58 BOTTOM FISHING. 



BARBEL (Genus vulgar is) is one of the gamest fish 

 the bottom fisherman essays to allure. He requires 

 considerable tact and aptness, even when hooked, to 

 effect a safe landing. Immediately upon feeling the 

 hook, he will often resort to a variety of expedients 

 to rid himself of it, indeed, he may be said to be 

 only surpassed by the trout in this respect. When 

 in the immediate vicinity of weeds, roots, etc., he 

 displays no mean muscular power to gain their 

 friendly shelter ; indeed, so furiously does he fight 

 when hooked, that with a fine tackle none but a 

 practised hand has a chance of netting a full-con- 

 ditioned fish. We would recommend the uninitiated 

 to fish the more open lengths, comparatively free 

 from cover, with an even bottom, which is desirable, 

 as the bait being taken up by the 'fish from the 

 river's bed, it is undesirable to render the lure in 

 any way obscure, as between the chinks of large 

 stones, etc. 



There are two different systems of float fishing for 

 barbel, the most artistic of which was originated 

 upon the Trent, and is now rapidly becoming general 

 upon the Thames. We refer to the method styled 

 tight corking. The float employed is large and 

 taper, being capable of sustaining a good lot of shot, 

 the exact weight of which is regulated strictly ac- 

 cording to the power of the stream. After plumbing 

 the depth of the swim selected, the line is lengthened 

 below the float at least two feet more, the result of 

 which arrangement is that the shot rests at the 

 bottom, the float being kept stationary, but it indi- 



