PRACTICAL ESSAY. 297 



gravel just like a porker on dry land. Worms, greaves, and gentles 

 are the best baits for it, and the best of all is the tail of a lob-worm, 

 which should cover the hook, but not leave much dangling. As the 

 barbel is fished for in strong currents, the line must be well shotted 

 and the float well able to bear the weight, and not be overwhelmed 

 with the stream. The Nottingham style of fishing with a slider- 

 float is the best, and the worm should just trip along the bottom. 

 Ground-baiting for one or two nights before is very advisable, and 

 the best ground-bait is worms enclosed in clay balls, which break 

 and dissolve away, freeing the worms gradually. If fishing with 

 gentles, ground-bait with carrion gentles. If you cannot ground- 

 bait beforehand, throw in broken worms, or hollow clay balls with 

 worms inside : the balls should be lightly made, so as to break 

 soon. 



The ledger-bait, as described in the chapter on carp fishing, is a 

 killing way in those streams which are too strong and turbulent for 

 float-fishing. The bullet should be flattened, so that it does not 

 roll with the stream ; or you may fish with a smaller bullet, and let 

 it move down with the stream, striking when you feel a tug, but not 

 in too much haste. A Jack rod and stout tackle is best for ledg- 

 ing for barbel, as a strong stroke is necessary. 



Another very killing way, but which I have never tried, is 

 with the clay ball tackle. The hook is baited with half a dozen 

 gentles or a piece of greaves. " A foot above the hook a little bit 

 of stick is fastened crosswise," says Mr. Francis Francis ; " this is 

 for the purpose of holding the ball on the line. A lump of stiff 

 clay, of the size of an orange, is then taken, and some gentles being 

 enclosed in it, it is worked up with bran over the piece of stick on 

 to the line. The gut between the ball and the hook is then wound 

 round the ball and drawn into the clay, which is squeezed and 

 worked over it, so that only the hook shall protrude beyond the 

 proper end of the ball, which is then dropped to the bottom the 

 hook with gentles showing just outside the ball in the most attrac- 

 tive way. Soon the gentles in the clay force their way out, and 

 the fish taking them from the ball, almost inevitably take those on 



