34 S NO DING. DIP LEADS. 



light one, that is to say, with a sinker of moderate 'weight. 

 Although the varieties of lines figured and described in this 

 article are fitted out with intention of taking Whiting, the 

 captures are by no means confined to this fish, but grey and 

 red Gurnards, Sea-Bream, Cod, Haddock, Ling, and Dabs 

 &c., to say nothing of those plagues, the Dog-fish, are con- 

 stantly caught therewith. 



In describing the various kinds of ground-lines, their 

 differences and relative advantages will be pointed out, and the 

 variety of form of sinker and method of fitting will be rendered 

 evident from an inspection of the accompanying cuts. Leads 

 of one and of two pounds' weight are very useful for most 

 kinds of ground-fishing alongshore, and in common with others 

 of greater weight are always fitted with booms or bearers-off, 

 to keep the hooks from twisting round the lines, which booms, 

 whether they consist of wire, wood, or whalebone, are known 

 by the general name of chopsticks. Some are fixed, others 

 revolving. 



Snooding. The material to which hooks are attached is 

 generally known as snood or snooding, sneads or sids, and 

 consists of either twisted white hair, single or twisted gut, silk, 

 hemp, or flax. The snood is either long or short, according 

 to the kind of gear, and of which it forms a very important 

 part. (See also p. 205.) Two-stranded snooding is far pre- 

 ferable to three-stranded, being stiffer and less liable to foul. 



Dip Leads are of varied form, sometimes of a sugar-loaf 

 or true conical shape, and frequently more elongated, with 

 eight sides like a ship's hand lead ; others like a rifle bullet 

 of the Enfield make. In fig. 2, a, in the accompanying wood- 

 cut, it is represented. 



The Southampton Rig", consisting of a sinker one pound in 

 weight and in form an octagonal cone, with a piece of brass 

 wire (having eyes turned at the ends) cast into its base. Size 

 of wire . A loop of fine line or snooding being worked 



into the eye at either end, the hook-link is attached in the 

 usual manner known as the loop-slip. A correspondent suggests 

 small brass swivels between the loops and hook-links, to pre- 

 vent the kinking of the snoods ; this is an excellent addition to 



