The making of a pond for fish .

Hauing a place conuenient , viz. a valley betweene two hilles , and some small brooke or rill running through the same , you are to dig a channell or pond as it were from the one hill to the other , ouerthwart the valley : and with the earth that you take out of the same to make your head . Alwayes making your head downe the streame from the channell , so that the channell shal be the deepest place of your pond , and in no wise to dig any earth , or to make any channell on the backside of your head : for that will much weaken your head . You must also begin the foundation of your head not hard by the brim of your channell , but some eight or ten foote from the same , least the weight of the earth of the head cause your head to slide into the channell : and raise your head not vpright , but slopewise for caluing or slipping downe . And looke how high you meane to make your head , and so much it is requisite to be in breadth in the top thereof , & three times that breadth in the bottome : as for example : If you meane to make your head ten foot high , it had need to be ten foot broade in the top , and thirty foote broade in the bottome , otherwise it will hardly lye , but calue and slippe downe againe , vnlesse you force it with timber . Howbeit such may be the nature of your earth , as a light sand , or onely chalke , that it will not stand without timber , otherwise a stiffe clay mingled with grauell , is best for such a head : if your soile be a light sand , or altogether a grauell , or chalke , it will hardly hold water . It is not good to put any timber in your head to beare it vp , but rather only earth being broken very smal , and watered with water often times as you raise it : for that will cause it to bind closer and surer then any ramming or timber worke will do . I suppose the Spring time , & Autumne to be best for the making of such heads , especially if you water it well and breake the earth small , that it may drie againe and settle . In the making of the head , Where to lay your sluce . you are to lay your sluce in the head against the deepest place of your channell , being made of a whole peece of timber , or at least wise the forepart thereof being a whole peece , and the residue of one or two peeces more , being ioyned very close , and stopped with haire and tarre in the ioynts : for if therein be neuer so small a hole , it will spoyle your head at the sewing of your pond . Hauing made and hollowed your trough , hewen through at the tayle , but close at the end next to the pond , you are to naile thereon a strong boord or planke , very close in all places : or else which is better , a slab being before the hollowing of your trough , sawne from the same : then turne that side downeward , and then the vpper side will be that which before was the bottom of the trough : at the end whereof next to the channell in the vpper part thereof , you are to make the tampion hole square , and likewise make a square tampion to shut close in the same , with a steale , either of the same peece which is best , or else strongly mortised with a bouetaile mortice into the sayd tampion , and so reaching vp as high as the top of your head , or at least to the vppermost part of the water . And the best fashion for the head of your sluse , is two strong planks , fastened on each side of the tampion hole , being in breadth somewhat broader then the square of your tampion , & grated boords nailed before & behind the same , some two or three foote from the bottome . But for the more speedy sewing out the water , you may make as it were a nose of grated boords before the tampion , at the bottome of the sluce , of some three or foure foote long , and a foote deepe . The residue of the sluce may be boorded vp to the top with boords vngrated , and I thinke grated boords to be better for this purpose , being made with a hand saw , rather then holes made with piercer or augur . The trough of this sluce had need be layd so soone as you begin to make your head , because it may conuey the water from you , which else will trouble you in making the channell .

The sluce made , and the channell digged , it may be you shall need more earth to be carried in dung-carts or barrowes which you are still to keepe mingled with water , and the earth broken smal : in frostie weather it is good working of any such head . Also take heede you put not in the sayd head , any dung or turfs of grasse , that will turne to dung : but onely good earth . When the head is raised , it is requisite to settle well before you fill the same with water , and therefore not good to fill it full the first yeare , but rather halfe full : and to store it with such fish as you meane to keepe therein , When to store your ponds . in Ianuary , February or March : after which time it is not good to carry or handle any fish all the sommer time , vntill it be October or Nouember . The colder the weather is when you handle your fish , the better : vnlesse it be for such fish as you meane to spend presently . Not good to handle fish in hot weather . But store-fish being taken or handled in hot weather , will be sicke , and not prosper long time after , and perhaps die thereof , although not presently .

