120 Bass, how and where Caught. 



(Labrax lupus) is irregularly distributed in few or greater 

 numbers over most of the Kent and Essex seaboard, though 

 rather sparingly at Dover.* In Kent generally it goes by the 

 name of salmon-dace or sea-dace, and at Herne Bay by white 

 salmon ; the Leigh fishermen know it only as the bass. It is a 

 fish rather affording sport to sea-anglers during the summer 

 months than regularly followed by fishermen for sale in market. 

 The anglers take bass by rod and by line (fly-fishing or spin- 

 ning) either from the pier-heads and jetties, or off shore in 

 small boat (whiffing and drift-line fishing) ; while the fisher- 

 men procure the bass with the seine and peter-net, or 

 accidentally in the trawl. Herne Bay, Margate and Deal OIL 

 the Kent coast, and Harwich on the Essex coast, are noted for 

 bass fishing. Besides the pier-heads and open harbours, the 

 favourite localities where bass congregate are in the creeks, 

 the swins, and the swatch ways of the estuary mouths. 



For instance, Mr. Fitch records three large fish (16| lb., 

 16 lb., and 12f lb.) caught by Joe Handley in the peter-net 

 in the Blackwater during summer 1887. Previously, about 1860, 

 a bass of 19 lb. weight was captured by Wm. Handley in 

 the Upper Blacklow Creek, near Bradwell. Our fishery 

 officer (Gr. Kir by) for many years every autumn made good 

 seine hauls of bass among the swins of the Map] ins ; particu- 

 larly the Black- tail swin. On one occasion he remembers 

 capturing 50 great fellows in the aforesaid locality. At another 

 time some 30 were taken in his peter-iiet in exceedingly shallow 

 water, at the head of a gut, not far from the preceding spot. 

 Dr. Laver mentions having seen some nearly 20 lb. in weight, 

 andBuckland states one of 22 lb. was taken in a net close to Herne 

 Bay Pier. Besides, fish of smaller size run further up the 

 estuary, and are regularly caught at Southend Pier-head by 

 amateur fishers during the autumn. 



* As there is no rule without an exception, so in this case our eye alights on a 

 paragraph that between 800 and 1,000 bass were captured by Dover fishermen, 

 17th November, 1900. Some weighed 9 lb. to 10 lb., and such sold at Is. per lb. The 

 catch is unprecedented. Evidently the fish were returniug south. 



