CH. V.] “‘ TELL-TALE”—BAITS USED IN ENGLAND. 73 
the end of each of the chopsticks should be a loop, 
between which and the hook should be about a 
foot of good gut. In principle of course the longer 
this gut is, the better; but in practice it will be 
found that if it is much longer than this, it is apt 
to get in the way—the hooks becoming entangled 
with each other, and the chopsticks. Any one 
who does not mind the additional expense, will 
find his comfort much promoted by the use of 
plaited lines, instead of the twisted ones, which 
are usually sold for the purpose, they being (at 
first particularly) abominably addicted to kinking, 
a habit of which it requires a good deal of time 
and trouble to cure them. 
On some parts of the South Coast, particularly 
when fishing for Whiting-Pollack (Whiting-Cole, as 
they are there generally called), they employ, be- 
sides their hand-lines, one which they calla “Tell- 
tale” or “Dodger.” This consists of a long hair- 
line with gut next the hook, lightly leaded, and 
floated off astern of the boat by a large float or 
bung. On this they catch the best fish, and not 
unfrequently a Mackerel. 
The principal baits used for sea-fishing along 
the coast of England are the lug-worm (generally 
called “lug”), shrimps, hermit-crabs (in the South 
