108 SEA-FISH. 
man should be without a tide-table; they are to 
be bought at any stationer’s, the usual cost being 
a penny a month. Let us suppose that you con- 
sult such a table at breakfast one morning in 
August, and find that it was high tide at three, 
when you were still in bed. That means that it 
will not be high again until nearly half-past three 
in the afternoon, so that there will be fairly slack 
water from nine to twelve. Obviously, then, it is 
of no use taking down your float-tackle, as there 
will be no tide to carry it clear of the piles; and the 
object of this method in salt water is, as already 
shown, to cover more ground than the stationary 
line can be expected to do. The leger-tackle will 
therefore be the best ; and as a very slight ac- 
quaintance with Bournemouth shows you that the 
flowing tide moves along-shore, as at every place 
on our south coast, from west to east, you will 
place yourself so as to get what little advantage 
you can out of the slowly rising water, at the 
south-east corner facing the Needles; that is, of 
course, if you find the corner unoccupied. If, on 
the other hand, you had found from the tide-table 
that ic was high water at eight, take down your 
float-tackle by all means, and the long-handled 
landing-net, for never was there better chance of a 
mackerel or two, fishing from the very end of the 
pier, and allowing the falling tide to carry the 
float, which should be stopped (page 123) about 
twelve fect above the bait, out in the direction of 
Swanage. Smelt-fishing from this pier, as from 
any other where these little sham smelts abound, 
may be practised at any time, as can also that 
equally harmless sport with tiny flat fish and pout. 
These bite cagerly throughout the summer; and 
