18 CRAB, SHRIMP, AND LOBSTER LORE. 



for fishing from rocks or pier heads. When using 

 tackle of this description from a boat for the capture 

 of small fish, as pouting, chads, whiting, &c. are com- 

 monly called, it will be found a good plan to employ a 

 foot trace of twisted gut, medium-sized trout-hooks 

 tied on strong single gut snoods ; these may be looped 

 on at eighteen inches apart. The bottom of the trace 

 must be secured to one of the conical sinkers of 

 sufficient weight to keep the line straight down against 

 the run of the tide. Bait with rag-worm, and com- 

 mence fishing at about three feet from the bottom, 

 when, if the fish are not found feeding there, shallow 

 depths may be tried, or the ground itself just touched 

 with the lead, only taking care that a sufficient strain 

 exists just to slightly curve the top of the rod ; on 

 feeling a bite, strike sharply, and when the fish is found 

 to be hooked, draw the line in with the right hand, 

 whilst the rod is upraised in the left, until the prize is 

 at the surface, when, unless very diminutive indeed, 

 the landing-net should be made use of, — more fish are 

 lost in weighing out than in any other way. Large 

 captives must be played until sufficiently passive to be 

 safely brought alongside and netted or gaffed. 



Eod-fishing for mackerel bass, grey mullet, '^Atherene" 

 or sand smelt, and several other descriptions, may, at 

 times, be practised with considerable success. "We 

 have taken great numbers of the two former with both 



