BOAT-FISHING. 173 
How to take “marks,” or bearings, is one of the 
first articles in the sea-fisherman’s creed, Taking 
and it is a very simple matter, accuracy “marks” 
being the only essential. Even the river-fisher has 
his favourite ‘‘swims,” or “ pitches,” his bays for 
pike, his deeps for roach, the overhanging patch of 
willows for chub, and all the other backwaters, 
eddies, holes and the rest. But the vast sea is so 
very different from any river. Here, unless you 
know the exact whereabouts of particular patches 
of rock, or banks of sand, you have only the 
merest chance of catching more than a stray fish 
or two! Not all the ground-bait will as arule tempt 
the pout or bream a quarter of a mile—a_ short 
distance indeed as distances go at sea—from the 
rocks among which they have for the time being 
taken up their abode. The angler in fresh water 
takes up his position on the bank, or moors his 
punt, throws in his ground-bait and awaits the 
coming of the fish. I speak of course of bottom- 
fishing, analogous to the methods now under 
consideration, and not of the fly-fisher who selects 
a rising fish over which to throw his hook. 
The sea-angler does nothing of the kind, for he 
would have to wait in all probability several days 
and nights before catching fish enough for a meai. 
On the contrary, he goes to the fish, or to some 
spot where tHey are likely to be found. This may 
be a patch of sand, a recf of rock, a bed of weed, 
or a stretch of shingle, and it is found again by its 
“bearings,” in other words by making it the 
} The importance of ‘‘ marks” varies, of course ; thus, ‘‘ John 
Bickerdyke” tells me that off Cowes there are none of importance, 
the boats being anchored a few hundred yards out, and constantly 
shifted according to the tide. 
