FISHES OF THE EAST ATLANTIC COAST. 35- 



the gill cover are two stout flattened spines. The head and mouth 

 are small and the snout well thrown forward. The teeth in the two 

 jaws are not alike ; in the upper jaw they are long and acute ; in the 

 lower they are short and bent inward. There are two doz'sal fins ; 

 the first is a triangle and is remarkable for the height of the first 

 ray. The second dorsal is long and low ; the pectorals are wide 

 and pointed. The anal fin is composed of one spine and eight 

 rays. The tail is curved in and then out like the letter S. 



The kingfish glows with many beautiful tints ; upon the back and 

 sides are shades of grey and silvery red : the abdomen is blueish 

 white and the fins are of different colors. The first dorsal fin is 

 brown ; the caudal and pectoral fins are olive brown ; the ventral 

 and anal fins are yellow. On the sides above the lateral line are 

 many dark stripes or rather bands, hence nebulosus. It is a summer 

 fish and runs in July and August, and in its wanderings it never 

 goes beyond Cape Cod. 



The kingfish, as I have said, is very rarely met with about New 

 York, but further south, at the inlet and along down to Florida they 

 are very j)lentiful. A light rod and multiplying reel, a strong and 

 very light line, a swivel sinker and two rather small hooks are what 

 is required in the way of tackle; much the same rig as is used in 

 weakfishing. The bait either shedder crab or sand-worm. The king- 

 fish is thoroughly game ; he seizes the bait f agerly and then goes to 

 the bottom, following up this movement with long runs from right to 

 left ; it is really remarkable what a determined resistance the little 

 king-fish will make. In size he varies from one to six pounds, the 

 average beiug two or three pounds. The time to fish for them is 

 when the tide is running in. Kingfish can be caught along the 

 south side of Long Island, off the Jersey Coast, at Atlantic City, 

 Long Brunch and Barnegat Inlet, and further south they are very 

 common. 



