HAUNTS OP POLLACK. 75 



but more particularly where rocks are plentiful. In some 

 respects they resemble trout, haunting rocky headlands which 

 stretch far out to sea, and round which the tide sets strongly, 

 rising to a fly in the evening, and taking both live and dead 

 bait, and natural or artificial spinning baits. Spring affords 

 the best pollack fishing on the South-west coast of England- 

 March, April, May, June; while in Ireland and the North of 

 Scotland large pollack are also caught in September. Like 

 many other fish of prey, they seem to follow the herrings. 

 While these are out at sea, few pollack will be found in their 

 usual haunts; but when the herrings enter the sea lochs of 

 the Scotch coast, their pursuers come in after them, and are 

 to be caught in great numbers. In the winter, the greater 

 portion of these fish retire into deep water; but in the spring 

 they come inshore, the small ones leading the way — at least, 

 this is what I have been told by fishermen; but it rather 

 conflicts with a statement that pollack spawn in winter close 

 to the shore. As a matter of fact, they are occasionally caught 

 ofB pier-heads in winter. Their habits vary a good deal in 

 different localities. A good chart, showing the position of 

 sunken rocks, or a sailor well versed in the subject, is a very 

 useful addition to the outfit of the pollack angler, for many fish 

 will be found haunting sunken reefs at a considerable distance 

 from land. From my angling experiences I should imagine 

 that pollack feed on or near the bottom during the day, hiding 

 in seaweed, and rushing out to seize any unfortunate little 

 fish which passes within reach; and that in the evening they 

 come out from their lairs, and roam about in search of food. 

 Whether this be so or not — and it is difl&cult either to prove 

 or disprove it — I have generally caught them best in the 

 daytime when my bait has been close to the bottom, and in 

 the evening when it has been in mid-water, or near the top. 



The favourite food of pollack must be, I fancy, sand-eels, 

 for they are the bait with which the best sport is obtained; 

 but it must be confessed that pollack do not, as a rule, dwell 

 where sand-eels are plentiful, though occasionally they leave 

 their rocky fastnesses for a short stay on a sandy bottom, 

 where they banquet to their heart's content on the silvery 



