BOAT-FISHING. 195, 
Pouting-fishing is at once the most and least. 
difficult of all inshore sport. The capture of small 
pouting, creatures going six or éight to the pound, 
and-gorging without demur baits the size of their 
own head, is child’s play, and needs no discrimina- 
tion .in the matter of tackle and_ baits, and very 
little skill in hooking the fish. When, however, 
the fish runabout three quarters of a pound, a: 
fair proportion: indeed topping the pound—such 
as one may fall in with any fine September day in 
the Downs—it is’no longer a case of All Fools’ 
Day, but the prizes. fall to the Best tackle and the 
most skilful fisher. - 
The first thing is to be perfectly sure of the 
bearings; for in pouting-fishing; above almost 
all other, the»exact spot is of first importance. 
Having hit on the spot—and nothing but local 
knowledge will determine it—the next thing is to 
determine the depth’at which the fish are feeding 
at the time, which is best learnt with the aid ofa 
long paternoster,’as previously described, having 
the lowest hook on the ground and thrce’or four 
others strung above it at intervals of four feet. 
Baiting these with lugworm, mussel, ‘squid’ (an 
excellent bait), or mackerel, it will soon be found 
that the pouting, if there are any in the neighbour- 
hood, are taken on one, perhaps’even on two 
adjoining, of the hooks. It is then an easy matter, 
by, noting the exact distance between the lead and. 
the hook in question, to dangle your baits at, ‘or 
near, that depth. When feeding madly, as is often 
the. case, pouting will practically hook themselves ; 
but it is usually necessary to strike, smartly while 
the fish is zrzggdzng on the hook. This striking 
is particularly necessary with the hand-line ; the 
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