34 THE FISHING-ROD; 



The favorite haunts of barbel are mill-pools, 

 mill-tails, deep holes, and eddies ; and in warm 

 weather they haunt beds of weeds, and shal- 

 lows; and roost and bury their noses in 

 gravelly or sandy bottoms like pigs: they 

 grub after worms, water snails, and fresh-water 

 shrimps. 



The angler must remember that barbel 

 have small mouths, and a large bait is 

 less enticing to them than one of small or 

 moderate size. Barbel are also very fond of 

 lurking under steep or overhanging banks : 

 and in clear water they may sometimes be 

 seen lying still as stones on the bottom ; and 

 on such occasions they appear quite fearless 

 and unsuspicious, and are often taken by simply 

 letting down a line and hook with a lump of 

 lead, which being skilfully dropped and pulled 

 sharply, hooks them " foully," as it is termed, 

 i.e. in any part of their bodies ; and they are then 

 hurried into a landing-net or drawn ashore. 



When fishing for barbel in deep rapid 

 waters, a hook of the size No. 4 or 5 will 

 not be too large : and when the water has 

 become thickened by rain, a lob worm is the 

 best bait. 



