FISHERIES OF KEY WEST. 39 



The first two fish of the 1918-19 season were landed at Key West 

 on November 20, 1918, and the fishing ended abruptly on March 10, 

 1919, owing in part to the breakdown of the city's only ice plant. 



The fii-st fish of the 1919-20 season was landed at Key West on 

 November 6, the second on November 7, and the third, weighing 30 

 pounds, on November 10. Favorable weather during March permit- 

 ted an unusually good catch for that month. The fishing ceased on 

 March 25. 



For kingfish fishing a seaworthy power boat is of first importance. 

 The majority of those seen in Key West range in length from 24 to 

 50 feet. The most serviceable boats are of the half-cabin type, for on 

 these sleeping accommodations may be provided and the boats are 

 in many ways more satisfactoiy. A few open boats generally are 

 employed for near-by fishing. Sometimes sailing vessels are seen, 

 but without auxiliary engines they prove rather unsuitable except 

 under unusually favorable weather conditions, as the speed of the 

 boat must be evenly regulated in order to travel in any direction the 

 fish may choose to take. As kingfish die soon after capture the fish 

 well, if'present in the boat, is not utilized. 



AVith the exception of the boat the necessary equipment for king- 

 fish fishing is very simple and inexpensive. A small supply of heavy 

 cotton trolling lines, wire leadere, and metal squid hooks are all that 

 is needed. After the first fish has been landed by the bare squid 

 strips of flesh and skin are cut from the belly of this fish and are 

 used as bait for other fish. 



At least two men are required to man a boat — one to attend ex- 

 clusively to fishing and one to manage the boat and fish when op- 

 portunity affords. Two or more lines are trolled, according to the 

 size of tiie boat. Slipknots are made on the lines, and when one of 

 these pulls out it is a good indication that a fish has taken the hook. 

 After hauling in fish for several hours this fishing seems more like 

 work than sport, but an element of excitement and expectancy is 

 always present. 



It is not unusual for a boat to cruise about for most of a day with- 

 out catching a fish, and often the catch scarcely pays for the fuel con- 

 sumed, but in the long rim the fishing is usually profitable, as a catch 

 of several thousand pounds now and then more than offsets the days 

 of loss. 



The fish usually range in weight from 4 to 40 pounds. Occasional 

 examples reach 50 pounds or more, but such fish are rare. During 

 the early part of the season when fish are scarce the few taken as a 

 rule are large, weighing from 10 to 40 pounds, but when the schools 

 strike in the weight of individual fish usually varies from 4 to 15 

 pounds. Fish of about the same size are generally found in a school, 

 as it was observed that certain boats brought in fish weighing from 

 5 to 8 pounds, othei^ brought fish weighing 6 to 10 pounds, and still 

 others had fish weighing B to 12 pounds, etc. It is probable that each 

 of these boats caught their fish from a single school. 



A large part of the kingfish catch is exported to Cuba or consumed 

 locallv. Some shipments are made to points in this country where 

 the kingfish, however, are not regarded as favorably as the Spanish 

 mackerel. The Key West markets are never glutted, and the annual 

 catch is easily disposed of. The fishermen receive a uniform price 



