THE BABBEL. 81 



As every barbel fisher is aware, it is absurd to expect a good day's 

 fishing unless a place is properly and copiously baited. For this 

 purpose it is usual to employ worms. Other messes are used, such 

 as that for carp, spoken of in the last chapter ; but worms, gentles, 

 or greaves seem the most reasonable, and are, I believe, the most 

 effective of all enticements. I ordinarily have the worms I use from 

 Nottingham, where it is a business to collect, cleanse, and toughen them 

 for market. Should, however, the tyro choose to spare expense by 

 preparing his own, he may do so by passing them through the ordinary 

 sphagnum moss. A few tea-leaves may be advantageously sprinkled 

 amongst them. This toughens them yet more. Or the following is a 

 good plan : take the worms and put them in bran for about six or eight 

 hours (longer is apt to kill them), then take them out and put them into 

 damp moss for a day or two. This process renders them very tough, and 

 in a shorter time than if prepared in any other way. In Thames barbel 

 fishing it is always my custom to first ascertain by ocular demonstration, if 

 possible, how many, approximately, are in a given place. This is best done 

 on very bright mornings, when the punt may be floated over the spot. 

 If the number be so considerable as to give the idea that it is a home 

 of these fish, the place is decided on as fit for preparation. The 

 preparation is as follows : I rake the bottom with a gudgeon rake, if 

 possible, first. This is for the purpose of setting free the numberless 

 insects inhabiting the immediate stratum, which are naturally very 

 attractive, being the staple of the ordinary food of the fish. After 

 this, a quart, say, of worms entire, not cnt up, is sunk in the midst of 

 where the barbel lay. The reason why I advise the worms being 

 thrown in entire is as follows : a worm lively and entire will live in 

 water some three days, whilst if cut in pieces and it remains at the 

 bottom not eaten, it decays and sickens the fish, for barbel are easily 

 sickened. The worms are sunk entire, therefore, usually by allowing 

 them to crawl first into a fresh sod. This is done in the morning, if 

 practicable, because there are few eels about to pick them up. The next 

 quart is hand-strewn, so as to fall at about a yard from the former lot, 

 and so on up stream for six or seven mornings, or nights, as the case may 

 be, until a train of worms is laid to some ten or fifteen yards away from 

 the " home." Bait at, as nearly as possible, the same time on each 

 occasion, and, finally, miss one morning, letting that be the one on which 

 you fish. Let the baitings be at least twenty-four hours apart. The 

 advantage of this method is that you get a crowd of eager, waiting, 

 hungry fish out of their accustomed haunt, in " fresh fields and pastures 

 new," where no leger before has, perhaps, rolled down upon their backs 

 with insolent pertinacity, and it is a clear swim with light float tackle, 



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