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MODERN SEA FISHING 



MACKEREL 



GROUND GEAR. 



to the line by means of an eight-inch piece of gut a foot 

 above the lead. This fishing requires a good deal of skill, 

 for the fish bite shyly and have to be struck at the slightest 

 nibble. It is a great advantage to use a rod. Among good 

 baits may be mentioned a very small sand-eel or half a large 

 one, the hook being placed in at the mouth and the point 

 brought out half an inch below the gills ; and mussels. On 

 the Devonshire coast pilchard guts have been found an excel- 

 lent bait, and a favour- 

 ite plan is to cover the 

 shank of the hook with 

 a small piece of squid 

 and put on the point 

 of it either some pil- 

 chard guts or a small 

 strip cut from the side 

 of a pilchard. The 

 lead should be lowered 

 until bottom is felt, 

 and raised about two 

 yards. The profes- 

 sional gear for this 

 method of fishing on 

 the coast of Devon 



consists of a boat-shape lead with wire through it, and six feet 

 of fine snooding. A favourite bait consists of a strip of very 

 fine pilchard-skin, one and a half inch long by a quarter- 

 inch wide, and an almost equally thin strip of squid about 

 the same size. The two are just caught on the hook and are 

 worked up and down, to give them an appearance of life, just 

 above the bottom. This fishing ends about the beginning of 

 October. 



Off the Channel Islands ground fishing for mackerel is 



TACKLE FOR FISHING FOR MACKEREL 

 ON OR NEAR THE BOTTOM 



