THE ANGLER: How, When, and Where to Fish, IN RIVER OR IN SEA. REDDITCH : S. ALLCOCR & CO., STANDARD WORKS. CONTENTS. INTROPTTCTIOK... ... ... ... v RIVEE FISIIINO ... ... ... ... 9 Rods ... ... ... ... 10 Lines ... ... ... ... ... 112 Hooks ... ... ... ... 14 Floats... ... ... ... ... 16 Bait ... ... ... ... 17 The Winch, or Reel ... ... ... '20 Reel Lines ... ... ... ... 21 The Clearing-ring and Line ... ... 21 The Drag Hook ... ... ... "2'2 The Plumb ... ... ... ... 1 The Disgorger ... ... ... li.'! Live Bait Kettle ... ... ... 23 The Punt ... ... ... ... iM Fish to be Hooked ... ... ... iiS Kels ... ... 32 (iKNLKAL HlHTS ON RlVEE FlSHlNG .. iv CONTENTS. PAGf. SEA FISHING 39 Ground frequented by Fish 40 Lines ... 41 Leads 43 Bait ... ... 47 Nets 50 FlSH TO BE TAKEN ... 54 Mackerel ... 54 Salmon 56 The Scad ... 57 . The Ray 57 Grey Mullet 58 The Basse ... 58 The Brill ... 58 Plaice and Flounders ... . ... 59 Cod, &c CO Oyster Dredging ... 60 Lobsters, Crabs, &c. 61 INTRODUCTION. " G<> - :> ii'i'l i;i (lie rivers, :.y features, Thut iu the waters we may see all creatuv .ill that in the earth are to be found, As if the world were in deep waters drown- 1 ; For seas, as well as skies, have sun, moon, stars, As well as airswallows, roots, and uares ; As well as earth vines, roses, nettles, melons. Mushrooms, pinks, ifilUflowers ; and many millions Of other plants more rare and strange than these, As very fishes living in the seas ; As also rams, calves, horses, hares, and hogs, Wolves, urchins, lious, elephants, and dogs ; Yea, men and maids, and which I most admire, The mitred bishop and the cowled friar." To o :i-fishing is the delight of many thousands. -;i.-hing ami sea-fishing have each their charms. It is a pleasant relaxation in the open air and the summer-time, seated either in tho conventional " punt," or lounging under tlm shadow of green trees upon the bank. D;-. Johnson is reported to have defined a fishing- rod as an implement with a hook at one end and a fool at the other. But the Doctor's a has not, we verily believe, scared away a single jolly angler from his sport, nor changed in the least degree the opinion which i- monly held with regard to old Izaak "Walton. Was ne a fool ? Has he not, in connection with VI INTRODUCTION. the " gentle art," written one of the most en- joyable books in the English language? and yet how ardent, and yet how contemplative an angler was he! Fishing is by some people regarded as a slow sporl Franklin mentions as having seen a Waltonian ,t early dawn, stationed, in eager expectation, at the river Bide. Some hours after a friend passed by, and made the usual inquiry in such cases " Have you caught any fish P" " Not exactly," was the answer; "but I've had a splendid bite." Well, to those who regard fishing as un- profitable or unattractive, our advice is let it alone. When you want fish, go to market and buy them. If you have no love for the angle, you will never succeed in it, but be like the man who sings " I cannot tell the reason it is really very odd My tackle is first-rate, and I've a most expensive rod, Bought at the ' Silver Truck,' the shop that's always selling off; And yet, with all my outlay, I've got nothing but a cough. " No pike I've seen the only one was that unpleasant wicket, Where threepence I was forced to pay, and now I've lost the ticket ; Nor yet a single perch for which my lucky stars to thank, Except the perch I've taken in this cold, rheumatic bank." rsome of our readers may have seen the picture in Punch of a devoted angler and his friend, the former of whom, in the midst of a drenching shower, is perched on the top of a INTRODUCTION. Ml little shed by the water-side, with all his tackle round him, while his companion, rod in hand, stands disconsolately by. ingler No. 2 evi- dently thinks it high tiwie to retire, and he intimates this to Angler No. 1, who turns upon him with indignation, not unmingled with dis- gust " Go home ! What d'ye mean ? You come out for a day's pleasure, and you're always wanting to go home ! " No: if you have no love for this sport, no great patience, no care for quiet contemplation, don't go river-fishing ; but to those who delight in it. what charms it possesses ! charms all unknown toothers. There is the fresh air, the calm quiet, the interest which is always alive, but rarely unduly excited; there is the n sary exercise of caution ; there is the triumphant if a well-filled basket- success which gives additional zest to the comfortable dinner at the snug hostelry which overlooks the stream. Such things are not to be despised. River scenery is in itself attractive, and sug- gc-; rive of pleasant thoughts. But there are other and more exciting kinds of fishing fishing in the deep sea, where the net is let down for a draught. Who that has stood by the sea-side, and watched the fishing population busy at their toil a salt-water race, whose very dwellings look like stranded boats, whose nets are drying in the sunshine, or being mended by nimble fingers a population of bronzed visages and hardy frames, used to rough work and rough weather ; who that has looked upon them, and talked with them, has Vlll INTRODUCTION. not felt an interest in knowing more of their pursuits, and how deep sea-fishing is conducted? Or you stand in a great fish-market, and observe the shoals of fish that are brought together spinous, crustaceous and you wonder how they are captured: with what hook and line, what bait and floats are used, or whether they all be netted, great and small River anglers fre- quently know little of those who do business in great waters; and droll stories are told of would-be anglers purchasing fish at Billings- gate as a trophy of a day's sport, and bringing home salt-water fish as captured up at Chertsey ! There is a story of this kind related by Plutarch of Mark Antony, going one day to angle with Cleopatra ; he was so unfortunate, or unskilful, as to catch nothing. He was much vexed, and gave secret orders to the "fishermen to dive under the water, and put fishes that had been taken upon his hook. After he had drawn up two or three, Cleopatra perceived the trick; she pretended, however, to be surprised at his good fortune and dexterity, told it to her friends, and invited them to come and see him fish the next day. They came, and Antony, letting down his line, renewed his yesterday's subterfuge with apparent success; but Cleopatra had in- structed one of the men to fix upon the hook a hard, dry-salted fish from the Euxine, which Antony confidently brought up, much to his own confusion. Without further preface, we offer to our readers a few practical hints on fishing in fresh and salt water, and begin with river-fishing. THE ANGLER. RIVER-FISHING. "Glide gently, thus for ever glide, O stream ! that anglers all may see As lovely visions by thy side, \s our fair river guve to me. Oh, glide, fair stream, for ever so. Thy quiet soul on all bestowing, Till all our minds for ever flow Aa thy deep waters uow are flowing." THERE are two ways adopted in river-fishing: first, the angler may take up his station at the water's ed^e, and drop his line from there; or secondly, he mav have a punt, which gives him, because it may be moored anywhere, a better opportunity of catching the larger fish, which often keep to the centre of the stream. The tackle in both cases is much the same, and to 10 THE ANGLER. that we may address ourselves before speaking of the punt. RODS. For ordinary bottom-fishing, when the fish are small, a willow wand will do pretty well ; but, as you progress, you will require a rod of better character. Rods are of various lengths ; and the best are made in pieces, which fit into each other by means of metal rings or joints. A canvas or