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    The Gentleman Angler
    The Gentleman Angler
    The Gentleman Angler
    Ebook171 pages1 hour

    The Gentleman Angler

    By Graham Jackson

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    About this ebook

    The Gentleman Angler was first published in 1726 and printed for A. Bettesworth, at the Red Lion in Patternoster-Row, London. It was one of the first general books about angling to be released in the 18th century and was very popular at the time. Several later editions of the book were released.
    The Gentleman Angler presents angling as a healthy solution and antedote to the challenges of the then modern world and it is gloriously politically incorrect compared to today's culture. Much of the angling instruction within is still relevant today.
    The book contains the following sections:
    The Preface
    The Gentleman Angler
    Fishing Equipment
    General Instructions for Angling
    Bait for Fishing
    Fish Species
    The Angler’s Song
    The Laws of Angling
    The Form of a License
    Appendix
    Appendix One - The Method of Rock Fishing and Sea Fishing
    Appendix Two - Technical Terms and Phrases used by Fair Anglers
    Appendix Three - Receipts for Dressing Fish in the best & most fashionable manner
    Appendix Four - Improve Poor or Barren Ground, by Turning it into Fish Ponds
    There are a few very poor quality digital versions of this book currently available online none of which are suitable for eReaders such as the Kindle. They are poor scans of the original 1726 1st edition with blurred inages and text not selectable, hence this edited version of the 1726 book.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGraham Jackson
    Release dateMay 22, 2014
    ISBN9781310924903
    The Gentleman Angler
    Author

    Graham Jackson

    My interests are stories (true, false or pure fantasy will suit me), books, music, natural history, water (rivers, lakes & ocean), fishing and art. I have just discovered Smashwords which seems an excellent tool for my publishing ambitions.

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      Book preview

      The Gentleman Angler - Graham Jackson

      edited by Graham Jackson

      Copyright 2014 http://thegentlemanangler.com/

      Smashwords Edition

      Containing

      Short, plain and easy instructions, whereby the most ignorant beginner may, in a little time, may become a perfect artist in angling for Salmon, Salmon Peal, Trout, Pike, Carp, Perch, Barbel, Tench, Bream, Chub, Greyling, Mullets, Flounders, Roach, Dace, Gudgeon, etc.

      With several observations on angling, angle rods and artificial flies; how to chose the best hair, and Indian grass; of the proper times and seasons for River and Pond Fishing ; when fish spawn and what baits are chiefly to be used, etc.

      To which is added, The Angler’s New Song; the Laws of Angling, and the form of a License and Deputation for Angling.

      Together with an Appendix, containing the method of rock and sea-fishing; an alphabetical explanation of technical words used in the art of angling

      Choice receipts for dressing fish; and, how to improve barren ground by turning it into fish-ponds, etc.

      By a Gentleman, who has made angling his diversion upwards of twenty-eight years.

      Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti; si non, his utere mecum. Horace

      If you know of any precepts better than these, be so candid as to communicate them, if not, partake of these with me (Horace)

      Contents

      Introduction

      The Preface

      The Gentleman Angler

      Fishing Equipment

      Fishing Rods

      Directions for Choosing Good Hair, Indian-grass, and Hooks

      How to make Hair Lines

      How to make Hair Green

      How to make Hair Yellow

      To make Another Yellow

      To make Hair a Russet Colour

      To make Hair Brown

      To make Hair Tawny

      To make Hooks

      How to whip a Hook

      How to make Floats

      Of Artificial Flies

      How to make an Artificial Fly

      General Instructions for Angling

      Bait for Fishing

      How to keep and preserve Live Baits and other Baits

      How to Bait the Hook with a Gentle

      How to make an Artificial Minnow

      How to bait your Hook with a Live Minnow

      How to bait with a Lob Worm

      Fish Species

      Salmon

      Trout

      Pike or Luce

      Of Trowling

      Snapping

      Carp

      Perch

      Barbel

      Chub or Chevin

      Bream

      Tench

      Greyling or Umber

      Flounders

      Mullet

      Smelt

      Roach

      Rudd

      Dace

      Gudgeon

      Bleak

      Eel-Pouts

      Ruffe and Tote

      Minnow or Penk

      Bulls-Head ot Miller's Thumb

      Loach

      The Angler’s Song

      The Laws of Angling

      Queen Elizabeth statute 1, clause 17

      Queen Elizabeth statute 5, clause 11

      James I, statute 1, clause12

      Charles II, statute 3, clause 9

      King Charles II statutes 22 & 23, clause 25

      William & Mary statutes 4 & 5, chapter 23

      Queen Elizabeth statute 1, clause 21

      The Form of a License

      Appendix One - The Method of Rock Fishing and Sea Fishing

      Of Rock Fishing

      Of Sea Bream

      Of Flounders

      Of Whiting Pollock

      Of Rock Whiting

      Of Sea Fishing

      Of Whiting

      Of Haddock

      Of Mackerel

      Appendix Two - Technical Terms and Phrases used by Fair Anglers

      Appendix Three - Excellent Receipts for Dressing Fish after the best and most fashionable manner

