248 MODERN SEA FISHING 



catch the largest possible fish which may be about. For 

 instance, if they are on good flat-fish ground, and rocks are not 

 far distant, knowing that towards evening the congers may 

 come out from the rocks and travel over the sand in search 

 of food, they perhaps fish with stout gear and big hooks which 

 may be relied on to hold a conger. The result is that they catch 

 very few flat fish perhaps none at all. I rather prefer to use 

 the tackle for the fish which are most abundant, and trust to 

 luck and skill for landing any larger fish which good fortune 

 may throw in the way. 



In some cases it is possible to compromise a difficulty of 

 this kind by having one big hook on the paternoster mounted 

 on gimp or soft hemp for big sharp-teethed fish, and a smaller 

 hook on fine tackle suitably baited for small fish. But so far 

 as my experience goes it is no uncommon thing, if this method 

 is practised, to find the large fish taking the small hook 

 on gut, unless it be a cod, which will usually give the prefer- 

 ence to a large bait. Conger in particular appreciate fine 

 tackle. 



It is of the very first importance to have the best possible 

 baits, and among those which are suitable for fishing on or 

 near the bottom are lugworms, mussels, ragworms, live or dead 

 shrimps (the latter peeled but not boiled), or pieces of fish such 

 as pilchards, herring, mackerel, and smelt. With either lug- 

 worms, mussels, ragworms, and pilchards, herrings, or sprats, 

 the fisherman is likely to have some sport if any fish are about. 

 In this connection the Bait chapter should be studied. 



If the fish expected are mostly small, such as whiting or 

 whiting pout, the tackle, of course, may be very fine ; for cod 

 something stronger is necessary, and the hooks should be 

 proportionately larger ; but always have the vertical portion of 

 the paternoster stouter than the hook links. The exact form 

 of paternoster must depend on whether we anticipate finding 



