CHAPTER V. 
FISHING FROM PIEKS AND HARLOURS. 
ON the whole, it must be admitted that the 
majority of our piers offer so little in the way of 
sport as to make it scarce worth the trouble of 
putting a rod together ; though in some few cases— 
that, for instance, of Deal pier in the fall of the 
year—really good sport may be obtained in this 
way, which is sure for the rest to commend itself 
to those who suffer in small boats, or who object 
to the constant expense of their hire. The poverty 
of pier-fishing lies less in the absence of fish than 
in the great number of pleasure steamers and boys 
that between them spoil the angler’s chances. This 
is proved by the excellent bags made from a few 
Government piers, closed to pleasure craft and the 
outside public. 
The best time for picr-fishing is, for those who 
have the energy, between dawn and break fast-time. 
In former years—the fishing has gone off sadly of 
late—I had some good mornings on Bournemouth 
pier with the pollack and mackerel and dory, fish- 
ing from four in the morning, and with no other 
company than that of the guillemots, busy a few 
