Dr. Samuel Johnson, defined angling, as a silly thing, practised by a fool at one end of a rod and line, with a worm at the other. Many stupid people still adhere to this very stupid definition. With the practice of angling they associate nothing beyond worms, punts, patience, cold and wet, a nibble and tittle-bat sport. A salmon caught by angling — with a diminutive artificial fly, a thin silk-worm gut line, and a rod of pieces lighter and more limber than a lady’s riding wand!

A Handbook of Angling: Teaching Fly-fishing, Trolling, Bottom-fishing, and …

 By Edward Fitzgibbon (published in 1853)

2 Responses to “Of the Dictionary Author’s Definition of Angling”

1. Carroll Harrod on November 10th, 2007 1:40 pm

   Hello….
   I am 86 years of age and am still a dry-fly, bamboo rod enthusiast. About 25 or 30 years ago I knew a split-bamboo rod maker who had a little shop on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, MI. I can’t
   remember his name, but years later I met a man who had learned the art from him, and who then lived in Traverse City, Mi. I can’t remember his name either, although I bought several blanks from him for winding. Can you help me with either of these names? Thank you very much.
   Carroll Harrod.

2. David on November 20th, 2007 11:47 pm

   Sounds like Robert Summers. you can find his website at http://www.rwsummers.com.

   Good Luck.

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