3 03 APPARATUS FOR FISHING. 



ment as they can be worked with advantage only at the 

 season when the cod are found in shoals, and now a great 

 number of these nets would be gladly disposed of by their 

 owners, who are returning to their accustomed mode of 

 fishing. 



Fixed salmon-nets may be more properly noticed farther 

 on under the head of Traps. 



LINE-FISHING. 



We now come to what is probably the oldest known 

 method of fishing, with perhaps the exception of some form 

 of fish-spear, which, from the fact of spears being used by 

 savage nations generally as one of the weapons of warfare, 

 were no doubt readily adopted also for the purpose of 

 striking at and killing such fish as passed within reach. 

 Fish-hooks, however, of a very primitive character, and 

 made either of bone or shell, were invariably among the 

 curiosities brought home by the early exploring expeditions 

 to the South Seas ; and so universal now is the use of the 

 hook and line for fishing, that the manufacture of fish- 

 hooks has become an important industry in many countries, 

 and numerous varieties of shape, size, and material bear 

 witness to what in some cases may be thought to be the 

 fastidiousness of anglers and the attention that is being 

 given to supply their wants. Line-fishing at sea is, how- 

 ever, comparatively simple work, requiring but little of the 

 skill so often needed for the more delicate operations in 

 fresh water ; and although in many cases greater success 

 undoubtedly attends the use of finer tackle and more 

 varied baits than tradition and example have led most of 

 the professional fishermen to adopt, a knowledge of the 

 localities frequented by the different kinds of fish at the 

 various seasons is generally the most important part of the 



