TIIK STRIPED BASSE. 
165 
Limerick, firmly lashed to one or two strands of gut, accord- 
ing to the run of your fish. If you fish with one strand of 
extra strong gut next your hook, yon will be safe enongh, and 
be as likely to take as good fish as with stronger tackle ; but 
be sure that your leader, where your sinker is put on, and 
where the heaviest strain generally comes, bo stronger than 
your hook length, and of two strands of strong gut, or three 
strands of medium size ; fur by that means, if you should be 
so unfortunate as to get fouled on the bottom, you will es- 
cape with the loss of your hook only, whereas if your tackle 
be of an uniform strength, yon will most likely lose the whole, 
line, sinker, hooks, ami all, which may probably make you 
stvcar; and this, according to Walton, is a bad practice; for 
as the old adage goes, « He who swears takes no fish.’ 
“ You are to remember that in boat fishing, it you do not 
fish with a float, or with a running or sliding sinker on the 
bottom, your sinker should be light enongh to float off with 
the tide, and be able to feel the bottom at all times, so that if 
your sinker be 20 feet off, you can still feel it strike the bot- 
tom, and lift it up, when you can let out more line. I prefer 
this mode of fishing, both for basse and weak-fish, to any 
other; and you will be likely to get better fish, and more of 
them. 
“ You are to consider, also, the times of tide, the baits in 
season, the quietness of the spot selected for your fishing, (for 
tho basse, like the trout, will avoid, all places where there is 
au unusual noise,) and the full or iiennt tides, which latter aro 
allowed by all salt water Anglers to be tho best time for 
taking fish, and which I know to be the fact from experience. 
This time of tide, when it happens early in the morning, or 
towards sun-down, with the wind off shore, and a gentle rip- 
ple on the water, is the time when basse are most upon the 
feed, and the sportsman's efforts are generally crowned with 
success. 
