162 ANGLING. 



periwinkle, or other small shell-fish; probably a bit of paste 

 would answer the same purpose, as these small fish bite freely, 

 and are by no means so timorous as their river congeners. 

 I have caught a fish not much unlike a gudgeon, or rather 

 a smelt, in the same manner by the dozen, and when fried 

 they make anything but a despicable addition to the break- 

 fast table. 



Far up in the rivers, by the side of old piles, bridge piers, 

 or near a boat stage, some excellent sport may be obtained 

 by fishing for smelts, crabs, and flounders, with a rod, line, 

 and worm, or a piece of mussel. These latter extraordinary- 

 looking fish bite freely, and have but little fear of the line. 

 Whiting, of fair size, will also take a worm, a bit of fresh 

 fish nicely wrapped over the hook, freely, if fished for about 

 a foot from the bottom, where the stream is not too 

 strong. A piece of eel chopped will attract a smelt in tidal 

 rivers. 



When mackerel are off the coast, they may be caught 

 freely from a boat, with a rod and line, or a line only, if 

 turned up and down, and the hook baited with a piece of 

 red cloth, or piece of fresh fish. The spoon bait is also at- 

 tractive to the larger and better fish. It may be dragged 

 after the boat, or leaded and cast freely with the hand and 

 leverage of the rod. 



Whiting and turbot, and other flat fish are attracted by 

 the sand-eel, found on the sea-shore. The hooks are tied 

 by short lengths of line to a cross-bar of wood fixed to the 

 principal line, and the hooks much smaller than those used 

 in ordinary sea-fishing. 



Hake, bream, ling, conger-eel, gurnet, and several kinds 

 of flat fish are caught from a boat, in the cool of the evening 