green baize bag holds the rod when out of use, and you fit the lengths into each other at the stream side. A rod of four lengths or pieces will serve for ordinary purposes. When put together it should be straight, and tolerably stiff. If it be too supple, the young angler will not be able to handle it easily. Nearly all kinds of angling may be accom- plished with a good bamboo, hazel, or hickory rod, of three or four joints. The top joints should be of various degrees of flexibility, as a difference is required in bottom-fishing, trolling, and fly-fishing. The rod shown in the cut is provided with rings for the running-line and winch, and a RODS. 11 FUG* FOU3-JOIHTED BOD. 12 T11U ANGLER. spike at the en( . The spike is to enable the angler to stick the rod in the ground when he needs to leave his line in the water, or when he is fishing with two rods. From ten to twelve feet is a good length for general purposes, but an extra top or two will be very handy. These tops should all be made to fit into the last joint ; and the rod, when complete, should gradually taper from point to butt, like a whip-handle. For trolling, a stronger rod is necessary than for bottom and fly-fishing. When out of use, the rods should be kept in a dry place, and a good scraping and varnishing will do them no harm occasionally. If the joints become loose, the end that fits into the metal should be moistened. It is important that the angler should know how to mend his rods if they happen to break as the best of rods will sometimes. This is done by means of a splice, and it is to provide against such accidents that we take with us, on our angling excursions, the scissors, knife, &c. The broken ends of the rod must be carefully pared away in a slanting direction, so as to fit each other nicely, and than, bound tightly with waxed twine or silk. (See engraving.^* For trolling, the rod should be strong, and about 8 to 12 feet in length. LINES. These are made of various materials, ac- cording to the kind of angling they are intended to accomplish. ,, They should be well twisted, and made of silk aud hair. A gut line, however, will serve very well. For trolling, plaited silk is recommended ; as is also a prepared eight-plait silk. The cheapest trolling line is plaited hemp; and for Koach, S. ALLCOCK & Co.'s fine twisted Bilk line. About thirty yards is quite enough to have on the red at once. To varnish lit: trolling, tho following recipe will be found excellent : "Take a small phial, and fill it two- thinls lull with boiled oil, and the remaining third with gold size. Shake them well to _ and it is ready for use. 1^ should be applied with a piece of flannel, the lino being parsed through an inch of tobacco-pipe, and then, -d t<> tho air. it will become quite dry. It may be used once or twice with this one coat of varnish on it to make it smooth, and then it may have another coat, and will be an occasional renewing of the dressing as it wears away will of course preserve it." '/*;/ tin- Li'iu' is the next operation. The line is shotted in order that the float may sink ::alf-way in the water. The split shot are to be placed on the lower part, near the hook. Two si: ill shot, near the hook-loop will cause the bait to swim we'll and steadily. The other shot are to be fastened higher up the line. Do not bite the; >hot on. if you have any regard for your teeth. .Moreover, you are apt to bite a gut line through if you are not very careful. Nip them on with the pliers. The line should 14 THE ANGLER. always be finest at the bottom, and gradually thicken towards the top. HOOKS. ^ Hooks are made of all sizes and all shapes. It is very important to have good hooks. For Barbel and Carp, S. ALLCOCK & Co.'s white Carlisle round bend, Nos, 3, 4, 5 ; for Bream, Nos. 5 and 6 ; for Dace, Nos. 10, 11, 12 ; for Flounders and Tench, 6 and 7 ; for Bleak, 13 nnd 14. Those who prefer the Limerick or Kirby bent, S. ALLCOCK & Co.'s hollow pointed Limerick and Kendal Kirby bent; for Roach, Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13 ; for short shank Roach, either flat or Kirby bent ; for Perch, Limerick or sneckbent, Nos. 3, 4, 5 ; for Trout, Kendal Kerby bent, Nos. 1, 2, 3. For Artificial Flies, we recommend S. ALLCOCK & Co.'s out-pointed Limerick. How to Sait the Hook. Take the worm gently between the fingers of the left hand, and enter the point of the hook close to its head, carrying it carefully down to nearly the bottom of the bait. Do not press the hook into the worm, but gently press the worm on to the hook. This is a very nice operation ; but the modus operandi once acquired, it is never forgotten. The loose end of the worm moves about and attracts the fish; but if too much of the bait is left loose, the fish will nibble and suck it away, without taking the hook in their mouths. Le?ve the tail end of HOOKS. I .") tlif worm loose, and in putting him on the hook, " use him," says Izaak Walton, " as you would a friend." Sometimes we use two worms on the same hook, in which case the first must be drawn up the shank while the second is put on. For small ti.sh half a worm is suffi- cient. Remember, the tail end is the most lively. Two or three blood-worms may be placed en one hook ; but you must be careful how you insert the hook, or the worm will burst. To bait a hook with gentles, pierce the gentle at both ends, and then insert the hook so as to hide it in the body of the worm. Grubs of wa-ps and various other insects are good bait for fish that will take a gentle. Grubs should be dried before they are used. A very good plan is to put them in the kitchen oven 1'or half an hour or more. Scouring and Prtserving Worms. Gentles will clean themselves in two or three days if placed in a box of damp sand and bran. Some use bran alone. Worms must be put into fresh moss, which you may either gather foryours;lf or buy at the seed-shops. The moss must be \M 1 cleansed of any earthy or other foreign natter, and afterwards squeezed down in ajar, too tightly, so as to get rid of the water. The moss must be left damp, not wet, and the worms, when placed on the top of the jar, will soon scour themselves clean. Keep the moss in a cool place, out of the sun, and change it sibout twice a week. "Every angler," says a practical man, 16 THE ANGLER. " sliould be able to bind on a hook, and for this purpose should have always in his boot some cobbler's wax and silk." FLOATS. Floats are made of either reed, quill, or cork. They must be adapted both for the bait and the water in which you are fishing. They are of several sizes, from the simple porcupine quill to the large cork float. The principal kinds 12 3 are the plugged float, the tipped capped float, and the cork float. For rapid streams the cork float is most useful ; they need several shot to sink them, which prevents the baited hook from passing too quickly over the bottom of the stream, A Cork Float is easily made, by shaping your cork as in the dia- gram, and with a red-hot wire boring a hole right 1. PLUGGED FLOAT, through. The bottom end 2. TIPPED CAPPED FLOAT. . . n ..