198 SEA-FISH. 
Striking in deep water is, as was also explained 
in Chapter III., no finicking turn of the wrist ; 
and, although whiting have a habit, when in 
biting mood, of hooking themselves, a great: many 
more will be caught by careful attention to the 
lines, sharp striking and rapid hauling. It is 
when hauling whiting a few miles off the Cornish 
cliffs, that the sharks mostly come round and 
levy toll, usually biting off the tail and body, 
but rarely, to my knowledge, getting foul of the 
small hook. 
Should these scavengers prove too troublesome, 
the proper course is to get all light tackle aboard 
and put out a strong line with a whole pilchard on 
a conger hook. No lead is wanted on this line, the 
pilchard being allowed to drift freely with the tide. 
It must be confessed that the sharks, ready enough 
in all conscience to take half the fish from the light 
lines, have usually the wit to keep clear of the 
stronger hook; but the withdrawal of the other 
lines has often the desired effect, and they -go 
prowling elsewhere, after which fishing can be 
resumed. The advent of sharks anywhere in the 
neighbourhood of midday is as good a time as 
any for tiffin, the lines being meanwhile taken 
aboard. 
Some little discrimination is needed, where several 
whiting-lines are in use from a boat, in distributing 
the heavier and lighter leads from fore and -aft 
respectively in order to obviate a foul, just as in 
whiffing, or plummeting, the stern line is far lighter 
than the rest. The heaviest lead and line should 
always be for’ard if the boat rides head ‘to ‘the 
tide. As in pouting-fishing, “marks” are all impor- 
tant, and these being as a rule several miles from 
