The History of Esculent Fish

Called, in Icthyology, Barbus, but by some writers in Natural History, Mustus Stuviatitis, and is a species of the Cyprinus. The Barbel is a fish commonly known and so called from the barb or beard under its chaps or nose, and is of the leather-mouthed kind.

It is but a moderate tasted fish, and the female is less esteemed for the table than the male; but neither of them is much valued: the worst season for them is in April. They love to be among the weirs, where there is a hard gravelly bottom, and generally swim together in large shoals.

In summer, they frequent the strongest and swiftest currents of water, as under deep bridges, weirs, and the like places, and are apt to get in among the piles, weeds, and other shelter; but in winter, they retire into the deepest and stillest waters; the best season for angling for this fish, is from May to August, and the time for taking them is very early in the morning, or late in the evening. The place should be baited with chopped worms some time before; and no bait is so good for the hook as the spawn of fish, particularly the Salmon: in defect of these, lob-worms will do; but they must be very clean and nice, and the hook carefully covered, otherwise he will not touch them. Old cheese steeped in honey also is a fine bait.