188 AN ANGLER'S YEAR 



and rapidly failing ; nevertheless, the whiting bit freely, 

 and we quickly commenced to fill our fibh-tub. As is 

 usual at Deal, each fisherman had a large hook near his 

 lead baited with lug, on the look-out for cod, and as the 

 ebb set in my boat companion hopked a fine fellow. 

 Time and again did our angler wind up his fish, to be 

 obliged to let him run ten or fifteen yards off the reel 

 with a rush during his downward plunges. Five minutes 

 brought our fish within reach of Bob's gaff, and a 

 dexterous move tumbled him into the boat, where 

 immediately the hook came away. He was in good 

 condition, and weighed about 151bs. After this our other 

 fish, which were small, appeared smaller, and but little 

 enthusiasm was shown when, on pulling up, an extra tug 

 was felt and a fish of about 1 Jft. in length was drawn 

 close up to the boat and lost : there is little doubt, from 

 the play and also from the brief glance one got of him, 

 that he was a " Fordwich trout," as a sea-trout, bearing 

 all the characters of these fish, was taken the week pre- 

 viously by one of the Deal amateurs, boat-fishing with 

 sprat bait. (This fish is now in the special department of 

 the Natural History Museum at South Kensington). 

 The tide becoming stronger, the fish turned shy, while 

 the breeze that brought us out was conspicuous by 

 its absence; so getting to our oars we started for 

 home, there to await the returning competitors. Our 

 little take, in four hours, was eleven score of whiting, a 

 few pout, seven dabs, and one cod of 151bs. 



Of the competitors' takes that day the following may 

 be noted: One cod IS^lbs. (on sprat bait), one cod 

 181bs. (on soft crab bait), one cod 171bs., and one conger 

 151bs. Such sport may be enjoyed by any fair angler 

 during the months of November and December, if the 

 sprats are in and the weather is favourable. It may be 

 said here that during the last few years magnificent 

 sport has been had at Deal during the month of Novem- 

 ber with conger. The large congers seem to follow the 

 whiting inshore, and specimens of from 141bs. to 201bs. 

 are frequently taken. 



In 1898 specimens of ISJlbs., 19Jlbs,, 21Jlbs., and 



