. The complete angler : or The contemplative man's recreation. There be such store of this fish in the river Danube, thatRondeletius says they may in some places of it, and in somemonths in the year, be taken by those that dwell near to theriver, with their hands, eight or ten load at a time. He says,i they begin to be good in May, and that they cease to be so in August, but it is found to be otherwise in this nation : but thus far we agree with him, that the spawn of a Barbel, if it be notpoison, as he says, yet that it is dangerous meat, and especiallyin the month of May; which is so certain
. The complete angler : or The contemplative man's recreation. There be such store of this fish in the river Danube, thatRondeletius says they may in some places of it, and in somemonths in the year, be taken by those that dwell near to theriver, with their hands, eight or ten load at a time. He says,i they begin to be good in May, and that they cease to be so in August, but it is found to be otherwise in this nation : but thus far we agree with him, that the spawn of a Barbel, if it be notpoison, as he says, yet that it is dangerous meat, and especiallyin the month of May; which is so certain, that Gesner andI jv I Gasius declare it had an ill effect upon them, even to the en-dangering of their lives. This fish is of a fine cast and handsome shape, with smallscales, which are placed after a most exact and curious manner,and, as I told you, may be rather said not to be ill, than to begood meat. The Chub and he have, I think, both lost part oftheir credit by ill cookery, they being reputed the worst orcoarsest of fresh-water fish. But the Barbel. affords an Angler choice sport, being a lusty and a cunning fish;so lusty and cunning as to endanger the breaking of the Anglers Chap. XIV.] THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 18/ line, by running his head forcibly towards any covert, or hole,or bank; and then striking at the line, to break it off with histail, as is observed by Plutarch, in his book *^De IndustriaAnimalium ; and also so cunning to nibble and suck off yourworm close to the hook, and yet avoid the letting the hookcome into his mouth. The Barbel is also curious for his baits, that is to say, thatthey be clean and sweet; that is to say, to have your wormswell scoured, and not kept in sour and musty moss, for he is acurious feeder: but at a well-scoured Lob-worm he will bite asboldly as at any bait, and specially if, the night or two beforeyou fish for him, you shall bait the places where you intend tofish for him with big worms cut into pieces : and note, that nonedid ever o
Size: 2271px × 1100px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorwaltonizaak15931683, bookcentury1800, booksubjectfishi
