MACKEREL-FISHING A 7 ANCHOR 



135 



for Whiting-Pollack, and the best bait is the purple, or, as it is 

 generally called, the red Sand-Eel, to be used alive. 



The Sand-Eels should be caught in a 

 seine (fig. 70, p. 229), and towed behind the 

 boat, as shown in fig. 20, p. 66. 



To bait the hook, pass the point into the 

 mouth and out at the gills, then turning it 

 over, hook the fish across through the throat 

 slightly ; this hurts the bait but little. (See 

 fig. 16, p. 64.) 



If the bait be more than six inches in 

 length, cut it in two in the middle, after which, 

 strange to say, it will move a considerable 

 time. (See fig. 42.) In this fishing the bait 

 should be kept just clear of the ground. 

 Having baited the hook with the living fish, 

 place it on the gunwale, and cutting it in two 

 in a slanting direction, throw it into the water 

 at the same instant, and pay out the line 

 quickly, for the exudation from the freshly- 

 cut fish renders it doubly enticing to the 

 Mackerel. 



If no Sand- Eels are procurable, get a 

 quantity of the entrails of Pilchards, which 

 are an excellent bait. Rag- Worms may also 

 be used, but Sand- Eels and the entrails of 

 Pilchards are standard baits. As large quan- 

 tities of Pilchards are taken in summer and 

 autumn on the western coasts of England, 

 there is little difficulty in getting a quantity 

 of offal almost daily. 



If hair-lines with pipe-leads are not heavy 

 enough in a tide-way, the one-pound leads 

 with the hemp or flax line, used in sailing for 

 Mackerel, will be found very useful, instead 

 of the forward pair of hair-lines. 



Whilst fishing at anchor for Mackerel, other fish are also 

 frequently taken. 



FIG. 42. Red Sand- 

 Eel, cut in two for 

 Bait. 



N.B. This bait must 



