HAND-LINING. 83 
the pollack- and whiting-grounds for bait, so little 
sport is there in it. Luck varies, of course, as in 
all fishing ; a couple of hundred fish (the Cornish 
“hundred” of fish is equivalent to 126) may.-be 
recorded as a good two hours’ catch for three lines. 
I have also, more for the sake of experiment 
than in any doubt as to the result, been persuaded 
to try a number of patent and other baits against 
the local “last,” or “snade,” but the latter cannot 
be beaten. 
It is, I think, plain that the strain on the rod 
would, in such fishing, entail a deal of extra work ; 
and when, as not seldom happens, a clump of 
floating weed or a huge jelly-fish (locally known 
as “machiowler”) drifts by and strikes the line 
full, doubling the already heavy strain, the top 
joint would almost certainly go. 
It does not, however, follow that the use of the 
professional hand-line need involve the ac- _. 
companying clumsiness of their lower gear.” with 
The bottom fathom near the hook should, and- 
: : lines 
on the contrary, be as fine as is compatible 
with safety, always having regard to the fact that 
the less skilled and patient the fisherman in playing 
his fish, the stronger need be the gear from hand 
to hook. It is more particularly in the two opera: 
tions of casting out the lead and striking the fish 
that the expert with the hand-line is recognised. 
The most efficient all-round lead I know of is the 
boat-shaped lead of the Cornish fishermen, Casting 
which can be attached to any part of the the leac 
line by a hitch round its stiffened arms of cord, its 
usual distance above the hook being a couple of 
fathoms, or 12 ft. There are withoug:.doubt many 
ways of throwing out such a lead, but there is only 
G 2 
