346 DOLPHIN (FALOOSI) FISHING OFF MOMBASA 
After midday the fish seem to cease feeding, and it may 
be taken that the earlier hours of the day are the best. Tide 
does not appear to affect their feeding ; but on certain days the 
fish may be found within a mile of the outer reef, while on other 
days it may be necessary to proceed as far as ten miles out to 
sea. The danger of the latter is that, should it come on to 
blow badly, some difficulty may be experienced in making 
harbour. It may be noted that the native canoe is a far safer 
boat in a bad sea than the usual shore-boat or motor- boat. 
With regard to the latter, some auxiliary propellant should 
be on board — such as oars or sweeps — as a breakdown of the 
motor at sea might be serious. 
The writer killed his faloosi on a hand-line, not wishing to 
risk a valuable rod and reel in case of a capsize, for this tackle 
might be unreplaceable in war time in East Africa ; but the 
experiment of this form of fishing was made to gain knowledge 
of how these fish might be caught and killed on light tackle. 
The suggestion is made that, as in the native manner, a 
portion of cuttle-fish should be ‘ spun,’ i.e. drawn behind the 
boat, mounted on a small lip-hook and two triangles on a wire 
trace. If fishing from a suitable boat, two rods with the 
baits at different distances astern might be used; and on a strike 
on one rod the other to immediately reel up, and cast out as 
soon as the fish was near the boat under control, in the hopes 
of hooking its mate. This would apply to the larger and more 
solitary fish in January and February. For the smaller 
school fish it is suggested the native line be used first, and, 
having secured the captive fish, short casts might be made on 
both sides of the boat by the rod-armed sportsman. It is 
noteworthy that if on these occasions a fish is seen hesitating 
at a bait, a couple of jerks which make the bait jump in the 
water will usually overcome the fish’s suspicion. 
Finally, it may be noted that many factors enter into this 
form of sport : the catching of the squid, the sailing of the 
boat out to sea, the passage of the reef, and the constant watch 
on the weather — added to the fine capabilities of the fish — all 
combine, at Mombasa, anyhow, to render a successful morning 
a most enjoyable one. Perhaps at Malindi the same sport 
could be had in more sheltered water. 
