52 MODERN SEA FISHING 



from the reefs of rocks below Daddy Hole Plain. Pollacking 

 from boats is practised round the Shag Rock and the Thatcher, 

 and occasionally a few bass are caught. Lying between Brixham 

 and Torquay is Paignton, a pleasant little watering-place. 



Next comes Teignmouth, on the harbour bar of which bass 

 are sometimes very plentiful during the summer months. The 

 principal sport with these fish is obtained inside the bar of the 

 harbour. A bridge here, from which fishing is occasionally 

 obtained, crosses the river to the pretty village of Shaldon. 

 Sand smelts and flat fish are fairly abundant, as also are 

 mackerel and pollack. There is usually no difficulty in obtain- 

 ing mussels, sand eels, and other bait. The boat hire is 

 usually moderate, and many of the boatmen are clever at bass 

 fishing. 



Passing Dawlish we come to Exmouth, another sea-fishing 

 station on a large river estuary. In the harbour flat fish are 

 plentiful, and, at times, bass. Outside, off Strait Point and 

 other headlands, there is very fair fishing for pollack. The 

 mackerel fishing is good. 



A few miles onward is Budleigh Salterton, a pretty little 

 village where there is fair sea fishing ; whiting pout are plentiful 

 close to the village. The mackerel fishing is good, and occa- 

 sionally there is fair sport with bass near the mouth of the 

 Otter River, up which shoals of mullet sometimes are found. 



Sidmouth may be passed by. Beer is a village of fishermen ; 

 there is some pollacking round Beer Head, and the usual sea 

 fishing found on this part of the coast a few miles out. At 

 Seaton, not far from Beer, is very fair sea fishing, and a little 

 trout and salmon fishing in the river Axe. Seaton used to be 

 a good place for bass, but in common with all parts of our 

 coast these fish are far scarcer than formerly. 



I rather linger over the west country. The scenery is 

 beautiful ; the climate, if somewhat relaxing, is pleasant ; the 



