268 THE YOUNG 1NGLEB. 



place, and so fish every yard of the stream where it is probable a 

 pike may happen to be ; when you feel a bite, let the fish run, and 

 give him time to gorge, before you strike. 



The favourite haunts of the pike are the deep eddies in tumbling- 

 bays, and deep still water in rivers ; near beds of candock weeds, 

 and mouths of ditches or small streams which empty themselves into 

 rivers, and near flood-gates, and close to beds of bulrushes in lakes 

 and canals. When the water is muddy in rivers, the pike makes its 

 way into the little streamlets, as the water in those places is tolerably 

 clear. Pike feed at all times of the day, but bite most freely during 

 a breeze ; in stormy, chilly weather you may troll for them, when 

 all other fish refuse the most enticing baits ; if frosty, or when 

 northerly and easterly winds set in, you must not calculate on 

 much sport ; but directly the wind shifts to the south, pike bite 

 readily. When you use live baits, take at least six in your kettle, 

 and give them fresh water often ; if you intend to employ gorge- 

 hooks, bait three of them before you begin, and keep them in bran 

 in a bait- box, large enough for the baits to lie at their length ; 

 always have fresh and lively baits, for the pike is extremely fasti- 

 dious in his taste. 



THE BAEBEL 



Is a large, well- 

 formed, powerful fish, 

 and if you want to 

 try the strength of 

 your tackle, hook one 

 about seven or eight 

 pounds weight, and 

 he'll find you work 

 enough for both el- 

 bow and wrist. He 

 takes his name from his beard, which stands out pretty prominently 

 from each side of his upper lip. His general colour is a silvery 

 grey, which darkens on the back, and is nearly white on the belly. 

 The scales are rounded ; the dorsal fin small, and of a bluish brown ; 

 his other fins are also brown, but finished off at the tips with yellow; 

 while his tail, which is forked, is of a purplish brown. He likes to 

 feel the water stir about him, and is very partial to rapid rivers 

 which roll over stony bottoms ; old walls, sunken piles, and shelving 

 banks, are also his favourite haunts ; and he is pretty sure to be 

 found under some old decaying wooden jetty, the foundation of 

 which has been bared by the rapid rushing of the river. Some say 

 his flesh is white and delicate ; others, that it is coarse and insipid ; 

 so who shall decide ? One thing is certain, in eating him, if not 

 very careful, you will run the risk of choking yourselves with his 

 bones. He will live four or five hours after he is taken out of the 

 water. The barbel is in season from March to the end of October ; 

 and the likeliest time to make sure of him is late in the evening, or 

 very early in the morning, especially after rainy weather ; he may 

 also be taken in the afternoon, but he does not then bite so freely. 



