THE STURGEONS 



fish. The snout is broad, depressed, and shaped 

 like a shovel, and the general color of the fish is a 

 pale olive ; its length seldom exceeds five feet. 



Sturgeon are not considered by anglers as sub- 

 ject to capture on rod and line; but instances have 

 occurred when the fish have been so taken : one 

 on the Pacific coast on minnow bait ; the second 

 in Lake Champlain on the same lure ; and a third 

 by H. R. Clark, of New Jersey, when fishing with 

 the fly for black bass in the St. Lawrence River. 

 Although the above instances seem to be excep- 

 tional, there is no question as to the possibility of 

 taking sturgeon on rod and line, which fact offers 

 a new phase of angling not to be compared to tar- 

 pon or striped bass fishing, but a sport that will 

 give pleasure to those who delight in handling 

 and killing big fish, particularly when the mon- 

 sters make long and strong surges and leap from 

 the water, as the sturgeon is reported to do. 



