225 



hoop poles, with a stout cord run along the top and bot- 

 tom to receive the leads and floats respectively. The 

 netting being wide can be doubled together with the lead 

 line laid in the bag, or, as sailors would say of a rope, in 

 the " bight" ; and the leads being small bits of pipe, fasten- 

 ed at short intervals, will keep the net close to the bottom 

 an important particular. It should be five to six yards 

 long, and two men taking each a handle, can sweep a 

 considerable part of the shore, and often fill a pail with 

 minnows or spearing at one haul. The killey-fish, so 

 called by our ancestors from being caught in the " kills " or 

 creeks, and of which there are at least three common 

 kinds, will rush about and try to creep under the net, but 

 spearing go in shoals, and when once in the net do not 

 seem to be able to escape, but will stay there as long as 

 it is kept in motion. If spearing cannot be had, though 

 that is rare, the barred killey, vulgarly called the bass 

 killey, is the next in beauty and attractiveness, and if it 

 cannot be had the ugly green killey-fish may be used, or 

 the shrimp itself. 



To cast with spearing in the manner here suggested, 

 successfully, a stout, long salmon rod will be requisite. 

 A small hook is run through the spearing's mouth, and 

 out at his side, for he dies quickly and cannot be used 

 alive, and a cast is made into the foaming torrent of a 

 mill-tail or rushing tide. The bait is drawn irregularly 

 over the surface of the water, and again cast and played 

 like the fly. The bass strike it as trout or salmon take 

 the latter, and there is much the same skill and uncer- 

 tainty in the pursuit. In fishing with the killey, it is 

 usual to keep him alive by merely running the hook 

 under his skin alongside of the back fin. He will live 

 for hours under such treatment. 



