SHIFTING LEADS FOR SEA-SIDE VISITORS. n 



the Kentish Rig (fig. 3, p. 38). The object in shifting is to 

 avoid the weight of two sets of leads for sea-side visitors, and 

 the exchange of chopsticks and snoodings as well as the strops 

 is soon effected by casting off the line from the strops, drawing 

 off the chopsticks, and substituting the other strop with the 

 required chopstick and snood for the first form of gear, when the 

 line is to be bent on as before. 



Each form of gear must be in itself complete, having its 

 own strop, for the Kentish Rig requires a double strop, the 

 railing or reeling gear a single one, and a single strop would 

 allow too much play to the Kentish Rig, whilst the double 

 strop would be too large to pass through the hole of the 

 reeling chopstick. See cuts, fig. 3, p. 38, and fig. 39, p. 124. 



SEA-FISHING AND HYDROGRAPHY. 



As the nature of the soundings generally determines the kind 

 of fish to be taken off any coast, an acquaintance with local 

 Hydrography will be of great service in the absence of in- 

 formation which the old hands alone possess, and are some- 

 times rather chary of affording to strangers. I need not inform 

 the experienced that Pollack are found off the rocky points 

 and on or close to foul ground, Whiting usually on soft ground, 

 and Dabs on both oozy bottoms and hard sand, Mullet and 

 Sand-Smelts at the mouth of streams or drains, &c. ; but to 

 all, whether previously well acquainted with general sea-fishing 

 or not, I strongly recommend the purchase of the chart or plan 

 of that particular harbour, arm of the sea, or section of coast 

 they may visit, on as large a scale as possible, as a useful pre- 

 liminary to the acquisition of the necessary local knowledge. 

 The Admiralty charts are recommended, and are sold by Mr. 

 J. D. Potter, 31 Poultry, and Mr. E. Stanford, Charing Cross. 

 They run from one to four shillings each, according to extent. 

 For a certain kind of information you must rely on residents of 

 the locality, such as the time of tide to fish certain spots, where 