      How to Dress a Brace of Carp

      How to Spitchcock an Eel

      How to Pot Eels

      How to Collar Eels

      To Marinate Eels or any other Fish after the Italian manner to keep all the year

      To make a General Sauce for all sorts of Fish

      How to Roast a Pike with a Pudding in its belly

      The sauce

      How to Boil Tench

      To Pickle Salmon to keep all the year

      To Souse Mackerel

      To Pickle Trout

      To Dress a Dish of Fish in general

      The sauce

      How to Dress Dace the best way

      To Dress Perch after the Dutch manner, called Watcr-Zouch

      To pickle mushrooms

      Appendix Four - Improve Poor or Barren Ground, by Turning it into Fish Ponds

      Introduction

      It has been my great pleasure to prepare The Gentleman Angler for the Kindle and other eReaders. A copy of the first edition (Printed for A. Bettesworth, at the Red Lion in Patternoster-Row, London in 1726) has been used as the basis for this release.

      Quite a few edits have been applied to the original text; some changes to grammar, spelling, capitalisation and chapter structure were necessary to bring this text up to a modern standard and properly prepare this venerable book for eReader consumption.

      My intent has been to retain all the charm and humour of the original and in no way to introduce modern vernacular.

      I suggest that reading a nearly 300 year old book on a Kindle (or similar) is one of the best uses of this technology.

      I would like to say many thanks to my friend Terry Johnson who provided vital input for the final edit of this book.

      The cover image is based on a 1789 painting entitled A Party Angling by George Morland (1763-1804). The original painting is in the Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection and digital copy is courtesy of http://siftingthepast.com/

      Graham Jackson

      May 2014

      www.thegentlemanangler.com/

      The Preface

      I may without vanity affirm, that the following treatise upon angling is the most perfect and compleat of any that has hitherto appeared in print. Other books are generally crowded with so many superfluous and unnecessary accounts of the value which foreigners set upon some kind of fish, and with reciting what was the opinion of the ancients concerning them, that they seem to be calculated to please men of speculation, rather than to instruct a young beginner, or improve him in the art of angling.

      To this may he added, that they abound frequently with a description of the various nets, by which fish may be taken; how to lay night lines; how to snare fish and other nefarious and clandestine methods, by which they may he destroyed. But this is downright poaching, which has nothing to do with angling.

      There is as much difference between an angler and a poacher, as between the fair trader and the smuggler and the legislature were sensible of this, when they made the practices of the one penal, and laid no restraint upon the other.

      I would not be here thought to inveigh against the use of nets, by those who are lords of royalties, or pay rent for fisheries; my small artillery is levelled against such persons only, who clandestinely invade other men’s properties, and by poaching methods destroy more fish in one month than all the anglers in England do take in seven years.

      Anglers can do no prejudice to a river; they catch fish for their recreation and pleasure, not for lucre; whereas poachers make it their livelihood by night and by day and it may be truly said in a literal sense, that all is fish which comes to their nets.

      For these reasons, I have omitted all superfluous niceties, descriptions and opinions of the ancients, choosing to come immediately to the point, and treat of such things only, as will instruct a young beginner, and improve such progress in the art of angling. And to facilitate this, I have pursued a method entirely new and have given such plain and easy rules and directions, as will, if carefully observed, and put into practice, quickly enable a young angler to become an artist.

      These rules and directions are founded upon experience, which is the most infallible mistress, and not to be taken up on hearsay, to which little credit is to be given. For most anglers generally take a pleasure in deluding young beginners and leading them astray, by sending them to places as are unfrequented by fish and telling them such baits are proper when they know the contrary. This is a very ungenerous treatment, and unworthy of an angler. For my part, I am so far from repining, that it gives me much satisfaction, when it falls to the lot of another to hook a large fish and I never refuse my aid, or my counsel.

      Much might be added in commendation of this work. But I shall only say farther that I have endeavoured to be concise, and to stick close to the matter and rather more to the practice of the art, than the theory and do submit myself to the judgment of expert anglers, and the experience of young learners.

      The Gentleman Angler

      He that will be an expert angler, must be imbued with the following qualifications, viz, Patience, Diligence and Resolution.

      Patient, to endure the disappointments that attend anglers, who cannot promise to themselves, at all times, the desired success.

      Diligent, in following such instructions as shall be communicated to him, observing the various seasons of the year, and various dispositions of Fish.

      Resolute, to rise early, and pursue his sport, whether it be hot or cold, in winter or in summer.

      It will be needless to launch forth in the praise and commendation of angling, or to show that it is an innocent diversion, and a healthful recreation. Experience will confirm the truth, and they who are resolved to become anglers, will soon give the same judgment, though the plainest demonstration will never be sufficient to convince

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