92 ANGLING IN SALT WATER. 



to follow, until the other is taken off the line, and the hook 

 — rebaited if necessary — returned to the water. The natural 

 supposition would be that the struggles of a hooked fish 

 would alarm its companions; but fish are incomprehensible 

 things, and there may be something in the idea. It is a well- 

 known fact that perch and chub will follow a hooked brother 

 to the very side of the boat; and there are instances on 

 record of jack, trout, and salmon, when in pairs, having 

 suffered by their devotion for a dying comrade, by meeting 

 an inglorious death in the landing-net or on the gaff. 



The methods already described are those most commonly 

 in use; but during the months of August, September, and 

 October, mackerel may be fished for with some success from 

 a boat at anchor. The best bait is a small live sand-eel, and 

 the tackle is similar to that used for pollack, a description 

 of which is given in Chapter YI. It is, of course, made up 

 finer, as the fish are smaller. If the sand-eels run large, they 

 should be cut in half. "When fishing for pollack and bass 

 with sand-eels, the angler may sometimes find his hook 

 robbed of the bait in an inexplicable manner. When this 

 happens, a very small sand-eel, or half a large one, should be 

 put on the hook, and shortly afterwards a shining mackerel 

 will very likely be lifted over the side. In ground fishing 

 for mackerel the bait should, as a rule, be kept near bottom. 

 If the water is deep, no float can be used; but if the depth 

 is 20ft. or less, a float is an advantage. The depth should 

 always be taken before commencing to fish, and the line 

 adjusted accordingly. If the fish are not found near the 

 bottom, other depths should be tried. Off the Channel Islands, 

 many mackerel are caught in this way at night, particularly 

 when it is moonlight. If sand-eels cannot be obtained, 

 pilchard guts should be used. It is not a bad plan to run 

 a piece of squid up the shank of the hook, and put some 

 pilchard gut on the point. Failing these baits, there are 

 ragworms and mussels; but they are not nearly so good, 

 and I am inclined to think that the beard of an oyster would 

 be better. If the tide runs strongly, a strip of mackerel skin 

 may be tried, cut, and placed on the hook in the manner 



