berley

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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, number 121:

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

• Brylee, Eberly

berley

1. Alternative form of barly