NOVEMBER 167 



may be easily proved by anyone who cares to examine the 

 stomachs of his captures. Of thirty-three fish twenty- 

 four flounders, five plaice, and four dabs whose stomachs 

 I cut open one evening, all save two dabs contained shrimp 

 partially digested. Only a few of these were bait shrimp, 

 as the great majority were uncooked, whereas those 

 on the hooks were boiled. 



The best size of hook for these baits differs, in my 

 opinion according as one is using lug or shrimp. For 

 the latter, either alive or dead, I prefer No. 4, while for 

 lug I require No. 9, with a specially long shank, a hook 

 sold by Peek and Son as " Mr. Minchin's pattern," after 

 the well-known Deal sea angler. The reason of the long 

 shank will, I think, require no explanation to those who 

 have had to get lug-baited hooks from somewhere about 

 the cardiac region of various flat fish, as, without the 

 long lever of the shank, a hasty vivisection has to be 

 undertaken. 



And now a word or two as to the gut, which should be 

 single, Lake Trout quality, above and below the lead. 

 This is quite strong enough, as the average of the fish 

 is not over lib., and a 21b. fish is a great exception, 

 though such are sometimes taken. In working the 

 tackle, arranged and baited as suggested, it should be 

 noted that the depth of water is but very little, hence 

 only a gentle strike must be given, as the rod point is 

 close on the lead, sometimes not more than 7ft. or 8ft 

 away. The slightest touch must be struck, however, as 

 otherwise the flat fish gorge down the bait, and may take 

 one or two hooks when swimming up tide, and swallowing 

 those below the ledger hook one by one. On several 

 occasions when I have been out I have caught flounders 

 which had wolfed a lug-baited hook below the boom, 

 and then swam up and took the lowest shrimp above. 



The lead used should be the lightest possible, except 

 in the strong tideway of the Ray, as it is essential to get 

 the tide to carry the bait well away from the boat, owing 

 to the shallowness of the water. In flounder fishing the 

 remarks made when speaking of cod in the next chapter 

 apply even more strongly. If it is necessary to employ a 



