THE GREY MULLET. 153 



THE GREY MULLET. 

 (Mugil capita.) 



This, although a sea-fish, frequents brackish water even 

 more than Bass, and is perhaps of all sea-fish the most ca- 

 pricious in taking the hook ; it lives by routing up the bottom 

 for worms, soft substances, insects, &c. 



Large quantities are to be met with in the various docks, 

 and about piers and harbour works, the gates of tide-mills, &c., 

 and are to be taken with a rod and a. pater-noster line of strong 

 gut, fitted with four or five Limerick hooks of the sizes 7 or 8, 

 which are preferable to larger, as they have but small mouths. 

 In the article on the ' Smelt and Sand-Smelt ' the reader will 

 find a pater-noster with six hooks figured and described, fig. 



45> P- i5 6 - 



The baits are the Red Rag- Worm found in the mud or 

 sand of most of our harbours, or part of a raw Shrimp taken 

 out of its shell, either of which should be carefully put on the 

 hook, or they may suck it off without being perceived. A bit 

 of pilchard-gut is also excellent for bait. 



They occasionally become perfectly ravenous, and at such 

 times may be taken as fast as you can throw in your line. 

 Their feeding appears to be more in winter than in summer, 

 and as far as my experience goes they rarely take a bait except 

 from between the end of September to the end of March. 



It is a good plan to collect them together by throwing into 

 the water any kind of refuse fish pounded up soft with a few 

 mealy potatoes, a part of the roe of a Cod-fish mixed with water, 

 a few pounded Green Crabs, and a little chalk, as they will 

 remain for hours together in the corner of a dock or other spot 

 in which they find food. This method of baiting the water is 

 termed ground- baiting in freshwater-fishing, and is only useful 

 in still water, as the fish would immediately disperse in pursuit 

 of it, when carried away by the current. 



The Grey Mullet is of a very lively and sportive nature, and 

 in fine weather delights in basking on the surface of the water 



