Miscellaneous Fishes 359 



The lady-fish, when hooked, will probably as- 

 tonish the angler who is attached to one for the 

 first time, by its aerial gyrations and quick move- 

 ments. But the rod must be held at an angle 

 of forty-five degrees, so as to maintain a taut line, 

 notwithstanding its constant leaping; for if any 

 slack line is given, it is almost sure to shake out 

 the hook. And as the leaps are made in such 

 quick succession, the only safe plan is to keep 

 the rod bent, either in giving or taking line, or 

 when holding the fish on the strain of the rod. 



The lady-fish will often take a gaudy black- 

 bass fly, in which event a black-bass fly-rod or a 

 heavy trout fly-rod will come handy, with corre- 

 sponding tackle. A heavy braided linen line, size 

 D, is better suited for salt water than the en- 

 amelled silk line, and will cast a fly nearly as well. 

 The flies advised for the Spanish mackerel will 

 answer as well for the lady-fish, though I have 

 found the silver-doctor and coachman both very 

 taking toward dusk, which is the most favorable 

 time for fly-fishing, though the first half of the 

 flood tide and the last half of the ebb are usually 

 both favorable times about the inlets. 



Twenty years or more ago I called the atten- 

 tion of northern anglers to the lady-fish, or 