-, 3. CORK FLOAT. ls P lu gg ed }th a wooden peg, with a ring at its ex- tremity for the line to pass through ; and the top end is fitted with a quill a porcupine quill is best. The line is fixed by means of a cap at each end. If you buy a cork float and examine it, you will soon be able to produce another of the same pattern. BAIT. The Tipped Cap Float is made of a light reed or a quill, with ends of ivory or tortoiseshell, tapering to a point. For fishing in ponds or still, shnv waters, this float is very suitable, as it sinks at the slightest nibhle; and, as it re- quires few shot to balance it, the fish an- not disturbed when you make your cast. The Plugged Float is the cheapest, and there- fore the worst. It is formed of a swan quill, or reed, plugged with wood at the lower end. It is very easily made, but the plug is liable to loosen, and get out of order. BAIT. Bait, of course, varies according to the '' of the fish. There is no universal bait which will attract all fish. Stay ! Of course the bait of baits is that which is so mystically given in a rare old book on angling. But where is such bait to be found ? " To bless thy bait, and make the fish to bite, Lo! here's a means, if thoti canst hit it rijfht : Take gum of life (?), well beat and laid to soak, In oil well drawn from that which kills the oak. Fish where tliou wilt, thou shalt have sport thy fill ; When others fail, thou shalt be sure to kill." If anybody can decipher the recipe, and will test its virtue, we shall be happy to hear from them on the subject; but. after all, men who " ir<> in" for fishing soon find that bait whirh brings the most bites. Experience in this, a,s in other matters, is tb*> best teacher. The 18 THE ANGLKR. following hints are more commonplace, but decidedly more useful : Gentles from bullock's liver will do well for nearly all kinds of small fish; the small, lively marsh-worm will always prove attractive to trout, perch, tench, barbel, and chub; the brandling is good for perch, the blood-worm is best for carp and gudgeon. A single worm on the hook is generally sufficient ; and see that too much of it does not hang loose, or the fish will suck it off. The principal baits for river fish are the fol- lowing : Gentles, which may be bought of the tackle- seller, or obtained from putrified liver. A couple of pennyworth of bullock's liver placed in the sun will soon give you quite as many as you want. Brandling, a good bait for most fish, is found in old dunghills, cow-dung, rotten mould, and tanners' bark. They should be well scoured. The Marsli-worm is a good bait for perch, trout, grayling, gudgeon, and bream. It is found in the damp earth beside streams, and in low, wet fields and marshes. The Cad is also a good bait for grayling, roach, trout, dace, and chub. It is found in ditches, and green, stony brooks and ponds. The Tagtail is liked by trout, and is found plentifully in clay and marl lands, after a storm. The Crab-tree Worm, frequents old apple- trees, and is a good bait for roach and dace. Caterpillars, of various kinds, are attractive fisb 'The cabbage caterpillar is a par- BAIT. tirularly good bait in July and Aucrust, for gudgeon, bream, and d:. Flair- worms, beetles, oowxhuigtronns, salmon spawn, che. .1), and almo>t any kind of worm or grub, will serve for bait during the hot months of July and Au<_:u>t. "Wheat-paste and eh- up in ' : with a little bivail. - are easily known by their broad tails, thi-ir red heads, and the streak down the back. For salmon, trout, large perch, eels, barbel, and chub, the lob worm is an excellent bait. For barbel the gentles must be worked up into a ball in the following manner: 'I lump of clay, and knrad it into a kind of cup; put your gentles inside, and then form the ball, working your line round ir. with the hook, . . I '-< a ground-bait of genrlc . throw a few gentles into the water where you intend to fish; these will attract the notice of the iish, and perhaps bring them in numbers to the sj-oi. whre they will find the ball yon have artfully prepared for their special entertainment. The following directions will be found useful for preserving worms for use: "Shred some mutton suer. and chop it into small pieces. Let it boil slowly in water till the suet is dissolved, and then, having ready some clean well-beaten hr-mp. sacking. <>r wrapper, dip it into the liquor. n it, and having become cold, mix some fresh mould with the worms, and put the whole into a tub, and over the top THE ANGLER. tie a linen cloth that will admit air, and yet prevent them escaping. Place them in a cool situation, and the worms will feed and cleanse themselves, and keep lively and fit for use for many months." Paste may be frequently used as bait, espe- cially in still waters. To make it, take some crumb of bread, well moisten it, and work it up in the palm of the hand until it obtains a proper consistency. This will be found a good bait for carp, roach, and chub. For the latter fish, a still better bait is made by adding to the crumb of bread some rotten cheese. Paste, kneaded until it is solid enough to sink, is an excellent ground-bait for most kinds of still-water fish. THE WINCH, OB, KEEL. The winch, or reel, is an instrument by which the angler is enabled to vary the length of his line, according to cir- cumstances. It is a most useful addition to a rod, and few anglers omit to use it. Indeed, salmon and pike-fishing is almost impossible without the winch, as THE WINCH. both these fish require to be "played" -for a considerable time before they can be landed. For ordinary sport, an ordinary winch will serve; but for extraordinary sport, such as salmon-fishing, & multiply ing winch which lets out a great length of line at one turn of the REEL LINES, ETC. handle is the best. These are winches made with c-i.ir-v.-li-. Mr-ings, to prevent too much line ninnintr o;it. They are very useful in ca^es whei-.- v to the. rush of the fish is necessary. The winch should be pro- vided with a screw plate, to Hx the instrument into a groove in the rod, which should also have a brass ferrule for that purpose. If your rod does not possess the proper fittings, you can fasten on the winch with wet tape ; and il you keep the tape we;, the reel will remain in its piac--. Cord or twine is apt to loosen. REKL LIN Lines are generally made of horsehair and silk plaited together, or of silk alone. The are made of the two materials combined, as they are less likely to tangle, run out more freely, and are less apt to decay with damp than those of silk alone. The length of line on the winch should be not less than fifteen yards; and it may be. for salmon and pikc- JishiiiLT. as many as eighty. After your day'.~ . die line should be unwound and allowed. U Q dry, as, if left on the reel, it soon decays. THE CLEARING-RING AND LINE. The C!"'ii-iii-j-riii / '!.' arc used to free your line from anv obstruction from w . ston h consists of a ring of bn or lead, and passes over the rod to the point of obstruction. The brass rings are best. they are jointed, and can pass over the rod 22 THE ANGLER. without removing the winch. {Without the clearing-ring and line, the young angler some- times loses his line, float and all. Should you, however, get yonr line fixed at a time when you have no clearing-ring, do not pull upwards, or too forcibly, as that method will be more likely to deprive you of your line, and perhaps your top joint, than to free your hook. Grasp your rod firmly, and draw the line sideways, not too forcibly, and then you will break away with perhaps no more loss than that of a single hook. THE DRAG HOOK. The Drag Hook is used to remove weeds. It consists of three or four strong iron wire hooks fastened to a long iron or wooden rod. It is not so useful, however, as the landing-hook or gaff, which is fastened to the thick end of the rod, or to a rod made in pieces, sliding one into the other, like a telescope. The gaff is sometimes plain, sometimes barbed. It is useful in clearing weeds, or getting the line s7ay from a stone, &c. THE PLUMB. The Plumb is used for trying the depth of the stream. In bottom-fishing it is alwaj-o necessary to ascertain the true depth of the water. This is done by attaching the hook to the plumb-lead, and dropping it into the water. When the lead touches the bottom, the float will be even on the surface, and you will have the true depth. You will then be able to fix THE DISGORGKK. your float to