ISLES OF SCILLY. 27 



tow a line with a Mackerel bait, spinner, or flies, round the 

 headlands, en passant, and not unfrequently pick up a Pollack 

 or two, for these localities are the strongholds of these fish, as 

 well as insulated rocky grounds at a distance from the shore. 

 Round the Black Rock in the harbour entrance, and under 

 Pendennis Castle, some Pollack may be taken. Mackerel 

 enter Falmouth, in common with other extensive arms of the 

 sea, and some few Whiting are at times to be caught in Carrick 

 Roads. In the outer roads off Swanpool Beach there is 

 ground-fishing for the usual fish on the coast, and on all the 

 more western portions of Cornwall, off Penzance &c. is 

 excellent fishing : Pilchards can generally be obtained for bait. 

 There is some pier-fishing from the new works. 



Helford. Four miles beyond Falmouth the River Hel 

 falls into the sea, forming the harbour of Helford. It is a very 

 snug anchorage, and abounds with fish. On a visit to this 

 harbour in a yacht we took one day, in a trammel, twenty-two 

 Red Mullet and five Soles, besides some Plaice, Flounders, 

 Grey Mullet, and Bass, as well as three Lobsters. Pollack, 

 Mackerel, and Congers can also be caught here with hook and 

 line, without going outside the harbour entrance. About 2^ 

 miles south-east of Helford the Falmouth boats often catch 

 abundance of Whiting and Bream, and the latter fish may be 

 taken at a much less distance from the harbour. At the 

 Manacles Rocks, beyond Helford, very large Pollack are often 

 met with by the fishermen ; shoals of Bass also here. 



Isles of Scilly. Both in the various harbours, and in the 

 open sea outside, the Pollack-fishing is remarkably good. 

 Without leaving the harbours, a hundred or more Pollack may 

 be taken in a day, either by whiffing with the natural or arti- 

 ficial baits, or by fishing at anchor with rag-worms dug from the 

 disintegrated granite of the beaches, as in the Channel Islands, 

 or with the living Sand-Eel, which can be caught with seines, 

 by those provided with them. At New Grimsby anchorage I 

 have had excellent fishing, and by Shipman Head, and the 

 Kettle Rock, just off the entrance, the fish are larger. The 

 sea being often heavy at the last named spot, caution must be 

 used. At the Seven Stones Rocks, Pollack are very large. 



