96 THE FLOATING TROT. 



should be used in place of the twisted gut, and the hooks them- 

 selves be tied on twisted triple gut, and of tried strength, for 

 you are always liable in these positions to meet with very large 

 fish, and unless well prepared will have your tackle carried off 

 in the most unceremonious manner by a 10 or 15 Ib. Pollack, 

 or even a larger Coal-fish. Three hooks will be quite sufficient 

 for a Pater-Noster for Pollack, and the hooks, supposing you 

 use gimp for the main part of the Pater-Noster, may be kept 

 from slipping down by a lashing of waxed thread on the gimp, 

 at about intervals of 18 inches ; if of gut, the knots will be 

 sufficient. Bait with the Rag- Worm. 



Plumb the ground with the lead occasionally, and lift it a 

 few inches off the bottom, until you feel a bite. 



You may bait the bottom hook with a boiled Shrimp, taken 

 out of the shell, and will take with it Flounders, occasionally 

 Dabs, sometimes called Sole- Dabs, and Freshwater Eels, which 

 are found in most tidal harbours, but use Mud-Worms when 

 procurable. 



A landing or Shrimp-net must be provided, with which to 

 dip up the large fish, as your tackle would frequently fail you 

 in attempting to weigh them out. See p. 91, or fig. 74, p. 243. 



N.B. The larger kind of Mud- Worm is frequently known 

 as the Rock- Worm, as it is found in the sand, clay, or gravel, 

 close to rocks, or under large stones ; many are also obtained 

 by forcing asunder stones naturally cracked, for the fissures in 

 which they have a great predilection. 



In the Channel Islands it is customary to clear a spot of 

 stones, and then to dig in the subsoil with a harpoon-shaped 

 digger of iron, called a 'Petron,' 6J inches long and 3^ wide, 

 on a 4^-foot handle. 



The Floating Trot (fig. 35). A Trot is a long line with 

 hooks at intervals, and the variety here described is used in 

 Guernsey for Pollack and Gar-fish. 



The Floating Trot should consist of a stout Cod-line, well 

 stretched to take out the kinks, having pieces of cork 4 inches 

 long by 2 wide secured flat on the line, at intervals of 2 fathoms, 

 and midway between the spaces bung corks 2 inches across, 

 bored through the centre, and grooved round the edge to re- 



