FLOUNDERS AND SMELTS. 79 



low London bridge. You may fish for Smelts 

 from July to November and December ; very 

 early and late is the most successful time : 

 many will take twenty dozen in a day. 



DEAD LINES. 



A great many Eels, Flounders, &c. are 

 taken with dead lines, between Blackwall and 

 Old Ford, in the several creeks round Brom- 

 ley, West-Ham, Abbey- Mills, and Stratford, 

 where the tide flows from the River Thames. 

 The dead line is made of whipcord, generally 

 about six yards in length, to which is affixed 

 five or six hooks, which should be tied on 

 pieces of bristle, twisted hair, or gut, not more 

 than four inches long, with a loop at the end : 

 No. 9 is the hook generally chosen for this 

 purpose. Loop the hooks on the line (begin- 

 ning at the bottom) about a foot apart ; close 

 to every hook put a large shot, or piece of 

 lead, to keep the bait on the ground, as every 

 hook must lie at the bottom, for which pur- 



