FISHING FROM PIERS AND HARBOURS. 117 
of late years. The last time I fished at Hastings 
was in midwinter, only five days before I sailed for 
Australia ; but I do not remember catching any- 
thing at all on that occasion, and it was so cold 
that we could hardly row home. Off the break- 
water, however, it used to be the fashion to angle 
for bass in August on the rising tide, and preferably 
after a three days’ spell of wind from the south- 
west, the rougher the better. For under the lea of 
this breakwater the water is always smooth enough 
for float-fishing, save during a south-east wind. 
The bait was placed about six feet below the float 
if within an hour after low water, three or four feet 
lower during the next hour, and gradually lower as 
the depth momentarily increased, until, towards 
high water, when the angler would be driven step 
by step to the higher end inshore, the bait would 
often do best at a depth of fifteen or cightcen feet. 
The pig’s bristle arrangement (p. 123) was therefore 
necessary. The ground at that place is very rough, 
ledge on ledge of weedy rock, with deep gullies 
running between ; and it is of the utmost import- 
ance to keep the hook clear of the ground, else a 
foul would inevitably ensue. I used to find the best 
way to land any fish from this none too secure 
place was to coax it over the lower end of the 
groyne, which is soon under water, when it could 
easily be dragged up on the shingle on the western 
side. I have not been near the place for nearly 
three years, so that the conditions which rendered 
this practicable may possibly have altered. An 
eighteen-foot rod did not come amiss on this break- 
watcr, more especially in getting the fish over the 
end. The best bait was a good-sized strip of fresh 
herring, failing which a piece of mackerel, bloater, 
