92 SEA-FISH. 
without having both aboard; for it is always 
impossible to say what will be the size of the largest 
fish, and the net alone would come off badly with 
any of the spinous dog-fish that one hooks so often 
when fishing for mackerel or whiting. A great 
deal has been written in learned vein on the subject 
of gaffing. The tail is usually aimed at, as the 
specimen is less likely to be damaged ; moreover, 
the strength of the fish lies in its tail, therefore that 
extremity should get the angler’s best attention. 
There is also, I believe, some idea of its being 
possibly found desirable to return the fish, in 
which case the gaff is less likely to injure it if 
inserted in the tail. These reflections are very 
charming on the edge of the salmon-pool; but at 
sea, I fear, we gaff bass, pollack, or dog-fish very 
much where we can, most often in the gill-covers. 
The confession is a humiliating one, but better 
made. Fish of less than a pound.can usually be 
“hauled” without either net or gaff, though the 
hook-gut is not improved by the strain of these 
deadweights. My boatman in Cornwall rarely 
used either gaff or net, lifting pollack up to 
10 lbs. weight into the boat with his left arm. 
Where, however, as in the case of the grey mullet 
and smelt, the lip of the fish is very delicate and 
likely to break, it is much safer to use a net for 
even quite small fish. If a second person is holding 
the net, Iet him keep it perfectly steady, with one 