its proper place on the line. The jiluinin> i is tin- best, as you can unfold a part of it, pass the hook over its side, fold it up ;i and throw it in without danger of your hook drawing away, or the loss of the plumb-lead. The folding plum THE PI.UMB. consists simply of a slij of sheet lead, rolled up spirally. THE DISGORGER. The 1 is used in potting your hook out of the stomach of the fish, when he has irreedily swallowed more than you wished him to do. It has a forked end, made of brass, iron, or bone. This you force down upon the Lr<'iL. r fil hook with your right hand, while you hold the fish, with the line taut, in the other. This displace the hook. If you try to remove a, hook from the stomach of the fish without the disgorger, you will probably break your hook and scratch your hand. In ordinary the fish is hooked through the lip or gills. All you have to do in this case is to take the fNh gently in your left hand, and with your right quietly remove the hook. U"Z BAIT KETTLE. The Lire Bait K-ttlc is of oblong shape, white inside. Do not put your hand in to take out the bait, as you fnghten the little things. and heat the water. You should have a small THE ANGLER. net fastened to a handle. Live bait fish-kettles are generally made with a piece of the lid cut away, to accommodate this miniature landing- net. THE LANDING-NET. The Landing-net is a very useful addition to the angler's requisites. It is a finely-knotted net, with the open end fastened to an iron ring, and having a handle of some four or five feet in length. When you draw your fish to the side, and get his nose above water, slip the mouth of the landing-net under him, and with an upward lift bring your prize ashore. PETER-BOAT AND DUCK PUNT THE PUNT. The following admirable remarks on punt- fishing will be found very useful to anglers bent LINES. on a day's sport. We quote them at length from a clever article, entitled " A Day in a Punt:" " Punt-fishing possesses many advantages over angling by the river-side. The angler ran have his boat moored where he pleases, and enjoys ;i fur better opportunity of catching the li-h, wliieh. excepting when the tide is high, prefer the deep water to the shallows. The experienced angler, on the Thames or else- where, knows well in what part of the stream he will find a certain ' swim.' by which term is meant the favourite resort of any particular kind of fish. Thus, there may be at one spot a barbel swim, at another a dace swim, at a third a swim of perch or roach, and so on. Then, again, he has greater facilities for keeping his fish alive, as the punt is provided with a well, into which the fish are immediately placed when taken, and perhaps for a time flatter themselves that they have escaped from their captor's power. " Punt-fishing is not so irksome as bank- fishing. The angler can sit at his ease in his chair, while the bank-fisher is mostly compelled to retain the perpendicular. Thus he is more likely to be seen by his intended prey, who may turn round and was their tails at him in con- tempt. The punt-fisher, too, is not so pestered by inquisitive passers-by, who are apt to make over-curious inquiries as to what be has caught, and perhaps to show impertinent interest in his tackle. A bank-fisher, when he is observed to hook a fish, may be immediately surrounded 26 THE AN GLEE. by a group of half-a-dozen admiring boys, whose cries of '-Oh, look here ! he's got an- other ! ' may effectually spoil his sport for an hour or two. It is therefore natural that any one who pursues angling on a well-known stream should give a decided preference to the punt. " A punt is a flat-bottomed boat, in form an oblong square, varying in length from nine to fourteen feet, and in width from three to four feet. The style of the boat may differ according to the taste or fancy c ff the builder, but the description generally found in our streams is remarkable rather for its utility than its beauty. The punt is provided with two poles, and a piece of iron chain, for the purpose of fixing it in the desired position on the river. The head- pole, so called from its being fixed in the river at or near the head of the punt, varies in length from ten to fourteen feet, according to the size of the punt. The bottom part is fixed in an iron socket, terminating in a point, which en- ables the puntsman, by driving the pole into the bed of the river, and working it about, to make it penetrate into the mud or sand, and afford a purchase for fastening the head of the punt by means of the iron chain. When this is done, the other, or stern-pole, which is some- what more slender, and about eight feet in height, is fastened at the stern of the punt, by forcing it in a slanting direction into the soil, and tying it with a stout rope or chain. When this is done, the pressure from the side of the punt is sufficient to keep the pole in the re- PUNT FISHING. 27 nuired position, with the punt straight across the st i "Tin- fixing of a punt is by no means so easy a task as might be in"igined. It requires a peculiar knack, which is only to be acquired by : ill -;il of practice; and many experienced anglers are nimble properly to fix a punt for themselves. We recommend tin- young angler not to attempt to fix his punt for himself, out to engage the services of some man or boy who is an adept at the work. The services of such a person can readily be procured for a trilie, and then the angler can proceed in safety and without loss of time. " Every punt is, or ought to be, provided with a wooden box or locker, fixed athwart the punt, !n' head, and about a foot and a half in width. In this the angler can conveniently place his tackle, bait, &c. There is also another ,de of ab-'iit tlu- same dimensions, with a small iron grating at the bottom: this is the ?' II. and into it the fish are placed as soon as they are caught. The iron grating admits a continual supply of fresh water, and thus the fish may be kept in a first-rate condition, if ::r-y. throughout the whole of a summer's \V e would here remark, that as the iron prating at the bottom of the well is movable, - well to see that it is securely in its place. We have known a couple of anglers, after a long -:'ul da\'s fishing, during which the proceeds had been from time to time dropped into this receptacle, astonished beyond mea.-ure at finding not a single fish in the well. The 28 THE ANGLER. iron grating had become displaced, and all the fish had slipped through, to their own great glee, and the angler's intense mortification. They returned empty-handed, and could not resist the conviction that they had been hook- ing the same fish again and again throughout the entire day ! " It is well to have a couple of tubs in the punt, to hold the supply of clay, bran, gentles, or worms. These tubs will be found much more convenient for the purpose than the bags which are sometimes used. " It is difficult to lay down precise or definite directions for the management of a punt, as very much depends upon the nature of the water in which you fish. Upon an ordinary lake the task is simple ; but on rapid streams as, for instance, that favourite and delightful resort of anglers, the Thames at Richmond it becomes somewhat arduous. The better plan to adopt at such places, when pushing against the stream, is to keep rather close in shore. If you are desirous of fishing in a more central part of the river, push your punt about twelve or fifteen yards beyond the place where you intend to fix yourself; then turn her head out in the stream, and by the time you get into the centre you will be at or #bout the spot where you wish to cast the line." FISH TO BE HOOKED. The fish usually taken by anglers in Great Britain are the barbel, bleak, bream, bull-head, FISH TO BK 1IOOKKD. carp, chub, dace, eel, pinnock, grayling, gudgeon, loach, minnow, perch, pike, pope, roach, and rud, salmon, smelts, tenrh, and trout. Trout, it has been said, is " the object of every true angler's ambition." The hooks used in trout-fi^iing should be Nos. 1 and 2, tied on a piece of gut, about twelve inches long, witli u loop at the end. Theiorm is a> follows: " 'Three hooks together at the end, then one tied in the reverse way, then three the same way as the lirst, and then one movable, on two small hair loops, in order to suit the size of the bait ; the hooks, which are placed at equal distances from each other, should, when the .movable hook is brought as near as possible, be about the length of a small gudgeon or bleak. The mode of putting on the bait is this : Insert one of the end hooks in the bait's tail, which must be slightly bent, and fixed in that position by putting the reversed hook iu the side of the bait ; the other hooks must then be fixed at such distances as not to bend the fish, and the sliding hook fastened into the lips of the bait, and kept in it.