And to speake of fish , I meane such as are vsually kept in ponds or lakes , I will deuide them into two sorts : those that liue by rauening and deuouring of other fish , and the others that liue vpon seedes , roots , weeds , corne , wormes , and such like : for as there are some beasts that do liue chiefly and naturally by flesh of other beasts , and other some that liue onely by corne , grasse , fruit , & such like , & will at no time taste of flesh : Rauening fish . so there are fishes much like in nature . The fish that liue vpon rauening and deuouring of other fish , are the Pike , the Trought , the Perch , & the Eele : and these kinds will not naturally feede vpon corne , rootes , seeds , grasse , or such like . Fish not of the rauening kind . But the Carpe , the Breame , the Tench , and the Roch , liue naturally vpon corne , seedes , grasse , wormes , bodes , flies , and such like : & will not naturally feede vpon any other fish , neither hath nature giuen them meanes so to do , for that the foresayd deuouring fish haue only dog-teeth , or sharpe teeth , wherewith they bite and hold any other fish that they take : and when that by griping and biting it , they feele it dead , and cease to struggle or striue , then they swallow it downe whole . The other kind do not so : but hauing teeth only like vnto man , broade and flat do grind and chew all their meate before they swallow it : and it is as vnnaturall for the Carpe , Breame , Tench or Roch to eate another raw fish , as it is for a sheep or a cow to eate raw flesh . The sharpe and deuouring teeth in the Pike , Perch , Trought & Eele , are easily seene and perceiued , but so are not the flat grinding teeth in the other kind of fish . Howbeit if you search diligently the head of the Carpe , Breame , or any the other aforesayd of that nature , & of any bignesse , when it is sodden you shall find two neather iawes , hauing in each iaw a row of flat teeth , like to the eye teeth in a man , & apt to grind & chew withall , with which two neather iawes they grind their meate against a certaine flat bone in the roofe of their mouth , or vpper part of their throte , which is commonly called the stone in the Carpes head , and is in steede of his vpper iaw and teeth , and of many thought to be a remedy for excessiue bleeding at the nose for man . The like is in the head of the Tench and Roch , although by reason of the smalnesse it is not easie to be found . Of the same nature also is the Barbill , Cheuen , Dace , Bleke , and riuer Roch : although I haue not seene them vsually in any pond . Howbeit they wil liue and wex in a pond , especially the riuer Roch , but not spawne , vnlesse it haue great store of watea running through it continually , neither will the Trought spawne in any standing poole , but will liue and grow very fat and good , if the pond be of any greatnesse , as some fiue or sixe acres of ground , or more , and that he may haue good store of small fry to feede on , and will also be very fat and good all the winter long , by reason he doth not spawne as aforesayd .

The best fish in my opinion is Carpe , Breame , Tench , and Perch : howbeit if your pond be not aboue foure or fiue acres of ground , a Breame will be fiue or sixe yeares at the least , A Breame long in growing , and a great increaser . before it be of any bignesse to eate , as also they will ouer-store any pond with fry , which is a great hinderance to the growth of your bigger fish . Hauing stored your pond , as aforesayd , you shall find that the first yeare your fish will spawne exceedingly . The first yeare your fish will spawne exceedingly . Howbeit if any water run through your pond , your fry will very hardly be kept in : for that all the beginning of the sommer they will go away against the streame : and in the latter end of the sommer they will go away with the streame , The nature of fish . if they be not with very good grates kept in , and herein you are to vse very great diligence . And therefore your pond being full of water , it is good to conuey away the residue in some ditch , along hard by the one side of your pond , casting the banke of your ditch toward the pond : the leuel of the water will direct you where to make your ditch : so may your conuey away your superfluous water . No water to run through a pond in the Sommer time . If any water runne through your pond , especially in the Sommer time , it will also make your fish leane with laboring against it , as it is their nature to do , and also in manner vnpossible to keepe in your frie.

