OCEAN-FISHING. 



secured with a bit of twine round the wire at the head of the 



latter, so that it may not slip down on the bend, which would 



spoil the appearance of the bait in the water. The bait being 



split in two, and a narrow gore or slice cut out of the middle, 



the two tails will hang down beyond the hook 



and play in the water, which action of the bait f 



may be further increased by jerking the line, 



and making it leap out of the water, when the 



fish will spring to catch it, and sometimes 



even take it in the air. 



When the fish are playing across the bows 

 of a vessel, a line is often dropped from the 

 jib-boom with success, especially if a life-like 

 motion be given to the bait by dipping it up 

 and down, which indeed the action of the 

 vessel is often sufficient to effect. 



Albicore are taken with the same kind of 

 gear and bait, but the hook must be two sizes 

 larger ; it is usual to strike very large fish of 

 this kind with the grains or a very stout gaff, 

 for many are lost by breaking the hook in the 

 attempt to weigh them out of the water with 

 the line alone. 



Artificial baits are also sometimes used, 

 namely, the spoon bait, made by cutting off 

 the handle of an albata spoon and boring a 

 hole at each end, and attaching a wire snood 

 at one end and a very strong double hook at 

 the other. 



It would be quite worth while for any FIG. 67. Pork-skin 

 emigrant or other individual making a foreign 

 voyage to get a few flies made Salmon-fashion 

 on the largest-sized hooks figured in the engraving, for I 

 have had such frequent success with flies for Pollack and 

 Mackerel that I cannot but think that some gaudy construction 

 of the kind would answer for ocean-fishing, particularly for the 

 Bonita, as it is a large fish of the Mackerel family. 



* The Grains.' The instrument known as the Grains con- 



Bait for Ocean- 

 fishing. 



