets fall as you walk briskly round without stopping, and cover the Partridge; then rush in upon them to frighten them, and as they rise they are taken.

For taking them with Bird-Lime, thus: Call first near the Haunt; if answered, stick about your Lime-straws, a-cross in ranks at some distance from you; then call again, and as they approach you, they are intercepted by the Straws; and so your Prey. This way is used most successfully in Stubble-fields, from August to September: And Rods in Woods, Pastures, &c. as for the Pheasant.

The most pleasant way of taking Partridge is with a Setting-Dog, who having set them, use your Net; and by these Rules and Method, the Rails, Quales, Moorpoots, &c. are to be taken; and are for Hawks flight too. And here I must make an end of the most material part of Fowling.

Of FISHING.

It has been the Method of this whole Treatise, to divide the several distinct Heads of each Recreation into three Parts, to render the Observations and Rules the more plain and easy, for the prosecuting the Recreation we treat of.

1. What it is we pursue.

2. Where and When to find that we would delight our selves in.

3. With what proper Mediums or Measures we may obtain the desired Effects of our endeavours therein.

First then, What we pursue is Fish, distinguish'd according to their sundry kinds by these following Names.

The Barbel, Bream, Bleak, Bulhead, or Millers-thumb; Chevin, Char, Chub, Carp; Dace; Dare; Ele; Flounder; Grayling, Gudgeon, Guiniad; Loach; Minnow; Pope or Pike, Pearch; Rud, Roach; Sticklebag or Bansticle, Salmon, Shad, Suant; Tench, Torcoth, Trout, Thwait, and Umber. All these Alphabetically thus named are the different sorts of Fish, in taking which the Angler commonly exercises his Art. We come next, Where to find them.

1. To know the Haunts and Resorts of Fish, in which they are to be usually found, is the most Material thing the Angler ought to be instructed in, lest he vainly prepare how to take them, and preposterously seek where to find that he prepar'd for. To prevent which you are first to understand, That as the season of the Year is, so Fish change their places: In Summer, some keep near the top, others the bottom of the Waters. In Winter, all Fish in general resort to deep Waters. But more particularly,

The Barbel, Roach, Dace, and Ruff, covet most Sandy, Gravelly Ground, the deepest part of the River, and the shadows of Trees.

Bream, Pike, and Chub delight in a Clay, and Owzie Ground: The Bream chooseth the middle of the River, in a gentle, not too rapid Stream: The Pike preferreth still Waters, full of Fry, and absconding himself amongst Bull-rushes, Water-docks, or under Bushes, that under these shelters he may more securely surprize and seize his Prey: The Chub too chooses the same Ground, large Rivers and Streams, and is rarely destitute of some Tree to cover and shade him.

Carp, Tench and Eel, frequent foul muddy still Waters. The greatest Eels lurk under stones, or Roots; the smallest ones are found in all sorts of Rivers or Soils: The Carp is for the deepest stillest part of Pond or River, and so is the Tench, and both delight in green Weeds.

Pearch delighteth in gentle Streams of a reasonable Depth, not too shallow; close by a hollow Bank is their common Sanctuary.

Gudgeon covets Sandy, Gravelly, Gentle Streams, and smaller Rivers; not so much abounding in Brooks. He bites best in Spring, till they spawn, and a little after till Wasp time.

The Salmon delights in large swift Rivers, which ebb and flow; and are there plentifully to be found: As likewise Rocky and Weedy Rivers. But in the latter end of the Year he is to be found high up in the Country, in swift and violent Cataracts, coming thither to spawn.

The Trout loves small swift purling Brooks or Rivers, that run upon Stones or Gravel, and in the swiftest deepest part of them, getteth behind some Stone-block and there feeds. He delights in a Point of a River where the Water comes Whirling like the Eddy, to catch what the Stream brings down, especially if he has the shade of a Tree: He hugely delights to lurk under some hollow Bank or Stone; seldom among Weeds.

Shad, Thwait, Plaice, Peel, Mullet, Suant, and Flownder, covet chiefly to be in or near the Salt or Brackish Waters, which ebb and flow: The last, viz. the Flownder, have been taken in fresh Rivers, as coveting Sand and Gravel, deep gentle streams, near Banks, &c.

Lastly the Umber affects Marly Clay Ground, clear and swift Streams, far from the Sea; the greatest Plenty of these Fish is found in Darbyshire and Staffordshire.

