Popular Bottom Sea Fish 



with the tide. The method is to fish with one 

 hook six inches from the bottom, and another 

 hook two feet above it, tied on a strong three- 

 foot leader; use a sinker just heavy enough to 

 hold to the bottom, with live killies for bait, 

 though herring, spearing, and mossbunker will 

 do; if no live bait is available .small strips of 

 snapper, or porgy, cut in the shape of a fish will 

 often be a taking bait. Hook the killie by in- 

 serting the point into the back, near the dorsal 

 fin; then pass it along under the skin toward the 

 tail as far as the bend of the hook will permit; 

 then, again push it through the skin to clear the 

 barb. 



Drifting is the method for fluke. When the 

 bait rig is out, and is being trailed along, its dis- 

 tance from the boat should be at least 

 six times that of the depth of the water 

 where fishing. When still fishing the killie can 

 swim about as if entirely free. The most success- 

 ful rig for local waters is a leader four feet long, 

 fastened a few inches above the sinker, a No. 5/0 

 Kirby-Limerick hook tied to the end of the leader, 

 and another a foot from it. In drifting, the long 

 eel grass and sea- weed will collect on the line, leav- 

 ing the bait on and near the end of the long leader 

 clear. In using these long leaders, do not allow 

 the lead to go to the bottom too fast, because the 

 leader will go down parallel with the line and be- 

 come entangled. Use heavy sinkers according to 

 the thickness of the line. When the fish takes 

 the bait, the strike should be followed up with a 

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