56 



ANGLING IN SALT WATER. 



use what is termed Nottingliain tackle, and to cast from the 

 reel. I have gone into the matter in detail in the chapter on 

 bass fishing. 



A few lines on hand-line fishing at anchor must bring this 

 chapter to a close. Hand-lining can hardly be termed angling, 

 but it is generally practised, and, as it must be resorted to 

 on a few occasions, when very heavy leads and coarse lines 

 are necessary, on account of the force and depth of the water, 

 this book would be incomplete without some description of 

 the method. A hand-line is simply a light, hemp cord, tanned 

 or dressed with a mixture of turpentine (or paraffin) and tar, 

 with a weight at the end, and two or more hooks, kept apart 

 by spreaders or chopsticks. Of this tackle there are several 

 varieties, but I need only mention two. The first is known as 



the Kentish Rig, the illustra- 

 tion of which (Fig. 44) renders 

 any lengthy verbal description 

 unnecessary. The hooks should, 

 as a rule, be on gimp or gut, 

 stout or fine according to the 

 fish sought after. The swivels 

 and spreader should be of brass. 

 The spreader is wound twice 

 round a piece of leather, which 

 passes through the lead. The 

 line is fastened by going through 

 a slit in, and then round, the 

 leather. Each arm of the spreader 

 should be 9in. long, and the gut 

 attachment of the hooks about 2ft. 

 The weight of lead may be anything 

 from 21b. to 51b., according to circumstances. In using this 

 tackle, it is thrown overboard, and the line allowed to run out 

 until the lead touches the ground. It is then hauled up 22ft., 

 when the hooks will be just off the bottom. When fishing 

 for flat fish, the lead may be a little lower. Another kind of 

 hand-line is made without the cross spreader, but with what 

 are termed chopsticks of wire, placed on the line above the 



Fig. 44. Tackle for Hand-lining 

 (Kentish Rig). 



