COD, HADDOCKS, WHITING, BREAM, ETC 439 



useful. Many a large conger is caught on a long line laid near 

 the rocks, and the short snoodings of such gear should always 

 be fitted with strong swivels. The lines should be taken up 

 before daylight, as immediately the sun rises the congers re- 

 double their efforts to escape. Both the long line and the 

 snood attached to it, intended for conger, should be sound and 

 strong. The main line should certainly be not less stout than 

 the North Sea line, No. 3, illustrated on p. 288. The snoods 

 should be two or three feet in length and placed seven to nine 

 feet apart. Very heavy stones will be required to weight this 

 line, as the fish it is intended to catch are among the strongest 

 that swim in the sea. The hooks should be the same as those 

 used on the inshore line (see p. 422), and well covered with 

 bait, or the conger may reject them. 



It is no easy matter to get a very large conger on board in 

 the dark. A landing net, unless of enormous dimensions, 

 is hardly any use. A stout gaff on a strong stick is the best 

 thing for the purpose. I say stout, for a 2o-lb. conger would 

 easily twist or break a gaff which would be strong enough for a 

 3o-lb. salmon. It is not a bad plan to have in the centre of the 

 boat a large, basket in which to drop the fish. It is a great 

 mistake to hold them up by the snooding. In a basket on the 

 floor of the boat they are far more quiet than when dangling in 

 the air. A sharp blow on the head with a well-leaded knob- 

 stick, or some such implement as my 'priest' (see p. 190), 

 is very necessary before any attempt is made to dislodge the 

 hook. A sharp blow on the tail of the eel, which is slanting 

 and slippery, and very difficult to hit, is also effective. With 

 an eel of a moderate size it is a good plan to put one's left 

 hand on its neck, the right hand in the middle, wave the tail 

 in the air, and bring down sharply on one of the thwarts. A 

 stout knife with a pointed blade should be stuck through its 

 brain as soon as it has been stunned. 