A pond being thus ordered , and your fish therein feeding all the Sommer time , How to order your fish at sewing time . it is requisite that about Hollantide next you sew your pond , taking out all your fish : the best , and such as you meane to spend that winter , to put into small ponds , or stewes , whereas with a dragge you may take them againe as you neede to spend them : the other store-fish you may put into the like pond , as aforesayd , either new made , or one that hath lien dry all the Sommer before . To preserue ouer many fry , is a hinderance to the owner . Howbeit if you haue any great number of frie , especially of Breame , it were better to preserue but part of them , and the residue to put into some stew or small pond with Pikes : To feede Pikes with your superfluous fry . so shall you alwayes haue good Pikes , and also your Carpe , Breame , and Tench will be very fat and good . If your ponds be not ouerstored with fry , your pond being sewed , and your fish bestowed , it is good to let that pond you last sewed , to lie as drie as you can by any meanes all that winter , and the next sommer vntill Michelmas : and then to fill it with water of the first floud that happeneth about that time : and sew your other pond betweene Michelmas and Hollantide , vsing the same as is before rehearsed . As for hauing any fish to spend in the Sommer time , it is requisite to trust to your angle , a bownet , a tramell , or such like : by which meanes you shall seldome faile of some fish for your spending . If you should keepe any Carpe , Breame , or Tench in stewes in the Sommer time , they will wex leane , vnlesse you do feede them with corne : as barly , sod pease , or oates , or any other kind of corne . It may be heare expected I should set downe some proportion of number of fishes , hauing regard to the greatnesse of your pond , and the greatnesse of the fish . Surely as the fertility of some soyle will nourish double the number of cattle that some others will do , euen so of pondes : if the soyle bee a fat clay , or other good ground , it will nourish double the number of fish , that a leane barren heath ground or drie sand will do . Howbeit the ordering of a pond in such sort as aforesayd , and to lie dry euery other yeare , will much mend any ground euery yeare , especially if in the Sommer time when it lyeth dry , cattell , and especially sheepe may feede and lie therein , as hereafter shall appeare by good reason . Howbeit in an indifferent soile , I suppose you may well keepe foure hundreth Carpe , The proportion of fish according to the greatnesse of your pond . Breame , or Tench , for euery acre , supposing your fish to be eight or ten inches in length : and the greater your pond is , the greater number in proportion it will keepe : as for example : a pond of foure acres will much better keepe 1600. fish , then a pond of two acres will keepe eight hundreth of like fish : for euery hundreth of such fish as aforesayd , you may keepe halfe a hundreth Perches in the same pond , after you are once sufficiently stored of frie , and not before : for that a Perch is a very great deuourer of frie , especially of Carpe . I haue seene in the belly of a small Perch sixteene or seuenteene small Carpe frie at once : but hauing sufficient of frie , they do good in a pond , rather then otherwise : and will themselues be very fat and good . The Pike is in no wise to be admitted into your great ponds , with your other fish , he is so great a deuourer , and will grow so fast hauing his fill of feeding , that being but eight or ten inches in the beginning of Sommer , he may be eighteene or twentie inches before Hollantide , at what time he will eate more fish euery day , then will suffise a man , and will feede onelie of Carpe before anie other fish , if there be Carpe frie in the pond . Howbeit hauing two such ponds as aforesaid , made with heads , you shall euerie yeare haue sufficient store of reffuse frie , to feede some good number of Pikes withall , wherewith they will be made verie thicke , sweete , and well growne , but not fatte , vnlesse you haue some store of small Eeles , wherewithall to feede them some moneth or sixe weekes before you take them to spend : for that only that feeding vpon Eeles , being cut in peeces , so as they may stir in the water , and yet not be able to escape awaie , will make the Pikes verie fat .

