330 AN ANGLER'S RAMBLES 



swung to anchor, the jiggers are lowered without delay, and on 

 the lead touching the bottom, are slowly and cautiously drawn 

 up towards the surface. This is done for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining the presence of fish, and also of determining the exact 

 depth of water at which they have taken up their position. Should 

 the herrings be present in any quantity, the jigger, in its pro- 

 gress through the shoal, will indicate their whereabouts, in respect 

 to depth, by the occurrence of a slight nibbling sensation, which 

 communicates itself to the hand, and is intelligible to all anglers. 

 When this sensation becomes evident, a knot should be made in 

 the hand-line, which shall serve as a regulator when the apparatus 

 is re-lowered, and conduct without loss of time to the feeding- 

 ground. 



Having tied your knot, the operation of a few seconds, move 

 the line gently up and down with the hand. You will thus 

 attract the fish, and multiply your chances of a good haul. You 

 then up with your jigger, which, if fortunate, you will find graced 

 with a double row of sparkling herrings, as many sometimes as 

 eight or nine at a lift ; seldom, if you have hit upon fair fishing- 

 ground, fewer than three or four. These you get quit of by a 

 shake of the apparatus, when they will fall to the bottom of the 

 boat, and shortly expire. No time should be lost in re-commit- 

 ting the jigger to the water, and allowing the line to run freely 

 off through your hand, as far as the check-knot. You cannot, in 

 fact, do so too quickly, unless you are in quest of saithe or dog- 

 fish. For the first quarter of an hour or thereabouts, it is seldom 

 that any interruption will occur from these intruders, and one 

 accordingly ought to make the most of it. The crowding of the 

 herrings towards the jiggers, and the glittering of the fish strug- 

 gling on the tinned hooks, rarely however fail to attract them, 

 and that usually at the moment when the sport has become ex- 

 citing, and you have begun to congratulate yourself on the pro- 

 spect of its continuance. 



