Sprat

Throw a sprat to catch a whale.

Throw out a sprat to catch a mackerel.

Throw a sprat to catch a mackerel.

The sprat is a small marine fish that lives in numerous schools.

The price of a case (five shillings piece bad) from the smasher is about one shilling; an alderman (two and sixpence) about sixpence; a peg (shilling) about threepence; a downer or sprat (sixpence) about twopence.

[…] spratting the land. This treatment is supplemented by about half a ton of artificial manure, largely made up of a mixture of superphosphate and some nitrogenous manure.