ROUND THE BRITISH AND IRISH COASTS 43 



Mackerel fishing is periodically excellent on this part of the 

 coast, and cod, whiting, and other hook fish are only waiting to 

 be caught. Haddock, too, are very plentiful in winter, remain- 

 ing till about the end of May ; cod and ling disappearing a 

 month earlier. In Blacksod Bay there is good shelter for the 

 small-boat fisherman, and cod and ling are there in due season. 

 Bel mullet, at the northern end of the bay, was once a noted 

 fishing station. Following the coast northward we come to 

 Sligo and Bundoran, the latter in Donegal Bay. A good deal 

 of herring fishing is carried on here, and where herrings come 

 other fish follow. The more northern parts of the bay afford 

 a good deal of fishing with both long lines and hand lines. 

 Whiting are sometimes extraordinarily abundant in this bay. 



Further north there is still less trawling and more line 

 fishing, which is all in the amateur fisherman's favour. On 

 this part of the coast coalfish, 'glassons' or 'glissauns,' are 

 very plentiful. Both in Loch Swilly and Loch Foyle there 

 is often very fair fishing. In former years Belfast Lough 

 afforded grand sport, but friends who live in the neighbourhood 

 tell me that since the increase of steam traffic the fish have 

 become very much less numerous. 



Other stations down this coast are Strangford, Carlingford, 

 Ardglass, Greencastle, Rush, and Balbriggan. 



Coming back again across the Irish Sea to the north-west 

 coast of Wales, we pass the Isle of Man, which may be referred 

 to here. The fishing round the island is good, and the place is 

 much visited by amateur sea fishermen, particularly in the 

 months of July, August, and September. There is some inshore 

 pollack fishing in June when the season is early. Good sport 

 may generally be had in October and November, providing the 

 weather is favourable. Douglas is perhaps, on the whole, a 

 better place to make one's headquarters than Ramsey. At Peel 

 there is often very good fishing for bream in the early summer ; 



