278 THE POLLACK. 



The Pollack. 



Another fish the angler may sometimes meet with, is the whit- 

 ing pollack, which in form very much resembles the common 

 whiting, but may easily be distinguished by being usually of a dark- 

 er colour as well as by the lengthened form of the under jaw; the 

 whiting pollack being an underhung, and the whiting an over- 

 hung jawed fish. There is however a fish very much resembling 

 the pollack, which is called the whiting coal, or rawlin pollack. 

 The difference between the latter two fishes may be detected by an 

 examination of their lateral lines : this in the whiting pollack is 

 incurvated, rising towards the middle of the back, and then sink- 

 ing and running straight towards the tail, whilst in the rawlin 

 pollack, the lateral line is nearly straight throughout, and silvery 

 white. 



Both these fish attain a considerable size, but the coal fish is 

 the larger of the two ; sometimes attaining the weight of thirty 

 pounds ; whereas the pollack seldom reaches to above half that 

 weight. 



Both fish are alike in their habits ; inhabiting and feeding in 

 rocky grounds, and often approaching sufficiently near the shore 

 to be taken from it. On some parts of our coast the fry of the 

 rawlin pollack may be literally said to swarm playing about in 

 shoals upon the surface, where they may be caught with a rod and 

 line as fast as the latter can be cast into the water. A small piece 

 of the flesh of a a fresh herring, or a rag worm is the best bait, 

 though very few baits come amiss to them. They may be fished 

 for either with or without a float, and the whiting pollacks may 

 be angled for in the same manner. 



But the best way of all for taking the larger kind of pollacks is 

 by whiffling or trolling from a boat, either with rod or without 

 one, though in this kind of fishing I have found it the better plan 

 to dispense with the rod altogether, or rather only to use the short 

 rods or rather twigs, I shall shortly have occasion to mention. 



The lines should be of strong cord or horsehair, and may be 



