THE DAB. 



117 



These fish are from 10 to 15 inches in length, and 8 to 12 

 in breadth, and a man will, single handed, take from three to 

 ten dozen in four or five hours when they are abundant. 



Mussels of which the shells do not exceed ij inch in length 

 are the best size for Dabs, small Whiting, or Pout ; if larger 

 they should be cut in two, leaving the tongue in one part and 

 the round gristle in the other to hold the hook. 



I have given here an illustration of the mode of spreading 

 the lines round the boat in Dab or Flounder-fishing. 



Dabs and Flounders constantly gorge the bait : to extract 



FIG. 36. 

 Mode of spreading lines round the boat in Dab or Flounder fishing. 



the hook, insert your thumb in the gills and split them open, 

 or use a disgorger. (See p. 53.) 



Star-fish, Hermit-Crabs &c. are often troublesome, robbing 

 the hooks, which must be frequently examined in turn. Great 

 numbers of Dabs and also other flat-fish are taken with trots or 

 spillers, which are long lines having a hook at every nine feet 

 or two fathoms, tied to fine snooding three feet in length, and 

 moored securely by stones, with a buoy line at each end ; these 

 lines have from one hundred to five hundred hooks, and a 

 stone of about two pounds in weight attached every four 

 fathoms, which prevents the rolling, and thereby the twisting of 



