100 ANGLING IN SALT WATER. 



Gurnard, or Gurnet. — There are two common varieties 

 of this fish, the red and the grey. They may be known by 

 their large, square-shaped heads, which are out of all propor- 

 tion to their bodies, and large, spinous dorsal fins. They are 

 very abundant round our coasts, and will take almost any bait. 

 They are to be caught near the bottom with paternoster tackle, 

 and also with mackerel tackle and baits. They do not run 

 very large, and are fairly good eating. They are mostly taken 

 when whiting fishing. 



Haddock. — These fish are too well known to need de- 

 scription. They are plentiful off the East Coast and round 

 Scotland, but are found on all the shores of the United 

 Kingdom. They swim in large shoals, and are uncertain in 

 their feeding grounds, frequently shifting their position, pro- 

 bably in search of food. About two or three pounds is the 

 common weight, but they have been taken as heavy as fourteen 

 pounds. They are fished for near the bottom with the pater- 

 noster or hand-line tackle, and mussels are the standard 

 baits; pilchards, sprats, mackerels, and herrings are also 

 good, and a hook baited with squid and tipped with a mussel 

 is considered very killing. 



The Hake is a voracious fish, which follows and levies toll 

 upon shoals of pilchards and herrings. It is not often taken 

 by the amateur fisherman, who, if he would go a "baking," 

 must make friends with the crew of a pilchard boat, and join 

 them on one of their expeditions, for, as the hake follows the 

 pilchards, these two fish can be captured at the same time — 

 while the lines are out for the one, drift nets are out for the 

 other. Hake vary from about four to fourteen pounds in 

 weight, and require strong tackle. The hook should be three 

 times as large as the largest in the scale given in this book, 

 and must be mounted on gimp, for the hake has many and 

 sharp teeth. The fishing is nearly always done at night, and 

 is generally unsuccessful during the day. A very heavy pater- 

 noster can be used with a rod, but one hook will be found 

 quite sufficient. The best bait is a whole pilchard. The 

 professional fishermen, of course, use hand-lines of various 

 patterns, of which one is as good as the other, the chief point 



