BARBEL AND BREAM. 303 



gimp is run through the lead and then attached to the reel 

 line. 



Some fishermen, less particular, attach the reel line itself to 

 the gut bottom, and others again carry refinement to a greater 

 pitch and ' interject ' a yard or two of salmon gut between the 

 upper end of the gimp and the running line. The last named 

 is the most complete because the finest form of leger tackle, 

 and the other the most rudimentary. Either a whole or half 

 a lob-worm may be used according to taste in this mode of 

 fishing, some fishermen preferring one and some the other. 

 The mode of baiting in both these cases has been already 

 described at p. 229. For the method of getting and keeping 

 lob- worms see also p. 225. 



It is very essential when barbeling always to ground bait, at 

 least some hours previously, the spot at which it is intended to 

 fish. For this purpose bran, clay, and boiled greaves, worked 

 up together into balls about the size of a small cocoa-nut, form 

 a good mixture : gentles or chopped worms may be added with 

 advantage, but clay and any of these before mentioned materials 

 will answer the purpose. Another excellent ground bait, already 

 described, and to which the Thames fishermen are very partial 

 is made by putting handfuls of whole lob-worms into hollow 

 clay balls, some of the heads and tails of the worm being left 

 sticking through the sides. In choosing baits for the hook, 

 worms without knots in them should have the preference. The 

 last observation holds good with regard to every description of 

 worms and worm fishing. 



For bream fishing in rivers, the Nottingham style of fishing 

 with baits as described for barbel is undoubtedly the best. 

 Gentles and sometimes paste are also good baits for bream ; 

 the latter is principally, however, confined to stagnant waters. 

 As regards ordinary float fishing, it may be said, speaking 

 generally, that all ground bait and tackle suitable for roach 

 fishing, but somewhat stronger and with a size larger hook, will 

 be found suitable for bream fishing. 



In its distribution, the carp bream is an inhabitant of all 