- position by a small t-hor placed between the bait's mouth and the binding of the hook. Great care iinisi be taken to keep the bait straight up to the bend in the lierwise it will not swl.n properly A of put, called a trace, ni'ist be \iscd, caving two swivels, one in the middle, and the other ai the end; this is to be affixed to the loop of the gut on which the hooks are bound, and the whole then fastened to the 30 THE ANGLER. running line by a loop at the other end of the trace." Trout is considered one of the finest river fish that this country can produce. They abound in the generality of our streams, rivers, and lakes. The pike, or jack, a distinction without a difference, except that o weight for the jack becomes a pike when he turns the scale at three pounds the pike, or jack, is decidedly the most voracious of all river fish. " The pike, fell tyrant of the liquid plain, With ravenous waste devours his fellow- twain." There are three modes of catching pike : by the ledger, the trolling, or walking bait, and the trimmer. The ledger is a bait fixed to a stick driven into the ground in one particular spot, or the angler's rod may be so secured ; a live bait is attached to the hook, such as dace, gudgeon, or roach, arid sometimes a frog is made use of. Sufficient line must be allowed to give the pike the opportunity of carrying the bait to his haunts. If a frog is made use of for bait, the arming vr^re of the hook should be put in at the mouth, and out at the side, and the hinder leg of one side should be fastened to it with strong silk. Pikes are also caught by trolling. The third mode by which pike are occa- sionally caught is the trimmer, a small wooden cylinder, round which, about the middle, in a small diameter, are wound about thirty yards FISH TO !: HOOK I I). 31 of strong plaited silk, or packthread. A yard, or perhaps more, as occasion suits, is suffered _' down in the water, tied to the armed wire of a hook constructed for the purpose, and baited with a living fish, commonly a roach. The trimmer is now permitted to go wherever the current drives it, and the angler silently follows until the ti.-li ha> poached the bait, when he conies up and secures his prey. In fishing for perch, the hook should be run through the back h'n of the bait (the minnow, or a red worm), which should hang about six inches from the ground. l'< rch invariably refuse a flj A cork float should In- attached to the line, which should be leaded about nine inches from the hook. Pope differs little from the perch, and is angled for in the sa7ne way. The barbel, so called from its four barbs, two of which are at the corners of its mouth, and the others at the end of its snout, is usually taken by baiting the water over night by h-psiwn or cut worms. A long rod and line are requiml. with a, running plummet attached to the line. The chub, in summer time, is easily caught with a. i!v. The most useful baits are the cock- chafer and grasshopper, artificial or natural, but the latter is to be preferred. Carp. In angling for carp use a hook, I>o. '.' or 10, a gut line, and a float, as lighi a.s the water will allow. Stock the place over- night with ground bait. Keep out of sight when you angle for carp, and to do this eii'ec- THE ANGLER. tually plant a stick in the water, and use it as a rest for your rod. The same hint will serve for tench angling. Roach and dace, although often classed to- gether, are very different in their habits. For roach-fishing a lighter tackle is required than for dace-fishing, and the hook also should be rather less in size. At the latter end of the summer a good deal of sport may be had in fly-fishing (the common house-fly) both for roach and dace. Gudgeons may be captured with a light rod and a nice red worm for a bait. EELS. Various methods are adopted in capturing the common eel. This is sometimes done by- laying baited lines along the banks, or throw- ing a string across the stream with baited hooks attached to it. Eels may often be taken by merely threading the intestines of some other fish on worsted. But the more regular method is that of trapping the fish as it makes its autumnal run to the sea. At that season the stream down which the fish are returning are crossed by weirs, to which are attached baskets or nets ; into these the eels readily enter, but are prevented from effecting their retreat. Large numbers of eels are annually captured. Angling for eels is usually attended with great trouble and the risk of injury to tackle, and affords no large sha,re of amusement ; but while engaged in angling for other fi sh- it is 'I 34 THE ANGLER. not amiss to stretch a line for eels, fastening one end to the flags or on the shore. Kennet in Berkshire, Stour in Dorsetshire, Irk in Lan- cashire, and Aukham in Lincolnshire, are all famous for eels, as the New Eiver, near laling- ton, used to be in days gone by. Eels are often caught by sniggling or bobbing with night lines. As this fish is likely to have a quiet life in the diy time, all eel-fishing sportsmen must devote their evenings, and even their nights to the pursuit. The method of sniggling is as follows : a common needle is attached in the middle to a fine waxed pack- thread line. A large lobworm is placed with the head-end on the needle, aud. drawn on to his middle ; another needle is tied to the end of a stick, and then the bait is guided into any of the well-known haunts of the fish. Time is given to the eel to gorare the bait, and then by a sharp twitch, the needle is fixed across his throat ; he is then made captive. For bobbing, get a num- ber of good-size J worms, and string them from head to tail by a needle on fine strong twine ; then wind round a card into about a dozen links and secure the two ends of each by thread. A strong cord is now tied round the bundle of strung worms, about a foot from which is put a bored plummet To this is attached a line at the end of a stout tapering pole, which the fisher holds in his hand, and angles. GENEKAL HINTS ON RIVER-FISHING. Barbel is usually captured in rapid and shallow streams, gravelly banks, and in shady places, in the early morning or latter part of the day. Season April to August. Bream is taken in slow rivers, or in clay and muddy bottoms, from sunrise to nine a.m., and from three p.m. to sunset. Season April to December. 36 THK ANGT.KR. Chub is taken in still deep waters, very early or very late in the day. * Season May to December. Carp is found in slow rivers and standing waters, principally in deep holes under the roots of trees, or amid beds of flags. Very early or very late in the day. April to July. ROACH AND DACE. Roach may be taken in sandy bottoms, mid- day, all parts of the year. Dace, any time of the day, in sandy bottoms, deep rivers, eddies, &c. Season May to October. HINTS ON RIVER FISHING. 