berley

1 of 2

noun

ber·​ley ˈbər-lē 

plural -s

Australia

: bait that is scattered on water in order to attract fish : ground bait

They vary a little, but the best ordinary berley is made out of bran, pollard, flour, salt or fresh herrings or tinned fish and bread crumbs.

—Charles Thackery, The Amateur Fisherman's Guide, 1895

Try mixing a very stiff berley of soaked pellets and bread or crusts …

—Greg Irving, The Advertiser (Australia), 24 Dec. 1993

Another favorite fishing technique was to stand in the lee of a point with a spear poised over the still water, spitting chewed-up mussels into the water as berley.

—Tim Fridtjof Flannery, The Birth of Sydney, 2000

berley

2 of 2

verb, transitive + intransitive

ber·​ley ˈbər-lē 

berleyed; berleying; berleys

Australia

: to use berley to attract fish

Mr Hepburn … said berleying encouraged sharks in canals and may make them "more comfortable" around boats and swimmers.

—Paul Weston, Sunday Mail (Queensland, Australia), 29 May 2005

He said the penalty for unlawful berleying using animal or bird products would depend on the circumstances.

—Clare Peddie, The Advertiser (Australia), 10 Nov. 2010

Jetty fish are usually berleyed too heavily during holiday periods, filling them up and putting them off the bite.

—Greg Irving, The Advertiser (Australia), 24 Dec. 1993

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb, Transitive + Intransitive

1874, in the meaning defined above

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