JNliVV YOKK TO SOUTHERN FLOEIDA. 49 



0. NEW YORK TO SOUTHERN FLORIDA. 



LONG ISLAND SOUND. 



Good sea-bass grounds occur at uuaierons iutervals aloug tlic uortheru side of Long Island, 

 close inshore. Off the eastern side of Gardiner's Island there are many small, rocky spots, which 

 abound in sea bass, and which the fishermen find by means of ranges on shore. Again, from off 

 Brown's Hill, near Orient, to Hortou's Point light, in Southold, there are a series of rocky spots, 

 situated at irregular intervals close to the shore, where good sea-bass fishing is found. These 

 spats are mostly eddies on either side of points or small headlands, and have depths of nine to 

 twelve feet. They are of slight extent, seldom more than ten rods in diameter, and are resorted 

 to by small boats from the neighboring shores, principally for pleasure, though to some extent as 

 a regular business. The fishermen go one in a boat. Fleets of ten to fifteen of these boats often 

 collect together on one of these grounds at a time. The most western sea-bass grounds of Long 

 Island Sound are situated off Eaton's Point, near Huntington Bay, in twelve feet of water, with 

 rocky bottom. Blackfish are also found here. Fishing is cai'ried on in the same manner as to 

 the east. The seabass season in Long Island Sound is from the middle of June to the last of 

 September. 



Scup and small bluefish, called " snappers," are caught in most of the bays and harbors 

 of Long Island Sound. The latter fish are most abundant in tide-ways. Both species are taken 

 mainly in depths of one to three fathoms, on sandy bottoms, by pleasure parties, but are seldom 

 sought after by professional fishermen. 



THE OUTER SIDE OF LONG ISLAND. 



MONTAUK Point Ground lies between Montauk Point, Long Island, and Great Eastern 

 Eock, with depths of four to seven fathoms and a rocky bottom. This is a cod ground from 

 April 1 to June 1, and is resorted to in the summer for sea bass. Fishing is done with hand-lines 

 only. 



Napeague Beach Ground is an inshore cod ground, extending from south of Montauk 

 Point along Kapeague Beach, a distance of about ten miles. Fishing is carried on from one-half 

 to one and one-half miles off the beach, on sandy bottoms, in depths of three to eight fathoms, by 

 New Toi-k smacks using trawls. The season lasts from the middle of April until the first of 

 June. 



East Hampton Ground begins off East Hampton, at a distance of three to five miles from 

 shore, and extends westward, parallel with the shore, a distance of eight miles. The bottom 

 consists of sand ; the depths range from fourteen to seventeen fathoms. The season and fishing 

 boats are the same as for the last ground. 



Shinnicock Bay Ground begins off Shinnicock light, at distances of seven to fifteen miles 

 from shore, and extends parallel with the shore, a distance of about ten miles, to off Moriche's 

 Bay. The bottom is sandy and broken, with depths of sixteen to twenty-four fathoms. This 

 is a winter cod ground, the season' lasting from the first of January to May. Fishing is carried 

 on by Kew York and New England smacks using trawls. 



Raccoon Woods Ground lies close off Fire Island Beach, about one-fourth of a mile from 

 land, and extends from off Raccoon Woods to Fire Island light, a distance of about seventeen 

 miles. The bottom is sandy; depths, two to five fathoms. This is a spring and fall cod ground, 

 and is visited by New York market smacks using trawls. 

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