OR WALTONIAN CHRONICLE. 65 



Summer, the deeps and strong current near Weir's 

 bridges, among the piles, &c. They are a strange 

 feeding fish, for at times they feed greedily and may 

 be taken in great quantities, but at others they defy 

 every means that can be used to capture them. 



Their baits are lob-worms, gentles, and greaves, 

 particularly clean and fresh. They are a leather- 

 mouthed fish, with thick gristly lips, and have barbs 

 from their mouth, from which circumstance they may 

 have derived their name, they are something in shape 

 like a Gudgeon, but more hog-backed, with small 

 regular scales. 



A winch is indispensably necessary when angling 

 for Barbel, with a running line, strong gut, and well 

 tempered hooks, 



The Barbel swims in the Thames are princi- 

 pally in the deeps, and the particular pitches well 

 known to the punt proprietors, who claim these as 

 their property, and take especial care during the 

 Barbel season to have a pole fixed in one or two 

 places in the deeps near which they reside, to acco- 

 modate their particular customers. Barbel feed close 

 to the bottom, and are very frequently taken foul by 

 their rubbing against the bait as it lies on the bottom. 



A friend of mine (Mr. James Brady) while ledger 

 fishing at Teddington near the Tumbling Bay in Oc- 

 tober, 1833, took a Barbel about a pound and a 

 half, with an artificial black fly in his mouth ; this 

 fish was taken with greaves, the fly was fixed in the 

 fishes lip just as though it had rose at it, and my 



