BARBEL-FISHING 121 



a kind of semi-hibernation, lying inert in holes and deeps. 

 Buckland describes a winter haunt of barbel which he found 

 near Old Windsor, It was a very deep hole, under the root of 

 a willow, where a large number of these fish lay together in a 

 very inactive condition. 



Barbel-fishers speak enthusiastically of their sport; and indeed 

 it must be a fine one, having regard to the weight and strength 



Angling for ^^ ^^ ^^^' ^^^ ^^ fineness of the tackle which it is 

 Barbel, necessary to employ for such a wary creature. 



The commonest mode of fishing is with a ledger, which is 

 arranged as follows : A perforated bullet is threaded upon the 

 running line and prevented from dropping within about three 

 feet of the hook by a shot fixed at that distance. In strong 

 water two bullets are required, which calls for a pretty strong 

 rod, twelve feet long. A swivel between the running line and 

 the gut is of much use in keeping the tackle clear. The bullet 

 rests on the bottom, the hook streaming free along the gravel 

 on three feet of medium salmon gut. The line must be kept 

 taut, and the angler must strike directly he feels the fish bite. 



Mr. Charles Wheeley, who probably has forgotten more 

 about Thames fishing than most people have ever learnt, has 

 a warning against using too fine gut. The barbel is a heavy, 

 powerful fish, and, delighting as he does in strong, deep water, 

 the sudden wrench when he is hooked strains the tackle in 

 every part, and more fish break away thus than in any other 

 kind of angling. It is necessary, therefore, to use nothing less 

 trustworthy than medium salmon gut of the best, to disguise 

 which from the barbel's educated eye it is well that the gut 

 should be stained, if it were only to deprive it of its fatal glitter. 



The other mode of fishing, which Mr. Wheeley pronounces 

 far more amusing and effective than the ledger, is float-fishing. 

 For rough, strong water in weir-runs the float is made o 

 ten inches of large swan or pelican quill, thrust through a 

 perforated pear-shaped cork, which is coated with paint. For 

 smoother water a smaller float answers best, made in the same 



