252 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART I. 



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 

 too 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 likelier 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 

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

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

 baits enough ; 2 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 both 

 ended together : and I shall give you but this observation, 

 that when you fish for a barbel, your rod and line be both 

 long, and of good strength ; for, as I told you, you will find 

 him a heavy and a dogged fish to be dealt withal, yet he 

 seldom or never breaks his hold if he be once strucken. And 

 if you would know more of fishing for the umber or barbel, 3 



1 Graves,' which are the sediment of tallow melted for the making of 

 candles, cut into pieces, are an excellent ground-"bait for barbel, gudgeons, 

 and many other fish, if thrown in the night before you angle. H. 



2 Moses Browne mentions having caught a barbel of three pounds' weight 

 with a bit of rusty bacon. ED. 



3 Of the haunts of the barbel, the author has spoken sufficiently. 

 Barbel spawn about the middle of April ; and grow in season about a 



