82 The Amertcan Angler 
bass of the North. A sheepshead of a 
pound or two gives considerable sport, 
but the smaller ones are much inclined 
to take off that bait. So skillful are 
they at this business that not infre- 
quently a hook has to be baited a dozen 
times before one is hooked. Owing to the 
small size of the mouth the hook must be 
small as well as very strong. It did 
not take long to convince us that the 
Aberdeen hooks were not durable 
enough for this kind of sport. 
It is claimed that Florida sheepshead 
are smaller in size than those further 
north, and that those of Indian river 
are smaller than in other parts of the 
State. [his species: is found as: far 
north as Cape Cod, but not in any num- 
bers beyond New Jersey; it is also 
claimed that in many cases the fish is 
now scarce where it was abundant fifty 
years ago. It is evident to the observer 
here, as well as repeatedly noticed at 
the North, that the sheepshead is not 
constant at certain  localities—being 
abundant at times and again very 
scarce for a long time. 
The spawning season here is in April 
and May, and, in fact, the large num- 
ber of fish now found in the smaller 
lagoons along the Indian river are said 
to indicate the approach of the spawn- 
ing time. 
In fishing for sheepshead only one 
point is necessary in reference to tackle, 
and that is that strong double hooks 
are to be used. There is a hook here, 
called the sheepshead hook, which 
seems to have been manufactured for 
the purpose. I never saw anything 
like it at the North. The advantage of 
a strong hook may be known when a 
look is taken at the jaws and teeth. It 
is well, if large fish are being caught, 
to have a long shank, or, better still, a 
twisted wire snell, else the line may be 
parted by the sharp teeth. Thus far I 
have found a Sproat hook all sufficient 
on a gimp snell, and have caught some 
on single gut, but it is risky. Of 
course, as large a line may be used as 
desired, and the tendency to the use of 
large lines is quite noticeable in this 
region, where small fish as well as 
sharks are all taken on the same line. 
The natives look with suspicion and a 
smile on my tackle, but as yet my line 
has not broken, although my _ stock of 
tips is getting low from the pulls of 
heavy channel bass. 
When a sheepshead starts on a tour 
of inspection about one’s hook, he first 
nibbles very slightly and rarely engulfs 
the bait at once. The fisherman, if he 
is alert to his interest, readily detects 
the nibble and jerks suddenly, a method 
not by any means satisfactory as a rule, 
particularly if the bait is a crab, for the 
fish quite frequently appropriates 
several legs and claws before finally 
charging the body and hook. When 
we found that oyster bait was desirable, 
but so easily disintegrated as to be 
readily pulled off, we looked about for 
a tougher substitute. We found it in 
the animal or mollusk of the pinna 
shell, which proved very attractive as 
well as tenacious in substance. 
Perhaps it is well to describe this fish 
for the benefit of those fishers outside 
of the habitat of the sheepshead. It is 
entirely unlike the sheepshead of fresh 
water, known also as fresh water drum, - 
and belongs to the family Sfaride. 
The peculiar name given to it from the 
arrangement of its teeth, Iam informed. 
This, however, is a poor reason for 
naming the fish, and the man who gave 
the name had little knowledge of the 
arrangement of teethin the front of the 
jaws in all ruminants, and sheep in 
particular. The sheep has no incisor 