The causes mouing to haue a pond lie but one yeare with water and fish , Causes why ponds shold lie drie euery other yeare . and the next yeare emptie and drie , do hereafter ensue . First by that meanes you shall auoide superfluous number of frie , which greatly hinder the growth and goodnesse of your greater fish . Secondly , by that meanes you shall so proportion your pond , that it shall neuer be ouerstored . Thirdly , by that meanes your water shall alwayes be excellent sweete , by reason it ouerfloweth such ground as hath taken the sunne and ayre all the sommer before : wherein also if cattell do feede , or especially be fodered and lie , their dung and stale together with the naturall force of the Sunne at the next Spring ouerflowing with water , will breede an innumerable number of flies , and bodes of diuerse kinds and sorts , which in a faire sunshine day in March or Aprill , you shall see in the water as thicke as motes in the Sunne , of which bodes and flies the fish do feede exceedingly . Also great store of seedes , of weedes , and grasse , shedding that sommer that it lieth drie , is a great feede to your fish the next Sommer after , when it is ouerflowne with water . The sayd bodes doe for the most part breede of the blowings and seede of diuerse kinds of flies , and such like liuing creatures in the sommer , when your pond lieth drie , in the dung of cattell , and otherwise : and take life and being the ne●t Spring time by the naturall heate of the Suune , together with the moisture of the fat and pleasant water , as aforeiaid : for surely many and sundrie kinds of flies that flie about in the ayre in Sommer time , do take life in the water ouerflowing such ground where they haue bene left by the blowings and feede of other flies . And I haue often obserued and beheld in a sunshine day , in shallow waters , especially where any dung or fatte earth is therewith mingled : I say , I haue seene a young flie swimme in the water too and fro , and in the end come to the vpper crust of the water , and assay to flie vp : howbeit not being perfitly ripe or fledge , hath twice or thrice fallen downe againe into the water : howbeit in the end receiuing perfection by the heate of the sunne , and the pleasant fat water , hath in the ende within some halfe houre after taken her flight , and flied quite awaie into the ayre . And of such young flies before they are able to flie awaie , do fish feede exceedingly . Fourthlie , your fish shall euerie yeare haue feeding in proportion to their increasing in bignesse : for it standeth with reason , that Carpes or other fish of twelue inches long , will require more feeding then so many of si●e inches long will do : but chieflie by meanes aforesayd of sewing euerie yeare , What maketh sweete fish . you shall haue oportunitie to be rid of the great increase of frie , and your greater fish more sweete and fat then any other hath by farre .

Fish will liue in a manner in any pond , and without any feeding , or such other industrie as aforesayd : but then they are forced to liue vppon the muddie earth and weedes that grow in such ponds , and being so fedde , they will eate and taste accordingly : and there is as great difference in taste betweene fish that is kept as aforesaid , Great difference in goodnesse of pond fish . and other fish that is kept in a standing pond without feeding or other industrie , as is betweene the flesh of a Larke , and the flesh of a Crow or Kite . And I suppose that that is the cause that most men are out of loue with all pond fish , because they neuer tasted of any good or well ordered pond fish .

That Sommer that your pond lieth drie , as aforesaid , if there happen to grow any sower or rancke weedes therein ( as many times there will ) it is good to cut them vp , and being dried with the sunne , to burne them , so shall you haue sweete grasse , or yong weeds come in their place , that cattell will feede on , and also the heate of the sunne shall much amend your ground . Also trench out the water , that it may lie as drie as may be possible : and if you can plough it , and haue Sommer corne therein , as bucke or barley that Sommer that it lieth drie , I thinke it very good .

I haue heard the common people in the fenne countries affirme , and that very earnestly , that their fishes do feede of ashes , by reason that in a drie Sommer , when much of their fenne grounds lie drie , and are pastured with cattell , then towards the winter time such ranke grasse , sedge , reedes , or weedes , as the cattell do leaue vneaten , they will burne them with fire , to the end that the next Sommer such old sedge , reedes , or weedes , may not annoy the comming vp of young and better sedge , reedes , or grasse . And the common people find by experience , that after such a drie Sommer , as aforesaid , all the next Winter the water ouerflowing those grounds , their fish will be exceeding fat and good : and therefore ( say they ) surely the fish do feede vppon the ashes of the weeds , and such like burnt as aforesaid . But the truth is , in such a drie Sommer as aforesaid , the cattell then feeding in such grounds as then lie drie , do bestow therein great quantitie of dung and stale , wherein is bred great abundance of such bodes , flies , and wormes , as aforesayd : as also the naturall and liuelie heate of the Sunne piercing such grounds , doth make the same pleasant and fat , and to bring forth the next Sommer many hearbes and weedes , the seedes of which do yeeld vnto fishes verie great foode and nourishment , and not the barren drie ashes , as afore is imagined .