37 PEKtJU AN1> GUUGKOX. Perch is taken in deep rivers and ponds, mid-da}', and in cloudy wea-her, from August to May. Gudgeon, all day, from May to October, in gentle streams, with a gravelly bottom. The Pike is to be taken all day, in clay- banked, slow streams, from May to August. Trout, all day, in rapid, cool streams, from Mar Michaelmas. 38 THE ANGLER. Tench is captured in ponds and rivers, early and late, and at all seasons of the year. Eels may be taken all day, from May to December, usually in turbid streams. Salmon breed and cast their spawn in rivers adjacent to the sea, in the month of August, then hide it cunningly, and cover it with gravel and stones. In the following spring, the spawn quickens, and becomes what is ordinarily called salmon-fry, at which period they make their way to the sea, returning when the summer months are over to the haunts of their nativity, when they are angled for. See pages 56, 57. SEA FISHING. If there be interest in river-fishing, how much more is there to be found in sailing away in a well-rigged vessel to a regular fishing- Lfl.liEK-IUUGED FISH: ground in the blue waters, and letting down your nets or dropping your stout lines lor silvery spoil. Fish of some sort may be captured anywhere on the coast, at any season of the year ; but it SEA FISHING. may be well to notice when particular sorts of fish are most in season, and where generally found. Few fish, for example, are more com- mon than the mackerel. It is found abundantly along the whole south coast of England Devonshire, Cornwall, Hampshire, and Sussex. The season lasts from about February to June. The herring-fishing, on the same coast, lasts from September to December. But the best plan is to become acquainted with the nature of the localities frequented by various kinds of fish. A general idea of this may be gathered from the following : GROUND FREQUENTED BY FISH. Sand and Muddy Bottoms. Rocky, Deep Sex. Atherene Angler Anchovy Barbel Bib Bib Bass Blenny, Crested Cat Brill Smooth Cod Cockles Viviparous Dragonet Dab Braze Gar Dog Bream Gilthead Doree Crab Gray Eel, Conger Cray Gurnards Sand Father Lasher Haddock Flounder Goby, Black Hake . Gar Spotted Herring Gudgeon Gold Finny Monk Halibut Gunnel Mullet Mackerel Limpit Opale Horse Lobster Pilchard Pilchard Lump Piper Plaice Mussel Pogge Prawn Oyster Porpoise Bay Pollock Salmon LINES. 41 Razor Heckling S.i'i.ly Scallop Sucker S. :il Shrimp Weaver Sea-lark Skate Winkle Shad Smelt Wrasse Shark Sole Sun Thorn back Sturgeon Turbot Thunny Tope Torck Whiting The sand-eel, which is the most important bait known to fishermen, is found in all parts of the coasts, and may very readily be obtained. Whenever you are on the coast, make friends with the fishermen. Boating and fishing are your business there, and who can aid you so well as men whose whole lives are passed in those 'occupations P You will find much to learn worth learning from these weather-beaten men, and may spend a profitable hour with them when their boats are pulled up on the hot shingle, and the patched and many-tinted sails are drying in the sun, and their owners are mending their oft-mended nets, or tarring their gallant luggers. Do not neglect their company, if you have any care for fishing on the sea. LINES. For deep sea-fishing, very long lines are used now. At almost any sea-coast these may be obtained, all complete, wound upon a sort of tabulated board ; the line should be at least SEA PISHING. forty yards in length. The lines employed should be even and well twisted, and before being used should be well straightened and rubbed along with a piece of coarse canvas, moistened with linseed oil. The line may be straightened by fastening one end to a quart bottle, well corked, lowering it astern, when the vessel is under way, fastening the other end on board. Nos. 10, 12, 13, are snoudings, useful for the capture of moderately sized tish ; 6, 8, for larger fish. Siiouding is the line from the lead to the hook- I.KADS. 43 LEADS. The leads represented in the accompanying engravings are such as are used in deep sea- fiaEiog. Fig. 1. The leads shown in fig. 1 are recommended for fishing when under sail ; those in fig. 2 for ground fishing at anchor. The line should have two hooks. With regard to the hooks employed, it may be as well to remark that they should be of good steel, firm and sharp, with a well-defined beard. The relative size and form are given in the illustrations. Nos. 8, 10, 11, 12, are used for catching the smaller and middling size fish. Hooks such as Nos. SEA FISHING. Fig. 2. 1, 4, and 6 are only used in capturing the larger kind of fish. The hooks are kept apart by means of two small pieces of whalebone, about a foot long. The lines on which the LKADS. 15 hooks are fixed are fastened round one end, while the other end of each piece of whalebone is fixed on a piece of lead about one pound weight. It need not, however, be attached to this, but care must be taken that the whale- bone forms two separate angles (fig. 3). fig. 4. There is another kind of tackle, which only differs from the other by having a third piece of whalebone passing from one to the other of the . keeping the pieces firmly fixed (fiir. -P; this, however, our experience has proved t.-> us, is not so effective in its action as the more simple one already described. The hooks are represented in the annexed engraving. SEA-FISH HOOKS. B \ IT. 1 7 BAIT. The best bait for almost all kinds of sea-fish is what i> termed sand-eels, and to catch these requires a good deal of tact and care ; they are to be found in nurabers on every sandy beach. An observant person will notice, as the tide t-l'lis, .-mall holes in the sand, about the size of a little finger. He must pet a fork with long tun--, or even a spade, and making a sharp, deep dig, scatter the sand he has drawn up; out will .scamper two or three tiny eels, some- times more; catching them, or in a second they will be deep in the sand again. These, how- ever, are always to be obtained from little boys, who are accustomed to catch such tilings, at a very cheap rate. If it is a shingly beach, of course there will be no sand-eels ; but an equally useful bait is the sea-worm, which is found among the " wrack," or sea-weed, that lies in abundance on the rocks when the tide has receded; tl. can better be obtained l>y accustomed to the coast than by the visitor, for it is rather a dirty employment. But there are times when fish will take all kinds of bait a bit of paste, or even a red rag ; but a piece of raw fish of any kind will always catch them when they are inclined to bite. The reason the sand-eel or the sea-worm is most desirable, is. that there is less chance of it< washing off the hook; the flesh of others, when cut in pieces, is apt to fall off, even in dropping through the water. The sand-eel, or launce, is a fish in the shape 48 SEA PISHING. of an eel, being round and long ; but it seldom exceeds the length of a foot. It is blue on the back, and of a silver colour en the belly and sides. It hae no scales, and has a sharp snout, a wide mouth void of teeth, and the lower jaw is longer than the upper. The upper lip is double. It lives on water-worms, which it digs up with its sharp snout ; it feeds also on the young of its own species. These eels spawn in May, laying their ova on the sands, not far from the shore. They generally lie half a foot deep in the sand, and when the tide is out, the fishermen dig them out ; in fine weather, they are often discovered coiled up like a snake on the sand, and their heads buried in it. As a practical hint to amateur fishermen who delight in a day's sport on the ocean wave, we may support the use of a bait-board. It is very simple to take out a small bit of board and a knife, and is far cleaner and better than extemporising a block on the seat of the boat. With regard to lines, it may here be re- marked that there is scarce any part of a fisherman's tackle which has been so improved. Many of the medium lines now used are water- proof; and the extra cost of original outlay is fully made up by durability of wear. Lines are frequently Barked ; that is to say, steeped in a tan-pit a process which takes over a couple of days ; but it must be borne in mind that the finer their manufacture the more useful will they be when employed in deeo sea-fishing. HOOKS. 