FISHING IMPLEMENTS-MODE OF CAPTURE. 37 



making their preparations for the North Sea fishing, 

 which begins in August. During the winter months, 

 after the closing of the herring season at Christmas, 

 the stronger boats have their masts and rigging taken 

 out of them, and others of an entirely different design 

 put in, suitable for another class of fishing, called 

 trawling. Others are hauled up high and dry in the 

 ship yards, where they are thoroughly overhauled, 

 the previous season's damages repaired, and the boats 

 brightened up with another coat of paint. In due 

 course they take to their native element again, when, 

 fitted with their gear, salt, and stores, and with 

 their crews aboard, the boats are speedily towed by 

 steam tugs out of the haven into the roads, presenting 

 a lively and picturesque scene. The larger boats 

 make for the Dogger Bank, while the smaller do not 

 go out so far, but fish about the Great Silver Pit, or 

 nearer to the land. On arrival at their intended fish- 

 ing-ground, the nets are shot (put overboard). With 

 a favourable breeze the nets are shot over the waist 

 (side), the warp i.e. the strong rope to which the 

 nets are secured along their upper side by finer lines, 

 which regulate the depth at which the nets are to be 

 sunk passes over the stern, and the boat, sailing away 

 from the spot, the length of nets is passed into the 

 water, and the mast lowered. If the weather is too 

 rough for this mode of shooting, the mast is first 

 lowered, and then the nets " tumbled " over the waist 

 as before ; but the warp is paid out over the bows, 

 and the boat drifts away from the spot where the first 

 nets entered the water. By these means the one and 