He that cannot haue such ponds as aforesaid , The second sort of ponds . and hauing but some small mote or other horse-pond in his ground , that standeth continuallie full of water , may often times haue a dish of good fish , if he will bestow some feeding of corne , How fish may be fed in such ponds . as sod barley or pease , cheese-curds , or bloud of beasts , to throw into his pond in the sommer time , for that fish being not of the rauening kind , do then onelie feede . But it behoueth to do it in such sort , as he may be assured that the fish do eate it , and that he be not beguiled with duckes , geesse , or such like . He may therefore make a square thing of some two foote broade , of Elme boords , with ledges some three or foure inches deepe , and therein sincke his corne with a line tied vnto the foure corners thereof , so that he may pull it vp and let it downe when he pleaseth , and after the fish haue once found the vse thereof , you shall well perceiue they will haunt it . Sweet graines in small proportion are also good , but if they be once sower or mustie , the fish will not feede on them , and also they will stench your pond . The Tench good to be fed . The Tench of all other fish will best like to be fed , as aforesaid , and will be very good , sweete , and fatte , and next vnto him the Carpe .

It is with fish as it is with other creatures , for like as one acre of ground , will hardly feede one ore throughout the yeare , to keepe him in good plight and fat , yet so much corne or hay you may lay in that acre , that you may feede therein ten or twentie oxen . And euen so , although one acre of ground ouerflowed with water , will naturallie , and if it selfe keepe but 300. or foure hundreth Carpes , or other fsshes : yet so much feeding you may adde thereunto , that it may keepe three thousand or foure thousand in as good plight as three hundreth or foure hundreth without such feeding . The great increase of fish . Of all creatures fish are the greatest increasers in number : and so great is the increase of them , that I do verily suppose the Sea it selfe and all fresh riuers likewise , would be ouerstored if they did not deuour one another in very great quantity : yet haue they many other enemies besides fish , that do continually pray and feede vpon them : as , for pond fish , first the small Eeles , when the Carps , Breams , Tenches , or Roches do lay their spawne in egges in spawning time , you shall many times see sixe , Eeles and afterward Perches great deuourers of frie. ten , or more small Eeles follow them , and as the spawne falleth from them they eate it , as also Duckes will do the like . Afterward so sonne as it is quicke , the Eele , and especially the Perch , will deuour it in great quantitie before it be able to swimme any thing fast . After that , it is foode for the Kings fisher , Fish haue many enemies to destroy them . all kind of shel-foule , the Bitture , the Hearne , the Cormorant , and the Ospray . And when it is at the greatest , as if it bee a Carpe of three foote long , the Otter will kill him : otherwise all ponds would quickly be ouerstored , if it also go not away with flouds , which is greatly to be foreseene . I remember myselfe did once put three spawning Carps into a pond that was some three acres of ground , and with them nine or ten milters about February , and in Nouember next following I did sew the same pond , and of those breeders I had 9000. and vpwards of Carpe frie , notwithstanding all the foresaid enemies : and surely a Breame will increase in number much more . How fish do breede . The ingendring and breeding of the like fish as aforesaid , I haue noted to be in this manner , sometime in May , and sometime in Iune , as the season happeneth to fall out apt for generation , the water by Gods prouidence hauing then a naturall warmth to performe the same , the male fish by course of nature , will chase about the female , seeking copulation : and as in all other creatures , so in this the female seemeth to shun and flie from the male , so that you shall see three , foure , or fiue male fish chase one female , and so hold her in on euerie side , that they will force her to swimme through weedes , grasse , rushes , straw , or any such like thing that is in the pond , wherein she being intangled and wearied with their chasing , they find oportunitie to ioyne in copulation with her , mingling their milt with her spawne , sometime one of them , sometime another , at which time the spawne falleth from her like little egges , and sticketh fast to the sayd weedes : some eight , nine , or ten dayes after which time it quickneth , taketh life , and hath the proportion of a fish : yea two or three dayes before it quicken , if you take such an egge and breake it vppon your naile , you shall perceiue the proportion of a fish therein . After it is quicke it mooueth very little for some fortnight or three weekes , and then it gathereth together into sculles by the shore side , where the water is shallow : howbeit the Tench frie will lie scattering in the weedes , and not flote in sculles .

