THE CONGER. 



177 



A very necessary addition to your gear is a short truncheon 

 wherewith to give the quietus to either Hake or Conger ; it is 

 usually termed a Hake or Conger Bat, and a useful length will 

 be 1 8 inches. This stick, if tapered at the small end, may be 

 usefully employed as a disgorger. (See p. 53.) Any heavy 

 wood will answer, and it should be about 2 inches in diameter 

 at the club end. Give the fish a heavy blow over the head and 

 another or two at the termination of the fin on the abdomen 

 before you attempt to withdraw the hook. Lines of course must 

 be stout (fig. n, p. 48, No. 2). The boat-shaped lead, from 3 

 to 10 pounds weight, may be used, with three copper swivels, as 



FIG. 46. Boat-shaped Lead and Trace with Copper Swivels, and Swivel 

 actual size. 



shown in fig. 46, and strong hooks (No. 3, fig. 62, p. 210) for 

 shore and the larger for offing fishing lashed on with brass wire to 

 a piece of stout line, which wire is wrapped round to a distance 

 of 8 or 9 inches above the hook, to protect the snooding from 

 the teeth of the fish; or traced green hemp (as in fig. 47, p. 178) 

 is used for the same purpose. To prepare the snood with 

 wire (see p. 103) ; with hemp, as follows : Cut off a piece of 

 strong line, medium-sized, or stout trawl twine 30 inches long, 

 middle it, and secure it with tightly-drawn hitches over the 

 flattened top of the hook. Hitch the hook over a nail, the 

 latch of a door, or other firm point of attachment, and having 



N 



