456 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



sizes, but the conical lead, shaped like a ship's hand 

 lead, is probably the best for bottom fishing", and an egg 

 or pear-shaped one for fishing under sail. A strong 

 brass wire should be cast into the lead to form eyes 

 for attaching to the line. Leads vary in weight from 

 half a pound to eight or ten Ibs, and should in all cases 

 be detachable from the gear for convenience of carriage 

 for a traveller's use. Boat-shaped leads are made and 

 recommended by Hearder of Plymouth. For deep-sea 

 cod-fishing, a lead sinker of from 5^- to 7 Ibs weight * 

 is required. Travellers however should not encumber 

 themselves with leads. It is best to cast them as re- 

 quired from wooden moulds set in clay or sand, which 

 are easily made of any form and size that may be 

 required. A useful small lead can be readily cast 

 inside the empty shell of an ordinary hen egg, and a 

 larger one inside a goose or turkey egg. 



In deep-sea fishing, as the hauling up of lines from 

 great depths with a heavy sinker is very laborious, a 

 small three or four inch snatchblock is therefore very 

 useful in lightening the haulage. These blocks have 

 an opening at one side into which the line is placed, 

 and they can be hung to any part of a fishing boat's 

 rigging. The block should hang about shoulder high 

 for easy hauling, f 



A good gaff or two will be required; for the smaller 

 fish one of the larger sea-hooks, lapped on to a stick, 

 makes a good one ; but for heavy fish a stronger one 

 is wanted; the steel part only need be carried and this 

 can be lapped on to a staff when required for use. 

 The end of the shank in this case should have a short 



* Deep Sea Fishing, by E. W. H. Holdsworth, 1874, P- *4 6 - 

 f The Sea Fisherman, by J. C. Wilcocks, 1868, p. 45. 



