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THE BRILL.
(Rhombus vulgaris.)

The Brill, like the Turbot, is a bank-frequenting fish, and is commonly caught in the trawl-net, occasionally on Turbot trots, but rarely on a hand-line. Although a good fish, it is not held in the same estimation as the Turbot, the flesh not being so firm.

THE WRASSE OR ROCK-FISH.

(Labrus.)

This fish haunts rocky shores and weedy grounds, and it is very widely spread over the world, not being confined to Europe. It has a remarkable set of both cutting and what may be termed grinding teeth in the throat; with the first it tears off the young Mussels from the rocks, with the last it comminutes their shells and those of small Crabs, &c., of which it is particularly fond. The protruding and flexible lips have given the name (Labrida) to the family, of which there are several members, some beautifully coloured. The best tackle for this fish is that described as the Kentish Rig, fig. 3, p. 38; the hooks should be strong, fig. 63, No. 12, and the snoods about fifteen inches long. It grows to 8 or 10 lbs. weight, is a poor fish for the table, but the larger are eaten in Guernsey stewed with onions. They are constantly caught when Poutfishing. Fresh it is a good bait for Crab-pots, and when stale for Prawn-pots or the dip-nets (fig. 76, p. 246).

Varm or Sea Tape-Worm, Mussels, and Lugs are the chief baits, with large Rag-Worms. They also take well both a piece of soft crab and small hard crabs the size of a shilling and under. An India-rubber band round a small crab secures it to the hook without injury. This bait may be used with success for Bass when angling with rod and line from piers or steep rocks.

THE SEA-BREAM.

(Pagellus centrodontus.)

The Sea-Bream, Brim, Chad-Brain, or Red Gilt-Head, for by all these names it is known, is very numerous on the coasts

of England, &c., and is frequently taken whilst fishing for Whiting.

The young of this fish perfectly swarm, both off the open shore and in the deep harbours of Devonshire and Cornwall, from July until the end of October; they are there called Chad. The large fish reach the size of four or five pounds, and struggle lustily when they feel the hook, which should be baited with Rag or Lug-Worms, a living or a piece of dead Sand-Eel, a piece of Mackerel, Pilchard, Herring, or a Mussel; they will also take freely the soft part of a Limpet, or when well on the feed a garden Snail, of course minus its shell, and even the hard part of the Limpet. To bait with Lugs run the hook down from the head about an inch and pass it through three times. Rag-Worms for Bream should be large and the hook passed four times through them. Of Mackerel use a piece an inch long and half an inch wide. Mussels as for Whiting, if large use half only. No. 11 hook (fig. 63, p. 211); for Chad or Small Bream, No. 14, when harbour-fishing or close to shore.

The soft part of a Limpet is such an excellent bait for Bream, and is in general so easily procured, that I feel it quite worthy of a special description as regards its use. Procure about fifty or more of the largest Limpets, and prepare them for bait in the following manner-the soft part of the Limpet is the more attractive, but as this is too soft to hold well on the hook alone, it is necessary a small portion of the hard part should be included in the bait. Take the Limpet out of the shell with a round-topped knife, and passing the knife between the hard and soft parts, cut off with the soft that portion of the hard also in which the horns are situated, about the size of a silver threepenny piece. Passing the hook through the small hard piece first and then through the soft, if the fish knocks off the soft at the first nibble, it is often caught with the hard. This bait is much the better for being prepared and placed in the sun an hour previous to use. The Sea-Bream feeds at all depths, and although often caught on ground-lines, may be taken in far greater quantities with the lighter kinds of driftlines used for Pollack, namely the horse-hair lines, one pair

with half-, the other with quarter-ounce leads.

In addition, I put out frequently a line without lead, often very effective.

The Chad or small Bream, as previously observed, come into the harbours and close alongshore during the summer and autumn months, but the full-grown Bream can rarely be taken. in any quantity in less than the depth of ten fathoms, and they will not often bite in water of so small a depth as this until the sun is setting or twilight commences. Rocky ground, or a sandy spot close thereto, is the locality suitable for Bream-fishing, many of which are to be found on the coasts of South Devon and Cornwall, Ireland, &c. Let go your slingstone or killick on the rocky ground, and pay out the cable until you are over the end of the rocky ground, and make all fast.