Thus much for the Haunts of Fish; I come next to know When is the most seasonable time to catch them; which before I speak to, let him that would become a compleat Angler, take this Rule. That he observe narrowly what Pond or River soever he Fisheth in, whether it be slimy, muddy, stony or gravelly, whether of a swift or slow Motion; as likewise that he know the Nature of each Fish, and what Baits are most proper for every kind: Not to let his Knowledge be circumscribed to one or two particular Rivers, whither he is invited to Angle and take his Observations by the Vicinity of his House; but to let his Knowledge be general, and consequently his Sport will be so too. His Ignorance otherwise will oblige him to be a Spectator in another River, when his Excellency is confined to that only experienced one in or near his own Parish or House. But to proceed,

II. To understand the best Time when to Angle in, We must first consider Affirmatively, when most Seasonable: Or, 2. Negatively, when Unseasonable.

1. Seasonable Angling is, when the Weather is calm, serene and clear; tho' the Cool cloudy Weather in Summer is to be preferred, provided the Wind blow not too boistrously, to hinder your easy Guiding your Tools; In the hottest Months the cooler the better.

2. When a Violent shower hath disturbed the Water and mudded it, then with a Red Worm, Angle in the Stream at the Ground.

3. A little before Fish spawn, when they repair to gravelly Fords to rub and loosen their full Bellies; they bite freely.

4. From Sun-rising till eight of the Clock in the Morning, and from four in the Afternoon till night for Carp and Tench. In June and July, Carps shew themselves on the very rim of the Water, then Fish with a Lob-worm, as you would with a Natural Fly. But be sure to keep out of sight.

5. In March, April, and September, and all Winter, when the Air is clear, serene and warm. And after a shower of Rain, which hath only beaten the Gnats, and Flies into the River, without muddying. The two first mentioned Months with May, and part of June, are most proper for the Fly; Nine in the Morning, and Three a Clock in the Afternoon, is the best time; as likewise, when the Gnats play much in a warm Evening.

6. In a Cloudy, and Windy day, after a Moonshine clear Night, for the brightness of the Night (through fear) making them abstain from feeding, and the Gloominess of the Day emboldening and rendering them (through Hunger) sharp, and eager upon food, they bite then freely.

7. Lastly, at the opening of Milldams or Sluces, you will find Trouts, &c. come forth seeking food, brought down by the Water. We come next to demonstrate the time not proper, i.e.

2. Unseasonable Angling, in short is, when the Earth is parched, and scorched with Vehement Heat, and Drought; benummed and frozen with Cold, Frost, and Snow; or refrigerated with Spring Hoar-Frosts; or blasted with the sharp, bitter, nipping, North, or East Winds: Or when blustring Boreas disorders your well guiding your Tackling; or the Sheep-shearers Washings glutted the Fish, and anticipated your Bait; when the withdrawing of your Sport, foretells a Storm, and advises you to some shelter; or Lastly, when the night proves Dark, and Cloudy, you need not trouble your self the next day, 'tis to no purpose, &c.

III. For providing Stocks, the best time is the Winter Solstice, when the Sap is in the Roots of Trees, and their Leaves gone. It is improper after January, the Sap then ascending into the Trunk, and expending it self over all the Branches. See that your Stocks be Taper-grown, and your Tops of the best Ground-Hazle, that can be had, smooth, slender, and strait, of an Ell long, pliant and bendings and yet of a strength, that a reasonable jerk cannot break it, but it will return to its first straightness; left otherwise you endanger your Line. Keep them two full years, before you use them; having preserved them from Worm-eating, or Rotting, by thrice a year rubbing, and chaffing them well with Butter (if sweet) or Linsed or Sallet-Oyl; and if Bored, Oyl poured into the Holes, and bathed four and twenty hours in it, and then thrown out again, will exceedingly preserve them.

The line, to make it neat, handsom and strong, twist the Hair you make it of even, having seen if the Hair be of an equal bigness; then steep your Line in Water, to see if the Hairs shrink, if so, you must twist them over again. The Colour of the Hair is best of Sorrel, White and Grey; Sorrel for muddy boggy Rivers, and the two last for clear Waters. Nor is the Pale watery green contemptible, died thus: Take a pint of strong Ale, half a pound of Soot, a little of the Juice of Walnut-Leaves and Allum; Boil these together in a Pipkin half an hour, take it off, and when 'tis cold, put in your Hair. In making your Line of Hair mix not Silk; but either all Hair, or all Silk; as likewise distinguish the Line for the Ground Angle, and that for the Fly-rod, the last must be stronger than the first; in that for the Artificial Fly, making the uppermost Link