ANGLING AROUND BOMBAY. 539. 



boatman to unhitch and pay out a few more yards of the mooring rope and it 

 IS expedient to be sure this means is provided for when anchoring ^ some 

 boatmen would let out all the cable at the start 



OccasionaUy one will observe Bahmin rising and swirling all round the boat 

 and yet not get a run, at these times plenty of natural food mav be in the water 

 and he has no use for one's carefully prepared lure, however a nice prawn or a 

 small spoon or Silver Devon cast at right angles to the boat, will sometimes 

 induce him to make a mistake. 



Sea water is particularly rough on tackle ; on returning home it is a good plan 

 to drop all hooks, traces and artificial baits into a basin of wat<?r in which a little 

 common washing soda has been dissolved ; after a few minutes, remove, drain 

 and hang up to dry, then oil and put away for further use. Line should be reeled 

 off into a tub of fresh water, be left to soak for half an hour and then be drawn 

 through the hand to remove as much water as possible and afterwards be wound 

 on a Une-drier and then be left in a draught until dry ; unless this is done, line 

 quickly rots. Rusty steel mounts and traces are not safe to use, nothing will 

 emphasise this more forcibly than the loss of a fish which has made a good 

 fight and in the end has gained his freedom through defective tackle. 



In conclusion, I might say, few boat-men can be trusted to use the gaff; in spite 

 of coaching they will strike at, instead of pull into, the fish. They make better 

 use of a landing net. The average weight of Bahmin taken in the Estuary is 

 seven pounds and fifteen pounds is the hmit, out at sea they run heavier. The 

 tackle described and methods of use are not claimed as being 

 the best, they are at least effective in all round practice and ensure sport. 

 At Sunk Rock, one may often observe the Light-keepers haul in fish after fish, 

 by means of a stout pole with a length of signal fine to which is attached a 

 yard of stout brass wre, and for lure a six inch Silver Devon ; they are out 

 to catch, and the fish has no chance, but is simply hauled round to the net if 

 well hooked. Any one with almost axij sort of tackle will catch Bahmin at 

 times, but there is little satisfaction in going for them with gear which would- 

 hold a whale. The Bahmin is a really good sporting fish, he stands up to one 

 and fights to the last and there is satisfaction in knowing that the light strong 

 tackle one is using takes fish when coarser gear does not; moreover, after 

 playing a fish he sometimes gets the best of it and is never ours until he lays 

 kicking in the bottom of the boat, his big eyes seeming to expi'css astonishment 

 at finding himself there. A blow on the head puts him out of his misery, and 

 it is well to remember this, especially if a " Gobra " comes to the net, as this 

 fish hves for some hours out of water and one is apt to regret should he be 

 ound gasping in the basket when arriving on shore. Bahmin, Begti, Seer 

 and Gobra are quite good for the table, one's friends appreciate freshlji caught 

 fish and whf^n a good catch has been made there are Hospitals and other 

 Institutions where such gifts are welcome, thus we may have the satisfaction 

 of knowing that although our sport has entailed the taking of life, the victims- 

 have in the end fulfilled their natural destiny. 



