•• TYEE " FISHING 

 never with any success. The amount of line let out is comparatively small; 

 not more, as a rule, than thirty yards at the outside. The spoon and line 

 must be frequently examined as there are masses of scum floating with 

 the tide, as growing kelp. The pull of the weeds is often mistaken for that 

 of a fish, but the difference is gradually learnt, and the old hand seldom 

 makes a mistake. 



The old question as to whether a fish should be struck hard as soon as 

 he is felt, or whether he should be allowed to strike himself is frequently 

 debated; some days one method seems to answer best, some days the 

 other. Horrible days occur when neither method seems of any use and 

 fish after fish is felt and lost. 



Local opinion favours the high tide coinciding with daybreak as the 

 ideal state of affairs, the same combination in the evening being almost 

 equally good, and at high and low water there is always hope. After the ^ 

 first hour of the ebb till just before low water, most anglers do not trouble 

 to fish. 



A typical day's fishing starts about five a.m. or thereabouts. The angler 

 is roused by the boat's hand, and the fact that it is often very chilly at 

 that hour does not add to his pleasure at being wakened so early. Dressing 

 in warm clothes is a quick process and ablutions are left till the return 

 for breakfast. The dinghy is brought alongside; having clambered down, 

 the boatman rows you out over the shallows. While he does this, the spoons 

 are given a final polish. 



It is still very dark and we try an all-silver lure. Over it goes and about 

 twenty-five yards of line are let out. First we row against the flood tide. 

 Several other boats are about, mostly those of professional fishermen 

 who are using handlines. Nothing happens for a quarter of an hour, and 

 as we see a good fish landed in one of the other boats, and it is growing 

 lighter, we substitute a copper and silver spoon. A gentle pull is felt, 

 weeds probably; we pull in and find a mass of kelp round the weights. 

 Tearing them off, we now try with the tide, and hope the best hour of 

 the day is not going to be a blank. 



Fish are moving in schools here and there, but these are not feeding fish. 

 Just as the sun rises, the rod is jerked out of its place and the reel whirls 

 round, the angler snatches it up while the boatman reels the other up and 

 places it out of harm's way. The fish, after taking out some sixty yards, 

 comes back, the line is reeled up in frantic haste, while the boatman 

 prays his gods that the hold is good. Luck is with you, and the fish is felt 



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