Having ascertained the depth with a ground-line, bait your light drift-line as before directed, and pay out as much as the depth of the water, if the tide be moderate; if dead slack a fathom less; if rather strong, half as much again, and drop the lead inside the gunwale; if too much stream, and the lead drags overboard, make fast a loose thole-pin, lay it down in the boat, not forgetting to secure the end, with a couple of fathoms of slack between the reel and the thole-pin, in order that the fish may not bring himself up short, and carry away the gear before you have time to give line.

Before going to sea procure, say, half a hundred shore Green Crabs, and pound them up in the boat's bailer with the Limpet shells and hard parts of the Limpets chopped small.

This ground-baiting kind of mixture is termed 'burley' in Australia; and on the coast of North America is much used in the Mackerel fishery and elsewhere, although the ingredients vary much with the locality.

When the tide is moderate or quite slack, throw in a little of this hurly-burley,' and you will find it very effective in collecting the fish and keeping them about the spot.

The most agreeable weather for this fishing is a bright moonlight evening, but they will bite when it is so pitchy dark that you cannot see to bait your hook; a lantern, therefore, is a desirable appendage to your apparatus, and, besides, will render effectual aid in clearing any entanglement of the lines, which is

sometimes caused by a large fish sweeping round them all before he can be taken on board. To take large Pollack whilst Breamfishing scale a small Bream, and cutting off one of its sides divide it in two lengthways, and put half of it out on a stern drift-line without lead, with a No. 6 hook (fig. 62, p. 210).

A short-handled net is very convenient to get the large Bream on board.

The back fin of this fish is studded with sharp spines or prickles, which renders great care necessary in taking it off the hook. In Bream-fishing the oilskin petticoats worn by seamen are very useful, and, clad in these, you may venture to clip the Bream between your knees, then, putting finger and thumb into the eyes, you will be able to hold them whilst withdrawing the hook.

The Sea-Bream is not usually held in great estimation, but if stuffed with veal stuffing and baked, and occasionally basted with butter, will be found far from despicable. It is getting into greater request than formerly.

THE BRAIZE, OR BECKER.
(Pagrus vulgaris.)

This fish is blue on the back, the sides are bright and silvery when first taken out of the water, but they turn almost black in death. It takes Mussels, Rag-Worms, and Lugs, and is often caught when Pout-fishing on the ground lines, but never in very considerable numbers, as it is not a plentiful fish on our coasts.

I have frequently taken them when at the Pouting ground by throwing out a drift-line without any lead, and baiting with a fresh Mussel or slip of any fresh fish.

If hooked on fine gear, the line must be carefully handled, as it is a very strong fish, and struggles to escape with a succession of sharp jerks. Its flesh is better flavoured than that of the ordinary Sea-Bream, and if stuffed, baked, and basted with a little butter or beef gravy, will be found really excellent. There are other varieties of the Sparidæ, or Bream family, but which have no special means of capture in our seas. They will be found in Mr. Couch's voluminous work on British Fishes.

THE GAR-FISH, OR LONG-NOSE.

(Belone vulgaris.)

The Gar-fish, Long-Nose, Snipe-Eel, or Sea-Needle, has a very long slender body, and a bill like a snipe or woodcock, studded with small sharp teeth; it varies from two to three feet in length.

This fish is usually taken in nets, and frequently accompanies the shoals of Mackerel, but it may be taken by a light drift-line in a tide-way or under sail, with a small-sized Mackerelhook, and a slip of any shining fish as bait, with or without a Rag-Worm on the point of the hook; also with the half SandEel as used for Mackerel (fig. 42, p. 135), and on the Floating Trot (fig. 35, p. 97).

The best lines for this sport are the horse-hair lines without lead, which, to take Gar-Fish, must be handled in a peculiar manner. From their beak-like form of mouth they cannot take a bait quickly like other fish; when, therefore, you perceive a bite, give two or three yards of line, to enable the fish to get the hook well within its mouth, then strike with a smart jerk, and you will generally be successful. It has somewhat of a Mackerel flavour, but is of a much stronger taste, yet, if cut in four-inch lengths, nicely fried, and the green bones removed before being sent to table, is by no means an unpalatable fish. It is useful as bait for Whiting, Turbot, or Conger.

They are of a very sportive nature, and may often be seen leaping out of the water in rapid succession; in fact, so fond are they of this, that the fishermen frequently throw into the sea a small spar or sprit, for, if there are any in the neighbourhood, they are almost certain to be attracted, and commence throwing themselves over it, thus betraying their locality. In France and the Channel Islands it is known as the Orphie.

THE RED MULLET.

(Mullus surmuletus.)

These fish have always been held in great repute both by the ancients and moderns, and are taken both in the trawl, seine,

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