42 APPARATUS. 



LEADS FOE, WEIGHTING THE LINES. 



Leads are a very requisite part of a sea-fisher- 

 man's tackle, and are easily made of any form 

 required. For bottom fishing you have conical- 

 shaped leads of any weight from an ounce to 

 many pounds (see Plate IV, No. 7) ; for surface 

 fishing there are boat-shaped leads (Plate III, No. 

 1), and various other forms. To make them some 

 fine loam or sand is necessary, which having been 

 damped and the shape or pattern you require 

 made in wood and pressed into the sand, the 

 melted lead is poured in and soon cools of the 

 desired shape, only requiring some scraping or 

 hammering to make it fit for use. I have cast 

 fishing leads of conical and other shapes in coarse 

 brown paper by carefully rolling the paper round 

 the pattern and securing it with a pin, then 

 placing the paper mould in a basin or gallipot 

 and fixing it there by some pieces of wood. When 

 the lead is melted and ready for use pour some 

 water into the basin round the paper mould, and 

 then before it can penetrate the paper, run in the 