And if there run any water from your pond , you shall not possible keepe Eeles out of the same , they will come into the same against the streame . Their manner of breeding is very vncertaine and vnknowne , The breeding of Eeles very vncertaine and vnknowne . but vndoubtedly they are bred in the brackish or sea water : and at the first full Moone in Maie they begin to come into all great riuers , and out of great riuers into lesser riuers , and out of those lesser riuers into all small brookes , rils , and running waters , continually against the streame all the beginning of Sommer : as likewise with the first floud that commeth about Michelmas , they couet to go downe the streame , and will not stay vntill they come into the deepe and brackish waters , if they be not taken or letted by the way . I know that some hold opinion that they breede of the May deaw , for proofe whereof they say if you cut vp two turfes of grassie in a May morning , and clap the grassie sides of those turfes together , and so lay them in a riuer , you shall the next day find small young Eeles betweene the sayd turfes : and so you shall indeeede , for the most part do . Howbeit not therefore they do breede of the deaw , for if you likewise take a little bottle of sweete hay , straw , or weedes , that haue had no May deaw fallen thereon , and sinke it in a riuer at that time of the yeare , and take it out suddenly the next morning , and you shall find likewise many small Eeles therein . The reason is , at that time of the yeare that riuer being full of such young Eeles , they will creepe into euery thing that is sweete and pleasant . Eeles come from the brackish and sea water . And for proofe that the sayd Eele frie doe come out of the brackish waters against the streame into all other Riuers , Rils , and Ponds , if in the beginning of the Sommer you do diligently obserue at the taile of any water Mill , In the riuer of Seuerne I haue seene great store of these small Eele frie taken going against the streame , when they are no greater then a wheate straw . especially neare vnto any great riuer , you shall see them in great numbers early in the morning , and late in the euening , in Iune or Iuly at the chinckes and holes in the floud-gates to labour exceedingly to get vp against the streame , although they be often times driuen backe with the violence of the water , yet cease they not still againe to labour vntill they haue gotten vp against the streame . The like do Salmonds , Eeles go against the streame , and so doth most other fish in the spring time . Barbils , Troutes , Roch , Date , Cheuin , Gogions , and other riuer fish at Weres and Dammes in great riuers , for that they couet to spawne in shallow waters , and not in the deepe : the which thing when they haue performed , Fish couet to go downe the streame in the latter end of the Sommer . they then presently couet to go downe the streame vntill they come vnto the brackish or sea water .

It may be here expected that I should set downe the baites to be vsed for all kind of pond-fish , Baites for euery seuerall fish . for all seasons of the yeare , but therein I haue not had such exact knowledge to prescribe vnto the diligent practiser any better then himselfe can find out . I haue found that the Carpe , Breame , and Tench , being vsed to feeding , will bite at the red worme , paste made of dough , or the grashopper , most part of the Sommer season . The Tench also is a fish very easilie taken in a Bownet , and whosoeuer hath of them in his ponds , it behooueth him to take great heede that he be not deceiued by leud people .

