106 MODERN SEA FISHING 



1 1 or 2 inches below the root of the tail, and a slice downwards 

 towards the tail, cutting out the piece shown by the dotted 

 line in the illustration. Half this piece will be silver, the other 

 half of the darker colour found on the back of the mackerel. 

 It is the toughest and best piece of skin for the purpose that 

 can be found in the mackerel. But it must be cut thin that 

 is essential. Next, lay it scales downwards on a piece of cork 

 and push the point of the hook through the narrow end as 

 illustrated. This little strip of skin will quiver and play in 

 the water and look exactly like a small herring or sprat. 

 No attempt should be made to cover the shank of the 

 hook. 



When shoals of very large mackerel are about, the laske may 

 be 2\ inches or even more in length. But generally speaking 

 i.j inch is a good length. In clear water and calm weather 

 both bait and hook should be smaller than on dark rough 

 days. 



No. 16 (2/0 Redditch scale) is a good general size for a 

 mackerel hook, but No. 13 (2 Redditch) will be best when the 

 fish are biting shyly. Professional fishermen use still larger 

 hooks, simply because they are easily and quickly removed 

 from the mackerel's mouth. But in light breezes these large 

 hooks fail, without much doubt scaring the fish. 



Young mackerel about five or six inches long, called in some 

 places 'joeys,' make excellent baits for bass and pollack. I have 

 tried them with much success on the Chapman spinner, an 

 excellent form of which is illustrated on p. 108. It should be 

 noted that the pull of the line comes direct on to the hooks, so 

 that there is no tendency to drag the fans out of the mouth of 

 the bait as there is in other mountings in which the swivel and 

 gimp bearing the hooks are attached to the fans. In the Archer 

 spinner, the spikes on the movable fans help to keep the joey 

 in position. Perhaps triangles are a mistake. Sea fish as a rule 



