Angling - A practical guide to Bottom fishing, Trolling, Spinning, and Fly fishing with A chapter on Sea Fishing

Introduction

There are thousands of people who love a day's fishing, hut who have neither the time nor the inclination to make a profound study of the gentle craft. They are often dispirited and disappointed at their want of success. They have sighed for a comprehensive, practical, yet handy manual, which is neither too large for the pocket, nor too brief to he useful.

Perhaps no out-door sport has so large or so fine a literature as angling. So full and exhaustive are the various treatises, that it appeals presumptuous to place another volume on the already loaded shelves (if the fisherman's library. If anglers all belonged to the rich and leisurely grades of society, 1 should certainly not have expanded my rough fishing notes into a book.

Though I have embodied my own experiences into these pages, I have not overlooked the advice of my brother anglers, when I found on trial that their plans were more simple, or, practically, more useful than my own. The most striking instance of this being the case was in trolling and spinning for pike; and I acknowledge my indebtedness for many a good day's sport to the improved tackle and hints of Mr Cholmondeley Fennell. To him, and to those kind friends who furnished me with valuable memoranda, I tender my hearty thanks.

T would direct attention to the various useful tables In the Fisherman's Calendar, to the triad receipts, as well as to the practical hints on the making and mending of fishing-gear, fly-dressing, and odd memoranda, which will he duly appreciated by those who have experienced the chagrin of tackle breaking in the midst of a day's sport, or their stock of flies exhausted far away from the usual sources of supply. A little ingenuity and patience will soon bring the necessary skill and neatness to do these things well.

Though these things have been described ostensibly for the guidance, and instruction of the young and inexperienced angler, I am not without hope that it will be found sufficiently valuable, and full of suggestive practical hints, as to commend itself to many an old angler as a necessary part of his outfit.

Leamington, May 1867

Table of content

• Chapter: I. Angling and Anglers
• Chapter: II. Fish: their habits, senses, and haunts.
• Chapter: III. The, Rod and the Reel
• Chapter: IV. The Line, Tackle, and Equipment of an Angler
• Chapter: V. Points to be Observed - Striking, Hooking, Playing, and Landing the Fish
• Chapter: VI. The Bottom-fisher’s Bait Table
• Chapter: VII. Bottom-fishing
  What to fish for, and where - The haunts of the Minnow, Loach, Ruffe, Gudgeon, Bleak, Dice, Roach, Chub, and Bream.
• Chapter: VIII. Bottom fishing
  What to Fish for, and where, continued - The Haunts of the Carp, Tench, Barbel, Porch, Eels, and Lampreys.
• Chapter: IX. Bottom-Fishing
  What to Fish for, and where, continued - Haunts of the Trout, Grayling, Salmon, &c.
• Chapter: X. Fishing in mid-water
  How to Fish for Pike - Trolling - The Tackle, Gorge-hooks, Trace, Baits, &c.
• Chapter: XI. Fishing in Mid-water
  Spinning for Pike - New Tackle - The Pennell Flight - Sinking and Roving - Fishing with the Snap-Tackle, &c.
• Chapter: XII. Fishing in mid-water
  Spinning with the minnow.
• Chapter: XIII. Fly fishing
  Throwing the Linn and Plies - Making a Cast - Humouring the Flies - How to Fish a Stream -How to Strike, Hook, Play, and Land a Fish.
• Chapter: XIV. Fly-fishing
  Trout: their Haunts, Habits, arid Tastes - Scotch and Irish Fly. Fishing- Monthly List of Flies- General Hints on Grayling and Trout Fishing.
• Chapter: XV. Artificial flies, and how to make them.
• Chapter: XVI. Fly-fishing for trout
  Artificial Flies and their Varieties.
• Chapter: XVII. Dipping, Dabbing, or Pacing
• Chapter: XVIII. Fly-fishing
  The Salmon, Hints on Fishing for.
• Chapter: XIX. Sea fishing
  Fishing for Hake, Cod, Ling, Bream, Turbot, Mackerel, Whiting, &c.
• Chapter: XX. The fisherman's calendar