1 82 MODERN SEA FISHING 



Now I propose to deal with the slightly lower branch of fishing 

 near or on the bottom of the sea, as it may be carried on from 

 rocks and piers, from flat sandy shores, and in harbours and 

 estuaries. Generally speaking, fishing of this kind is most 

 successful during spring tides. I have never been able to 

 make up my mind whether the reason is that the increased 

 current acts like a spate coming down a freshwater river, 

 stirring up the food and setting all the fish a-feeding, besides 

 reinvigorating them by the freshness of the water, as we are 

 brisked up by a good blow from a north-east wind ; or whether 

 the powerful stream outside simply forces the fish to seek that 

 shelter which they find in the slacker water close along the 

 coast. Perhaps both reasons may be correct ; but, whatever 

 the cause, the fact remains that in many places the fishing is 

 extremely indifferent from the shore except at the periods 

 when the moon is either at its full or new. 



It is a great fallacy to suppose that wherever there is a pier, 

 or wherever there are projecting rocks, fish are to be caught. 

 On many parts of our coast sea fish are exceedingly scarce, and 

 there are not a few pierheads where half a dozen whiting pout, 

 two baby flat fish, and a six-ounce eel would be considered a 

 remarkable bag, though the whole weigh one and a half or a 

 couple of pounds. Those who have never had better sport, 

 among whom may sometimes be included the boys home for 

 the holidays, are well pleased with such meagre results of their 

 endeavours. Possibly, if they follow some of the instructions 

 given in this chapter, especially with regard to the use of 

 ground bait, they may even succeed in doubling the not very 

 enormous catch which I have suggested. On the other hand, 

 there are some piers, or the sea beneath, which in the autumn 

 months yield enormous cod. Down on the South-west coast 

 where the pilchard fishery is carried on, the pilchard refuse 

 attracts into the harbours a considerable number of fish 



