When did barbel fishing change.
Has it?
This passage from a book published in 1814;
"The Barbel is prized for being a game fish, afford-
ing excellent sport to the angler, mixed with
some labour and anxiety. When of a large
size, they are exceeding crafty, sulky, and
strong, struggling a long time after they are
hooked, often lying motionless at the bottom
many minutes, then running under banks, or
into large beds of weeds, in fact, trying every
possible way to get off the hook, or break
your line, which they certainly will effect if
you are deficient in skill, or your tackle is in
any way faulty.
They are generally angled
for on the river Thames in boats, with a stout rod, running tackle, gut line,
cork float, and No. 6 or 7 hook ; likewise
with the ledger line, which is fitted in the
following manner : a short solid rod, running
tackle without a float, with hook No. 4 or 5
tied on twisted gut, baited with two marsh
worms, or with graves. About ten inchea
above the hook is placed a piece of flat lead,
perforated, (sold at the shops) below which is
fixed a large shot to prevent the lead slipping
down : the bait is then cast in, and lies clear on
the ground ; hold the top of your rod over
the side of the boat, nearly touching the water,
you will feel a bite, and at the second tug
strike hard.
In the river Lea, you fish with much finer
tackle : your rod either of bamboo or cane,
with a stiff" top, running tackle, fine gut line,
quill float, and No . 8 or 9 hook ; baits, red
worms, gentles, and graves. (Note, the bait
must always touch the ground.) Graves are
certainly the most killing bait ; but when I
fish for Barbel, I always take the three baits
with me, alternately putting worms and gen-
tles, or graves and a worm, on the hook to-
gether, as they sometimes want much entice-
ment. — Never omit trying a worm in the
evening.
The Barbel bites very sharp and sudden,
you must strike the instant and smartly, im-
mediately raise the top of your rod, let him
run some considerable distance before you
attempt to turn him, then endeavour to keep
your fish away from the shelves and beds of
weeds, take him from the current into deep and
still water as soon as possible, and play him
till he has quite lost his strength before you
attempt to land him.
Before you begin to angle for Barbel, throw
in plenty of ground bait (you can hardly give
them too much), and continue to do so fre-
quently while fishing for them : the best
ground bait is made with soaked graves and
clay, mixed together, in balls the size of au
egg, also clay and gentles : indent a piece o f
clay, in which put some gentles, close it
lightly, and the gentles will work out gradu-
ally, when at the bottom of the river. — Use
this ground bait only in still holes. A quan-
tity of worms, if they can be procured, chop-
ped into small pieces, are likewise a good
ground bait"