THE BAEBEL. 41 



any light casting for chub ; the bigger and louder flop the 

 fly makes on the water, the more certain it is to attract 

 the notice of the chub ; but it is desirable to cast as close 

 in under the boughs as possible, and to do this habitually 

 without getting hung up requires skill and judgment. If 

 you do get hung up, always try mild measures first, as 

 persuasion really is better than force, and often saves a 

 breakage, or much trouble. Of all the artificial flies, &c., 

 I find nothing do so well as the artificial cockchafer. It 

 will cast to any reasonable distance, and is hugely fancied 

 by chub, as there are very few that will not move at it ; 

 and, to insure their taking it, put about three or four 

 tough gentles on the end of the hook (they will stand 

 some whipping before they wear off), and this renders it 

 almost irresistible. The silver-bodied fly, with turkey 

 wing, comes next in my estimation, then the humble-bee, 

 the orange palmer, the black palmer, and so on, but none 

 of them are the worse for a gentle or two on the hook, 

 The ledger is not a chosen method of fishing for chub, but 

 it frequently kills the best when fishing for barbel. Nor 

 is either live-bait or spinning a recognised method, though 

 both of these styles take them at times. Chub are fre- 

 quently taken in the Thames between 41b. and 51b. in 

 weight, occasionally between 51b. and 61b., and now and 

 then between 61b. and 71b. ; above that they are very rare, 

 though they have been known in other waters to run up 

 to 91b. 



THE BARBEL (Cyprinus barbatus). 



Next to the roach, perhaps, the barbel is the most 

 popular fish with London bottom fishers ; while on the 

 Trent it takes the first place. It is a handsomely shaped 

 fish, and well formed for the water it inhabits. Its 



