LEDGER-FISHIXG. 55 



on the hook. As I have said, in baiting a barbel-hook 

 generally, only the smallest portion of the tail of the 

 worm should be allowed beyond the point of the hook. 

 The tackle is then swung and pitched forward to the re- 

 quisite distance i. e. where the fish are supposed to be 

 the most plentiful; and the lead is allowed to remain 

 upon the bottom, a tight line being kept on it, so that 

 the fisherman may just feel the lead, without lifting it 

 at all from the bottom. The moment a bite occurs, the 

 angler will feel it, as the line is not checked at all between 

 the bullet and the point of the rod. At the first touch 

 he should not strike, as the barbel nibbles a little at a 

 stationary bait ; but when he feels two or three sharp tugs 

 at the rod-point, he may strike upwards sharply, as he has 

 to strike the lead from the bottom, as well as to stick the 

 hook into the fish. For the first half-second he should 

 hold the line firmly, so as to fix the hook securely in the 

 fish's mouth : after which he may let him run, if he be a 

 big one, and play him to the best of his ability ; the hold 

 seldom gives if the hook be of fair size, as the mouth of 

 a barbel is very leathery and tough. 



la ledger-fishing as in all barbel-fishing the tackle 

 should always be as fine as the exigencies of the case will 

 allow, and if you can hold the bottom with a moderate 

 sized pistol-bullet, do not use a larger one ; if the line is 

 fine, it will carry a much lighter lead than if it is coarse. 

 The gut too, particularly the hook-link, should be fine, as 

 the barbel is no fool, and with light tackle you must not 

 use a coarse heavy rod or you will not feel the bullet on 

 the bottom. Indeed the lighter you can fish the better. 



After catching a few fish, whether by float or ledger, 

 if the fish go off biting a little, throw in half-a-dozen 

 broken worms to set them on the feed again ; but the 

 angler must beware of overfeeding them while the fish 

 are biting, us many a day's sport is spoilt by this foolish 



