172 THE SEA-BREAM. 



with half-, the other with quarter-ounce leads. In addition, I 

 put out frequently a line without lead, often very effective. 



The Chad or small Bream, as previously observed, come 

 into the harbours and close alongshore during the summer and 

 autumn months, but the full-grown Bream can rarely be taken 

 in any quantity in less than the depth of ten fathoms, and they 

 will not often bite in water of so small a depth as this until the 

 sun is setting or twilight commences. Rocky ground, or a sandy 

 spot close thereto, is the locality suitable for Bream-fishing, 

 many of which are to be found on the coasts of South Devon 

 and Cornwall, Ireland, &c. Let go your slingstone or killick on 

 the rocky ground, and pay out the cable until you are over the 

 end of the rocky ground, and make all fast. 



Having ascertained the depth with a ground-line, bait your 

 light drift-line as before directed, and pay out as much as the 

 depth of the water, if the tide be moderate ; if dead slack a 

 fathom less ; if rather strong, half as much again, and drop the 

 lead inside the gunwale ; if too much stream, and the lead 

 drags overboard, make fast a loose thole-pin, lay it down in the 

 boat, not forgetting to secure the end, with a couple of fathoms 

 of slack between the reel and the thole-pin, in order that the 

 fish may not bring himself up short, and carry away the gear 

 before you have time to give line. 



Before going to sea procure, say, half a hundred shore Green 

 Crabs, and pound them up in the boat's bailer with the Limpet 

 shells and hard parts of the Limpets chopped small. 



This ground-baiting kind of mixture is termed * burley ' in 

 Australia ; and on the coast of North America is much used in 

 the Mackerel fishery and elsewhere, although the ingredients 

 vary much with the locality. 



When the tide is moderate or quite slack, throw in a little of 

 this * hurly-burley,' and you will find it very effective in collecting 

 the fish and keeping them about the spot. 



The most agreeable weather for this fishing is a bright moon- 

 light evening, but they will bite when it is so pitchy dark that 

 you cannot see to bait; your hook ; a lantern, therefore, is a 

 desirable appendage to your apparatus, and, besides, will render 

 effectual aid in clearing any entanglement of the lines, which is 



