176 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART I. 



maUum; and also so cunning, to nibble and suck off your 

 worm close to the hook, and yet avoid the letting the 

 hook come into his mouth. 



The Barbel is also curious for his baits; that is to say, 

 that they be clean and sweet; that is to say, to have 

 your worms well scoured, and not kept in sour and 

 musty moss, for he is a curious feeder : but at a well- 

 scoured lob- worm he will bite as boldly* as at any bait, 

 and specially if, the night or two before you fish for him, 

 you shall bait the places where you intend to fish for 

 him, with big worms cut into pieces. 1 And note, that 

 none did ever over-bait the place, nor fish too early or 

 too late for a Barbel. And the Barbel will bite also at 

 gentles, which, not being too much scoured, but green, 

 are a choice bait for him : and so is cheese, which is not 

 to be too hard, but kept a day or two in a wet linen cloth, 

 to make it tough; with this you may also bait the water 

 a day or two before you fish for the Barbel, and be much 

 the likelier to catch store; and if the cheese were laid in 

 clarified honey a short time before, as namely, an hour or 

 two, you were still the likrlier to catch fish. Some have 

 directed to cut the cheese into thin pieces, and toast it; 

 and then tie it on the hook with fine silk. And some 

 advise to fish for the Barbel with sheep's tallow and soft 

 cheese, beaten or worked into a paste; and that it is 

 choicely good in August: and I believe it. But, doubt- 

 less, the lob-worm well scoured, and the gentle not too 

 much scoured, and cheese ordered as I have directed, are 

 baits enough, and I think will serve in any month : though 

 I shall commend any angler that tries conclusions, and 

 is industrious to improve the art. And now, my honest 

 scholar, the long shower and my tedious discourse are 



(1) Graves, (which are the seduneM of tallow melted for the making of cau- 

 dle*,) enl into pieces, are CEcellrat groHDd-bait for Barbel, Gudgeon*, 

 Roach, and maoj other fish, if throw u in the night before you angle. 