49 We cannot too much insist on the use or good hooks really well-made articles, in good order. Very much depends on the use of the right hook at the right time; and when the fisherman is careless, and uses his hooks indis- criminately, it may well account for many a METHOD OF ATTACHING THE HOOK. bad day's sport. For attaching a hook, lay the enouding behind the shoulder, put a double hitch on strong waxed thread or silk, and begin winding round the hook and snouding; be^in from the lower part of it to the shoulder. Now, as many of the fish which may be readily captured with hook and line are also 50 SEA FISHING. taken by long lines, it is necessary here to describe the process. Long lines are set in the following manner : They first consist of a strong back line, sometimes fifty fathoms in length, or often one hundred ; hooks, fastened to strong snouding, are attached to the back line, at equal distances, and these are baited with sand-worms, shell-fish, or pieces of fish cut up ; then the lines are coiled in a boat, and so arranged that the hooks are kept close ; the boat rows out, or sails sometimes a consider- able distance from the land, and a line, with a heavy weight, is let down to the bottom ; the weight is on one end of the line, and a buoy on the other, either of cork or the skin of a dog, inflated. Then the long line, being previously fastened to the up and down lines, a few fathoms below the water, lies horizontal, Thus balanced, by lines weighted and buoyed at both ends, ifc remains all night, and is drawn up in the morning with what fish may be on the hooks. NETS. The nets employed in sea-fishing vary acv cording to the character and habits of the fish to be captured. Prawns and shrimps are captured in nets of very small meshes. The first are frequently found in pools of sea-water, left in hollows when the tide is out ; the net adapted to this description of water is shown in our engraving. They are sometimes found floating on the sea^ where the depth of water is thirty when a different kind of net is used. Whitebait the delicacy for which Greenwich is so famous is a marine fish, although often captured in rivers. It was formerly ivcrurdfd as the fry of some other fish, probably the shad ; but it is admitted to be a distinct species. Whitebait is captured in a net of a very snmll mesh. The net is Tinde in the form of a bag,. 52 SEA FISHING. Treasuring three or four feet ; this is thrown into the water from a boat ; the mouth of the net is extended by a wooden frame, which is not permitted to sink more than four feet below the level of the water. Large quantities are captured at the mouth of the Thames. Of the ordinary nets employed we may notice The Sean. This is a long net; the upper rope to which it is fastened has rounds of cork, at equal distances, and the lower rope has lead round at equal distances, which suspends the net in the water, presenting a wall of im- passable meshes. This net is coiled in a boat ; one of the end ropes is left on shore, and the boat is rowed out. The net is payed out into the water, the lead side sinking, and the upper (cork side) floating. The boat then sweeps round, dropping the net in a semicircle; and, having embraced as much space as the net will surround, the boat returns to the shore, and lands the rope at the other end. A gang of men draw each of the ropes, gradually ap- proaching each other, and the net is brought on shore, with all the fish within its orbit. The net itself is of strong twine, and the meshes generally small. A single sean has been known to enclose at once as much as twelve tons of fish. The fish are removed from the sean at low water, in small nets called tuck nets. A good deal of salmon is caught at the mouths of rivers with this net. The Trammel net, when set, stands in this position : The line at each end has a weight at NK1S. 53 the bottom, wnich is let down to the ground, and a buoy on the top, which float- it. and presents a wall of meshes, in which the fish dial swim against it get entangled. The meshes of this net are larger than the sean. The general dimensions or extent of a trammel 5s one hundred fathoms long, and about two fathoms deep. The net is of strong twine. The Trawl is a strong net with an iron frame round its mouth. The net is shaped like a purse ; a wooden spar stretches across the mouth ; from each end of the spar ropes extend to the end of spars fixed in a sloping position from each side of the trawling-vessel. It is unk in the water, and the vessel being 54< SEA FISHING. under easy sail, it scrapes along the water all the fish, and everything else, that comes in contact with it. When loaded, it is drawn up, emptied, and lev down again, and very miscel- laneous the take often is, including many marine curiosities, life in rare and beautiful forms, star-fishes and sea plants, " yellow and scarlet tufts of ocean," samples of that world below the waters where " The sands are bright as the stars that glow In the motionless fields of the upper air." The best plan for an amateur fisherman on the coast, who wants to go a trawling, is to engage with the owners of a trawling-vessel for the day's sport. OF FISH TO BE TAKEN. MACKEREL. This fish is very plentiful off the English coasts, especially on the south and west of England. The shoals approach the shore as the spring advances, and are captured from boats or vessels under sail in smooth water. It is necessary that the boat should be in motion in order to drag the bait (a bit of red cloth, or a slice from the tail of another mackerel) along, under the surface of th^ water. Dryden says : FISH TO BE TAKEN . " They put up every sail ; The wind was fair, but blew a mackerel-gale." Tliis mode of capture, known as "whiffing," ' capital sport; and even a novice may secure a good haul. For those who FISHING-SMACK. prefer it, the ordinary rod and line may be used, as in fly-fishing, the boat being sculled into a shoal. Or good sport may be had from a pier-head or rock, by rod and line, or from a }x>ir at anchor; but best of all, in our opinion, is that of the taut, trim mackerel-boat, its 56 SEA PISHING. canvas swelling to a light breeze, and making three miles an hour. SALMON. The salmon is a fish too well known to need any particular description. It abounds in European waters, and, common as it still is in England, was formerly so plentiful that in some parts of the country apprentices and servants stipulated with their masters that they were not to eat salmon more than twice or thrice a week. Want of proper preservation of the fish has led to a diminution in its numbers ; but it is hoped that, by the more stringent regulations now enforced, it may again become as plentiful as ever. During the summer the salmon usually in- habits the sea ; in the course of the autumn it quits the salt water, and journeys up the rivers to deposit spawn. During the winter it remains in the fresh water, returning to the sea in the beginning of the spring. They are usually observed to remain in the brackish water at the mouths of rivers, previously to leaving and re-entering the sea; this, it is thought, is probably for the purpose of accustoming them- selves to the change. The young salmon remain in the rivers until they attain about a foot in length, when they descend to the seas. The principal salmon fisheries of Great Britain are at the mouths of the large rivers ; among them the Tay, the Tweed, and the Severn, are the most important FISH TO BE TAKKN. 