6 THAMES FISHING. 



According to the rule of Thames angling, or rather 

 one of its bye-laws, the fixing a punt-pole in a par- 

 ticular spot, is a sign that the ground is taken, and 

 I never hear of this privilege being disputed. I 

 have known sixty and even eighty barbel taken in 

 one day by a single party in a boat, but this does 

 not happen often in the season. Some of the bar- 

 bel are of a large size. The barbel thus caught 

 are generally given to the owner of the punt,* ex- 

 cepting three or four of the largest, which are taken 

 away as specimens of the sport which has been had. 

 The largest which I believe has been taken, weighed 

 fifteen pounds and a half. It was caught by a gen- 

 tleman of the name of Thompson. 



In winter, large shoals of barbel congregate 

 under the lee of a sunken boat, lying one upon 

 the other, and are often taken in considerable num- 

 bers by letting a hook fall amongst them, and then 

 pulling it up. At these times they are so torpid 

 and inanimate as to suffer themselves to be pushed 

 about with a punt-pole. I have caught barbel 

 when trolling for trout with a bleak, and also 

 chub. 



The barbel is so called from its barb or beard. 



* Although barbel are rejected as a fish not fit to be eaten, 

 they are by no means to be despised if dressed in the following 

 manner. The fish should be well cleaned and the back-bone 

 taken out, and the sides cut into slices and thrown into salt and 

 water. After remaining in it for an hour or two, these slices 

 should be spitched-cocked, the same way as eels. 



