2 THe Determined Angler 



bream and chub. These were taken in olden times 

 by both net and hook and line. 



The fishermen whom Christ chose as His disciples 

 Peter, Andrew, James, and John were professional 

 net fishermen, but hook and line fishing was a favorite 

 pastime of the well-to-do Egyptians as well as the 

 poor people who could not afford a net. 



Weirs not unlike the modern article were used in 

 the Holy Land in Bible time, excepting on Lake 

 Gennesaret, where the law of the land forbade them. 



The bream and the chub were eaten alike by rich 

 and poor people. Wayfarers roasted them over chip 

 fires in the groves and on the lake shores, housewives 

 boiled and broiled them, and the wealthy man served 

 them at his banquets. "Moses, the friend of God," 

 writes Izaak Walton, in his immortal Compleat Angler, 

 quoting from Lev. xi., 9, Deut., xiv., 9, "appointed 

 fish to be the chief diet for the best commonwealth 

 that ever yet was. The mightiest feasts have been of 

 fish." 



Our Saviour "fed the people on fish when they were 

 hungry." The species is not alluded to in the Biblical 

 paragraph, but no doubt the fish feasts of the Lord 

 were mostly of chub and bream. Jesus loved fishermen 

 and was in their society most of His time. No other 

 class of men were so well favored by Him. He inspired 

 St. Peter, St. John, St. Andrew, and St. James, poor 

 fishermen, who drew their nets for the people, and these 

 four fishermen, declares Father Izaak, "He never 

 reproved for their employment or calling, as he did 

 scribes and money changers." 



The Lord's favorite places of labor and repose 

 the places He most frequented were near the fishes 

 and fisherman. "He began to teach by the seaside. 