57 In fresh water salmon are caught with a fly, or speared; they are also captured in weirs, or wooden traps, which are so arranged as to admit of the ingress, but not of the egress of the fish. But they are usually taken at the mouths of the rivers, which they frequent, being captured in nets ; the take is sometimes quite astounding, several hundred being taken by one sweep of the net. THE SCAD. This fish, scad commonly so called, but pro- perly the horse mackerel, is often taken along with the mackerel, for it is a greedy fish after bait, and always a disappointment to the fisher- mena lean, bony fish, that no one cares for. THE BAY. The British seas are inhabited by several varieties of this species, including the skate and thornback, so common to our fish-markets. They are taken from boats or vessels at anchor, with hand-lines, or on the hooks of long lines. The lino employed should be 4 ; snouding, 2 ; lead, 1 ; hook, 3 or 4. The bait sand-eel, shell- fish, or any glittering fish, cut up. It frequents the entrances to large rivers, and round the locality of old hulks, feeding on the shell-fi.-h and sea insects which adhere to the rotting timbers. It is usually from twelve to eighteen inches in length. It is captured from boats or vessels with hand-lines, or on the hooks of Ifiyj lines line, 5 ; snouding, 10; hook, 6, 8; lead*. 58 SEA FISHING. 1, 2. As the basse is a greedy feeder, it may be readily captured with almost any kind of bait sand-eel, shell-fish, sprat, or pieces of herring. The basse may be taken with a rod, from any convenient headland ; but, as it is a very powerful fish, the tackle in all cases must be well looked to. These fish fight hard, and some of them weigh fifteen or sixteen pounds. GREY M.XJLLET may be captured with rod and line. A small piece of sand- worm is the best bait, but the fish requires great management when hooked, and a landing-net is often essential. The red mullet, from time immemorial esteemed as a great dainty, is captured much in the same way as the grey mullet ; but many are taken in nets in the open sea. August and September &re the best months for mullet. THE BASSE may often be easily captiired by fishing with a rod and line, baited with small fish, from a convenient headland. A sort of ground-bait may be used by sinking an old net, filled with fish offal, in the place the basse are known to frequent ; it brings a wonderful number together. A landing-net is almost always necessary. THE SKILL. The brill is a fish of the turbot species, and is generally ranked between the plaice and PISH TO BE TAKEN. flounder. It is brow in colour, the back covered with small scales; no spots like the plaice, nor prickles like the turbot. In catching this fish, the tackle employed should be line 3 ; enoudings, 1, 2 : hooks, 3, 4 ; lead 2. The bait is mussels, cockles, sand-eels, or herrings cut in pieces. The brill is a voracious fish, and bites readily. During the summer months it is usually taken with hooks and lines; nets are, however, sometimes employed. PLAICE AND FLOUNDERS. These fish may be taken in considerable quantities with rod and line. Mud- worms or small pieces of fish make excellent bait. Mr. Lord says : " Another plan, by which I have taken great numbers both, at home and abroad, is to mount a line of stout prepared water-cord with eight or ten hooks tied on bits of fine line, gut, or twisted horse-hair, each about a foot long, and a split duck-shot on each, mounted two feet and a half apart, or a small-size sinker or marker ball, with a hole through it at the end ; hooks and bait as usual. Secure the shore end of the line, which should be about h've-and-twenty yards long, to a sharp wooden peg thrust into the ground, or, if too hard to receive the peg, a heavy stone may be used to fasten the line to. Make use of a long, naturally-grown stick, forked at the end, or a portion of an old fishing-rod, with a forked stick fitted to it to throw out and take up the line with. Three or four of these lines, as 60 SKA FISHING. well as the rod, may be used when the pot is the consideration." COD, ETC. Few people would adopt cod fishing as an amusement ; but in the fall of the year, and the latter end of the summer, cod, whiting, and plaice are to be found at almost any part of the British coast. Off the Doggerbank eight men have captured eighty score of cod in a single day. The great cod fishery is, as everybody knows, on the banks of Newfoundland ; but a good deal of successful work of the same kind is accomplished on our own coasts. A visitor to the coast may, therefore, confidently look for cod, and with care and patience will be sure to find it. Cod, haddock, and whiting are captured by hook and line. OYSTER DREDGING. Dredging of oysters is carried on by fisher- men from oyster boats in motion. The dredge, of which we give a representation, is an iron frame-work, to which a strong net is affixed. It is let down by a rope, and drawn along the bottom, dislodging and scraping up the oysters from their beds. Mussels are frequently taken with the dredge, in the same manner as the oyster. " The herring loves the merry moonlight, The mackerel loves the wind; But the oyster loves the dredger's song, For he comes of gentle kind." FISH TO BE TAKI N. NETTED LOBSTKR TKAP. "ICKEE-WOKK LOBSTERS, CRA3S, ETC. Lobsters and crabo are captured in constructed of small but strong meshes. 1?he SEA FISHING. trap is so placed as to admit of the free entrance of the lobster, but to prevent its retreat. The bait is generally fish entrails. Two descriptions of traps are used on the English and Irish coasts. The annexed engraving represents the trap made of net- work stretched over hoops ; the other trap is constructed of wicker-work. r S. ALLCOCK & CO.'S FISHING RODS, FISHING TACKLE, & FISH HOOKS ARE UNEQUALLED, AND CAH BE BAD AT ALL RESPECTABLE FISHING TACKLE DEALERS. MAKERS OF Rods, Lines, Hooks, Floats, Swivels, Reels, Artificial Flies, Artificial Baits, Sailor's Palms, Sail Needles, Harpoons, Shark Hooks, Sewing Needles, and Sewing Machine Needle*. STANDARD WORKS, REDDITCH. FAVONIUS AND TOM FRENCH, Beautiful Portraits from Life, handsomely-coloured En- graving, 36 in. by 24 in., lOa. 6d. ; usual price, 21. MASTER M'GRATH, The celebrated Greyhound, as presented to Her Majesty. BEAUTIFULLY COLOURED; 22 in. by 16 in. Post free, 3*., or two for 5. STEEPLE CHASING, FOX HUNTS, AND ALL THE DERBY WINNERS, 10*. and ">.'. each. G. REES, 43, RUSSELL STREET, CO VENT GARDEN, OPPOSITE DRUKT-LANE THEATEB. DEANS SIXPENNY GUIDE AND USEFUL HANDBOOKS. Each in an attractive cover in colours. ROWING, SAILING, and CANOEING, with instructions how to manage. Price 6d. THE ANGLER : how, when, and. where to Fish. Price 6d. CRICKET, and how to play it. By a Member of the Marylebone Club. Price 6d. THE CANARY, and OTHER SONG BIRDS ; their management in health and treatment in dis- ease. Price 6d. DOMESTIC POULTRY : how to profitably rear and keep. Price 6d. RABBITS AND THEIR HABITS: how to rear, keep, and treat. Price 6d. PIGEONS: how to keep, breed, and rear, in health and disease. Price 6d. DOGS : how to breed, &c. ; their ailments, and best methods of cure. Price 6d. Each Book is capitally Illustrated. LONDON: DEAN & SON, 65, LUDGATE HILL. A 000 085 764 9