CURRENT COMMENTS. 



If matters, however, have been dull 

 in a business way, those piscatorially 

 inclined have had full opportunity to 

 gratify their hobby to the very top of 

 its bent. Never in the history of 

 angling in the waters around this city 

 have the returns been so good as within 

 tlie last six weeks. Weak fish, blue 

 fish, sea bass, have all been caught in 

 enormous quantities. Raritan Baj^, a 

 favorite resort for those fond of weak 

 fishing, saw a short time ago a very 

 singular circumstance. For some two 

 weeks the weak fish had been running 

 in great numbers and of fine size, three 

 and five pounders being not at all un- 

 usual. All at once, as suddenly as if 

 some bar had been put across Raritan 

 waters, the fish stopped running — why ? 

 who knows. It simply remained, that 

 try as the angler might, with sand 

 worms,, with soft clams, or any other 

 bait, not a fish was taken for about ten 

 days. Then they came again, in fairly 

 good supply. Nothing at all to be 

 ^compared in number to what was at 

 first the case, and, stranger still, the 

 big ones were not among them. All 

 were , small, for a two-pounder was 

 considered a big fellow by the lucky 

 angler who hooked him. My young 

 frieiid, Dick Hardenburgh, whom I 

 met a few days ago on his return from 

 a trip to Raritan Bay, was madder than 

 a wet .hen. He had been down once or 

 twice during the first run, and had 

 been more tlian successful each time, 

 'then lie Was there during the time they 

 were not running, and now again when 

 the "wee" fellows were to the front. 

 "Drat it all!" said Dick, "I'd rather 

 catch nothing than these pugeilings, 

 they're worse than a five-inch trout." 



They say that competition is the life 

 of business, but once in awhile keen 

 opposition on the part of rival dealers 

 works harm to them, and does good as 

 well as forms amusement to consumers. 

 Every one knows that the Jersey Coast, 

 from Sandy Hook Light to Cape May, 

 is the home of thousands of fishermeii'. 

 These men compose both the Atlantic 

 Fish Association — an organization 

 which was started about a year ago by 

 the fishermen at Asbury Park, the 

 majority of the members being what is 

 known as pound-net men — and a far 

 older concern which for years con- 

 trolled the sale of the fish caught on 

 Jersey Coast, which was known as the 

 Fishermen's Association of New York'. 

 Naturally, the rivalry between the two 

 companies was of the keenest, and 

 clashing was soon had as the opposing 

 influences trenched one upon the othen 

 Quite a number of dealers are located 

 at Elizabethport, and here was where 

 the first real tussle came. The pound- 

 net men forwarded a carload of fish to 

 the place named. Long before it was 

 sold out, the opposition was on hand 

 with a big supply. Then came the fun. 

 Prices went down by the run, as fast a§ 

 a halyard cut at the mast's peak. 

 Weak fish, the choice of the fish sold, 

 dropped to five cents a pound, then a 

 half cent at a time lower until the fight 

 became so earnest and bitter that 

 splendid fellows of four and six pounds 

 weight each sold for a cent a pound. 

 Naturally, as the news spread, cus- 

 tomers hastened to the spot to avai-1 

 themselves of such opportunity. The 

 fight lasted until both carloads were 

 sold out. It was fun to the purchasers, 

 but death to the dealers and worse to 



