144 MODERN SEA FISHING 



but rather stouter than, those on a Chapman spinner. It is 

 shown life-size in the illustration on p. 143. Doubtless its 

 flexibility and the sparkle of the links make it so exceedingly 

 attractive. Anyone could construct a bait of this kind for him- 

 self, but I understand that Mr. Walbran, of Leeds, is about to 

 patent it. 



The large feather baits perhaps come within this part of 

 the subject, but by reason of their material let us honour them 

 with the name of flies, and give them place in the next chapter. 

 They are most successfully used for pollack and coalfish, and at 

 times bass take them greedily. The artificial fly made of fibres 

 obtained from the tail of the dogfish, also described in the 

 following chapter, should be specially noted. It has a great 

 reputation among the fishermen in the Orkneys. 



Another very remarkable bait, sent by one of my many 

 kind correspondents in sea-fishing matters, and my long list 

 is finished. It is a capital imitation of a small fish made out 

 of the wing feather of a bird. It is shaped with scissors and 

 afterwards painted, and is capable of much variation according 

 to the fancy of the maker. The illustration is another of Mr. 

 Pritchett's drawings of the actual thing a bait which has, 

 maybe, taken not a few lythe and saithe off the wild coasts of 

 the Orkney Islands. No doubt it could be fitted more neatly 

 with hook, swivel, &c., but it could hardly be made more 

 effective. One of my long-shanked Salmo-irritans hooks might 

 be useful for this bait. 



Those who possess the least ingenuity need never be at a 

 loss for a bait for sea fishing, or, at least, for so many of the 

 sea fish as will take an artificial bait. A piece of white rag on a 

 hook, the stem of a tobacco pipe threaded on the shank, a three- 

 penny-bit hammered out with a hole bored in it, a teaspoon or 

 dessertspoon bowl bored with a hole and decorated with a hook 

 or two, a piece of tin from a sardine box cut to the shape of a 



