THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART I. 



CHAP. XIV. 

 Obterta&mt on the BARBEL, and Directions how to fish for him. 



Piscator. THE Barbel is so called, says Gesner, by 

 reason of his barb or wattles at his mouth, which are 

 under his nose or chaps. He is one of those leather- 

 mouthed fishes that I told you of, that does very seldom 

 break his hold if he be once hook'd : hut lie is so strong-, 

 that he will often break both rod and line, if he proves to 

 be a big one. 



But the Barbel, though he be of a fine shape, and looks 

 big, yet he is not accounted the best fish to eat, neither 

 for his wholesomcness nor his taste; but the male is 

 reputed much better than the female, whose spawn is 

 very hurtful, as I will presently declare to you. 



They Hock together like sheep, and are at the worst 

 in April, about which time they spawn ; but quickly grow 

 to be in season. He is able to live in the strongest swifts 

 of the water: and, in summer, they love the shallowest 

 and sharpest streams; and love to lurk under weeds, and 

 to feed on gravel, against a rising ground ; and will root 

 and dig in the sands with his nose like a hog, and there 

 nests himself: yet sometimes he retires to deep and 

 swift bridges, or flood-gates, or weirs ; where he will 

 nest himself amongst piles, or in hollow places ; and take 

 such hold of moss or weeds, that be the water never so 

 swift, it is not able to force him from the place that he 

 contends for. This is his constant custom in summer, 

 when he and most living creatures sport themselves in 

 the sun : but at the approach of winter, then he forsakes 

 the swift streams and shallow waters, and, by degrees, 

 retires to those parts of the river that are quiet and 

 deeper ; in which places, and I think about that time he 