The shallow or pond Roch with the red fins will spawne in most ponds . The riuer Roch and Dace will not spawne in any pond : howbeit if your pond be neare any riuer , and that there runne any water from it in the Sommer time , you shall find that they will come into the same against the streame , where you would thinke it vnpossible : and so will Pickerell and Perch . And I haue heard some affirme very constantly , that water-fowle do often times bring the spawne of such fish in their feathers into ponds . Many opinions concerning breeding of fish . Others will affirme , that the heate of the Sunne may draw vp such spawne of fish before it be quicke , and so the same taking life in the moist ayre , may afterward fall downe in a shower of raine into a pond : the reason that hath mooued many men so to thinke , is , because they haue found such kind of fish in their ponds , where they are sure that they nor any other haue euer put any such . Howbeit surely the same haue come into the sayd ponds against the streame , as aforesaid , in Sommer flouds , and not by any such other monstrous generation as is last afore mentioned . And somewhat to say of the growth of fish : as nature may be helped by art in other things , so likewise in fish very much : for that a Carpe may with feeding the first yeare be brought to be sixe inches long , and the next to twelue or foureteene inches , whereas in ordinary ponds without feeding , they will hardly be brought to be fourteene inches in fiue or sixe yeares .

I do not thinke that ground would yeeld vnto the owner any other way so much benefite , as to be conuerted into such ponds with heads as is afore mentioned , if onely fish were spent vppon the dayes by law ordained for that purpose in this Realme : the which thing if it were obserued , no doubt would turne this Realme to incredible benefite , many and sundry wayes . But now those that should spend such fish , will rather bestow their money in Rabbets , Capons , or such like . Howbeit I am perswaded that fish vsed as aforesayd , and dressed whilest it is new taken , is very wholsome for mans body , and also more delicate then most kinds of flesh .

A Breame will be very long in growing , before it come to any bignesse , A Breame very slow in growth . as commonly fiue or sixe yeares before he be a foote long , but if your water be not very great , he will hardly be a foote long in ten yeares .

The Tench will grow and prosper very well : howbeit will neuer be so great as some Carpes will be .

I haue seene a Carpe of xxxiii . Carpe . inches betweene the eye and the forke of the taile , but neuer any Tench aboue two and twenty inches of like measure .

The Pike will grow exceedingly , if he may haue his fill of other small fish : as , the first yeare to twelue or fourteene inches , the next to twenty or two and twenty inches .

And whosoeuer hath ponds with heads as aforesayd , shall euery yeare very conueniently feede some good number of Pikes in some ditch or small stew with refuse frie.

If you haue such ponds as aforesayd , often or twelue acres of ground or more , neare any riuer where Troughts are , Troughts may be kept in ponds . you may get Troughts to put into such ponds with your other fish , so there be no Pikes amongst them . Howbeit when you come to sew your pond , and that the water commeth any thing neare the mud , your Troughts will then die : yet haue I seene them grow exceedingly in such a pond in one yeare , and to be very fat and good : howbeit they must be very charily handled in the cariage , and a few of them caried in a great deale of faire and cleane water , and that in cold weather , and may not be handled with hands , but in a hand-net very charily : and so likewise are all other fish to be vsed , especially such as you meane to keepe for store .

If you haue Carpes in small ditches , in the moneth of March , at what time Todes doe ingender , the Tode will many times couet to fasten himselfe vppon the head of the Carpe , and will thereby inuenime the Carpe , in such sort that the Carpe will swell as great as he may hold , so that his seales will stand as it were on edge , and his eyes stand out of his head neare halfe an inch , in very vgly sort : and in the end will for the most part die thereof : and it is very dangerous for any person to eate of any such Carpe so inuenimed .

It is not sufficient that fish be aliue and swimme away when they are put into a pond , Fish to be charily handled in the cariage . but if they be brused or take heate in the cariage , they will be long before they recouer againe and fall to their feeding , and sometime neuer recouer , but after long pining and sicknesse , do in the end die also .

The Carpe of all pond fish will abide most hardnesse in cariage : The Carpe will abide most hardnesse . next to him the Tench , then the Breame , Pike , and Perch . A Carpe in the winter time may be caried aliue in wet hay or grasse that is sweete for the space of fiue or sixe houres .

