FROM YACHTS AND LARGE FISHING BOATS 301 



called pockets are made in the net. This will be understood 

 very clearly from the illustration. 



The belly and back of the net are laced together along the 

 lines a a, b b ; and these parts with the back form an arrange- 

 ment which carries out exactly the same principle as that on 

 which the crab pot or lobster pot, and many kinds of fish-traps, 

 are made. The cod, or extreme end of the bag, into which 

 most of the fish find their way, is about one-seventh of the 

 whole length of the apparatus. The end of the cod can be 

 opened by undoing the cod line, and its contents, together with 

 the fish in the pockets, emptied out. It is a curious fact that 

 soles are more often found in the pockets than at the end of 

 the cod. 



The following are the names of the different parts of the 

 trawl : i, the beam ; 2, the head irons ; 3, the ground rope ; 

 4 and 5, the pockets ; 6, the cod, purse, or bunt. Sailors often 

 prefer an old rope for use as ground rope, so that if it catches 

 in any rock, old anchor, or wreckage, it breaks ; though the 

 net may be torn, the whole apparatus, which is very costly, is 

 not lost. 



The edge of the back which is fastened to the beam is 

 called the square of the net ; while the portion attached to the 

 ground rope is cut away to form a deep curve, and the centre 

 of this curve is called the bosom. The centre of the beam is 

 distant from the centre of the bosom about as many feet as the 

 beam is long. It is obviously desirable that the beam and 

 back of the net should overhang for some distance before the 

 fish are disturbed by the ground rope. The two ropes which 

 lead from the eyes on the irons to the big towing rope are the 

 bridle of the trawl ; while the big rope itself is called the trawl 

 warp. 



A clever apparatus, and one much more suitable for yacht- 

 owners, is that known as the otter trawl, which, as will be seen 



