72 TACKLE FOR SEA-FISHING. [PART I. 



and with lines, " chopsticks," &c. fine in proportion. 

 The result was that we caught some four or five 

 dozen good pout, &c. between us, while the boat- 

 man did not succeed in catching one single fish 

 of any sort or kind. And it must not be supposed 

 that his time was taken up with baiting our hooks ; 

 we preferred doing that for ourselves. 



There is perhaps no better form of tackle for 

 general use in Sea-fishing than that commonly 

 adopted of two "chopsticks" fastened at right 

 angles, or nearly so, to each other, and having the 

 plummet affixed to them at the point of junction. 

 They should be about eight or nine inches long, 

 the best material for them being perhaps whale- 

 bone, or really good tough wood, such as hickory. 

 Stout brass wire however answers the purpose 

 very fairly. This may be run through the upper 

 part of the plummet, and the two ends, after giving 

 each a half-turn round it, bent at right angles to 

 each other. The object of having the chopsticks 

 set at an angle instead of in a straight line is to 

 make them hang steadily when the tide is run- 

 ning. They would otherwise be apt to turn round. 

 When trying for heavy fish Hake for instance 

 with a large bait, it is better to dispense with 

 chopsticks altogether and use a single hook. At 