If you cary any fish in water , let not the Tench or Eele be caried among them , Tenches and Eeles not to be caried with other fish . because they cast great store of slime , which will choke and kill your other fish , especially Pike or Perch .

A Pike will hardly feede of any thing except it stirre and be aliue , but the Perch and Eele will feede of the small guts of sheepe being cut , or of any garbage of Chickens , Coneys , or such like , and of bloud of beasts .

The Tench , Perch , and Eele , being vsed to be fed , will not lightly faile to bite at an angle anytime the Sommer halfe yeare .

The feeding of frie the first yeare will make them quickly past many dangers , as of being past danger of eating of some other fishes and foules , as also past danger of going away at grates , or at the holes of water rats in bankes . Also they will be of a larger and greater growth then euer they will be not being fed : and it behooueth to feede them with such foode as they are able to feede on : as , the first moneth with otemeale , or some other meale sodden , and being cold may be like a gelly in thicknesse , a very little in quantity to be laid in shallow places , where onely the frie do haunt , and not the greater fish . A Carpe frie will begin to feede when he is not aboue an inch long , at what time also they will begin to gather together in sculles after some fortnight or three weekes , you may then make their meate thicker , and increase in quantitie as your frie bee of abilitie to eate it , giuing to euerie kind of frie such feeding as his nature requireth .

It is not good to handle any kinde of frie whilest it is very young and tender , or at least wise not in handes , but in some small mashed hand-net , that is flatte and not deepe like a bagge or a sacke , and a few at once , that they rub not one vpon another .

The second yeare you may feede your frie with sodden barley or mault steeped in water , and the third yeare with sodden pease : for like as any kind of beasts , especially such as chew not the cud , do take more nutriture out of sodden corne , then out of corne being raw : so fishes being of nature more cold then other creatures , take lesse nutriture of raw corne then any other creatures do . And if you feede your fish with raw corne , you shall find it come from them in their dung not halfe concocted , whereby a great part of the feeding thereof is lost and doth not good . It may be demaunded if it will quite the cost , to haue fish in this sort fed . Surely if corne be not excessiue deare , it will beare the charges very well : for that a small quantity of corne will suffice a great many of fish . Howbeit the other way before mentioned , with ponds with heads , and to lie drie euery other yeare , is lesse troublesome , and will breede very excellent , good , sweete , and fat fish : so that they bee not ouerstored , although they haue no feeding by hand .

The more that a pond lieth open vnto the Sunne , the ayre , and the winds , the better it is for your fish .

The leaues of any kind of trees , but especially of oke , falling into any pond , is noysome to the fish , and so is the greene boughes of oke , or any other wood except willow ▪

The haunt of cattell vnto any pond is verie good , and nourishing to the fish , especially of kine and oxen , and chiefly when such cattell do feede where corne hath bene newly mown or reaped , for that therewil then remaine in their dung much corne and seedes of grasse , which the fishes being not of the rauening kind do feede on .

The fish that bee not of the rauening kind , do feede little or nothing in the winter time , but do lie either in holes in the bankes , or in weedes in the bottome of the ponds , to shun the extremitie of cold ayre .

The rauening kind do feede in the winter season , although nothing so much as in the Sommer season .

Some will hold opinion that the Pike will not eate the Perch , because of his sharpe finnes , but I haue often times seene two or three small Perches in the belly of a Pike , and likewise in the belly of an Eele . And I haue likewise seene a Pike choked sometime with eating of a Perch , when as he hath swallowed the Perch with the taile foremost .

But the Pike will not lightly meddle with the Perch if there be any store of other kind of feeding for him in the pond of other small fish .

It is also requisite that the Pike be helped , so that he labour not ouer much in chasing of his pray before he take it , as to haue the tailes of the small fish cut off , when you throw them into the stew or small pond vnto your Pikes , to the end they may with the more ease take them , The Perch and Eele will feed of bloud of beasts as aforesayd , and likewise of the small garbage of sheepe and such like being cut small , and also of small frie of fish , either dead or aliue .