CHAPTER XII 



A Night's Fishing for Conger, Skate and Ling A Fight with an 

 Eighty-seven-pound Conger 



To start seven fishers off for pollack, with rods and 

 tackle up-to-date, even when aided by three of 

 them having rods and some gear of their own, 

 needs activity to prevent the last boat being late in 

 starting. Such was the task that caused me to 

 leave the table before tea was finished. 



I had engaged an extra boat and men to 

 row it ; this was started first ; then came the 

 Shags boat with only Frank, the mate, as oars- 

 man. He took two more of the fishers, my 

 eldest sons, anglers of some experience. The 

 remaining three I took aboard the sailing boat 

 and there set their tackle up, while they assisted 

 the captain to haul his anchor and set his sails 

 to the breeze, which continued fresh enough for 

 " pollack speed." 



Throughout my long experience the pollack has 

 ever held the prior place in my esteem as the best 

 sport giver of all our sea fishes. I have had many 

 wonderful takes of them and much pleasure in 

 coaching friends when these plucky fish have 

 astonished the holders of the rods by the boldness 

 of their feeding and the toughness of their fighting. 

 Yet the evening of which I write made a record in 

 more respects than one, primarily for the loss of 



K 145 



