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._

Thus much shall suffice for the two first Parts I proposed to treat of,
_viz._ What we seek after in this Recreation, and Where, and When to
find it; I come next to speak of the several _Implements_, and
_Tackling_ we ought to be provided with, for the prosecuting the same;
and then to our Sport.

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
expanding 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 straight, of an Ell-long, pliant, and bending;
and yet of a strength, that a reasonable jerk cannot break it, but it
will return to its first straightness; lest 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 houres in it, and
then thrown out again, will exceedingly preserve them.

But why should I further trouble my self with prescribing any Rules for
the ordering the Angle-Rod, since every Cane-shop in _London_ will
furnish us at an easy rate, with Rods of Cane, that shall suit with the
sport we designe; the usual Objection of their _Colour_ and Stiffness
being taken away, the first by covering it with Parchment or thin
Leather, dyed as you please; and the other by the length and strength of
the Top, being as before.

The next thing we come to prepare is the _Line_, which though easy, yet
admits of some Rule; wherefore to make it neat, handsome 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 watry green_
contemptible, dyed thus