berley

English

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

berley (uncountable)

1. (New Zealand, Australia) Material (frequently rancid) used as bait to attract fish or other organisms.

   Synonym: chum

   • 1895, Charles Thackeray, The Amateur Fisherman's Guide, page 34:

     Another artificial bait can be made by mixing up a berley, savoury in smell to the piscine race, but somewhat obnoxious to the olfactory nerves of human beings, of rotten herrings or tinned fish, bran and flour, into a tough paste and putting it into little bags of mosquito net or fine muslin.

   • 1988, Richard Allan, Go Fish Australia: All You Need to Know about Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing - a Comprehensive Guide for Everyone, page 45:

     In Australia, live baits or strip baits in a berley trail produce the big fish and a lot of anglers specialise in using this technique.

   • 2007, Julie McEnally, Complete Book of Fishing Baits and Rigs, page 18:

     Apart from its use as bait, bread is an essential berley for many fish. All of the above species are attracted by bread berley as are many others.

   • 2013 May, Chris Gaskin, “Lost & Found”, in New Zealand Geographic‎^[1], number 121:

     A few larger black petrels and flesh-footed shearwaters land close by and pick away at scraps of berley.

Anagrams

• Brylee, Eberly

Middle English

Noun

berley

1. Alternative form of barly