52 ANGLING IN SALT WATER. 



less deep. Gut of medium size is, as a rule, sufficiently strong. 

 Directions for using tlie paternoster liave already been given. 

 Tlie hooks for flounders and dabs need not be large — about 

 No. 7 or 'No. 8 — and I have noticed that I have caught most 

 of these fish when my tackle has been fine. 



In some harbours the tide runs with great force, and the 

 best places to fish for bass are just by the edge of the 

 current, where very heavy leads are necessary to keep the 

 baits on the bottom. This fishing is usually done from a boat 

 anchored in the tideway. Professional fisherman use for this 

 purpose a boat-shaped lead, with a long, hemp snooding. A 

 better tackle is the sea leger, already described on page 24. 

 The leads for this will have to be specially cast, as they are 

 not commonly sold of the necessary weight. What weight is 

 necessary depends so much on circumstances — the strength 

 of the current, the depth of the water, and the thickness of 

 the line — that it is impossible to lay down any definite rules 

 on the subject. The lead should work on the stoutest gimp, 

 and be kept in its place by two small, split bullets, or glass 

 beads, fitting the gimp tightly. The hooks have to be large, 

 and on strong gimp or very strong salmon gut (not always to 

 be obtained), as fish play very heavily in the strong current. 

 Where the lead is so heavy that a rod cannot be used, I as 

 often as not adopt the tackle of the professional fisherman, 

 merely rendering it somewhat finer towards the hook end by 

 means of gut or fine gimp. 



Smelt and sand-smelt fishing is a thing of itself. These 

 delicate little fish swim in shoals a little below the surface, 

 and should be fished for with roach hooks, on the finest of 

 tackle. It is most difficult to detect their bites; but skilled 

 London roach fishermen, among whom are some of the most 

 skilful anglers in the world, can catch them on light float 

 tackle, for they can detect veiy slight movements in the 

 float — invisible to ordinary eyes — which indicate the bit€s. Less 

 skilful anglers use a paternoster with three, four, or even more 

 roach hooks (No. or No. 1). The gut links to the hooks should 

 not be more than Sin. or 6in. in length, and put so far apart 

 that they do not entangle. The main line need not be thicker 



