SEA FISHING FROM P1EKS. 171 



harbours, require fishing for with the greatest circumspection and 

 with a special tackle. This comprises a long length of medium- 

 sized gut, having three or four small pieces of cork attached to it 

 (a slit along the cork enables this to be done easily) at intervals. of 

 a couple of feet. Depending from the gut are three or four hooks, 

 which are baited. This arrangement is allowed to drift away with 

 the tide, surrounded by stale bread crumbs and small pieces of 

 crust wherewith to attract the mullet. 



Fishing with a white fly sometimes answers from piers ; and at 

 Deal at a certain period of the year, the autumn, pieces of parch- 

 ment in the shape of fish are attached to the hook, and danced on 

 the surface. These are taken by the coal fish. 



What baits are used will depend very much upon the locality. 

 The lugworm is a universal and safe bait, though not easy to put 

 upon the hook, and not always obtainable. The hunt after it is a 

 sport in itself, so quickly does it disappear into the sand. Where 

 there is much fishing, the lugworm when procurable at all can 

 generally be purchased from boys. The mussel is also a universal 

 bait, no doubt because so readily obtainable. Oysters are also a 

 good bait, but, of course, the price of any but the commonest 

 makes them prohibitive. Pieces of fresh herring or mackerel, 

 shrimps, prawns, limpets and whelks all do good service. On 

 certain coasts the sand eel can be obtained. This is the best 

 bait of all, but it is difficult to get, and must be kept alive in a 

 creel. When obtainable, the cuttle-fish, or squid, is a good bait. 



