SURFACE-FEEDING SEA FISH 



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For use on the bottom with a leger, as, for instance, on 

 the sandy shore of an estuary, there are few baits better than a 

 strip of squid, but ray's liver is equally killing in some places. 

 For these and some other baits the large round bend hook 

 shown in the illustration is suitable. If the fish run small, or 

 the bait is insignificant, use two or three sizes smaller. It 

 may be either round bend or the Pennell-Limerick illustrated. 

 Around bend gets a better 

 hold round bones and 

 cartilages than a narrow 

 hook of abrupt angle. 



A capital plan one 

 followed a good deal at 

 Krixham, both in the har- 

 bour and outside is to 

 thread a small fish on a 

 No. 3 or 4 Exeter round 

 bend hook. This is done 

 by means of a baiting needle 

 which brings the snooding 

 in at the mouth of the bait 

 and out at its tail ; in fact, 

 the arrangement closely 

 resembles the gorge trolling 

 bait of pike fishers. The 

 snooding need not be very 



long. To it is attached a somewhat fine unleaded line. 

 The bait is thrown overboard and allowed to lie on the 

 bottom. When a bass takes it he must feel no resistance 

 whatever, and should be given a few seconds to swallow it 

 and go off with four or five yards of line. Those who read 

 Mr. Harmsworth's contribution will no doubt notice the 

 resemblance between this method and tarpon fishing. In 



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BASS HOOKS 



