POINT JUDITH. 153 



the treacherous bait, and the latter, while pursuing 

 remorselessly his prey, becomes himself a victim. 



Neither shrimp nor soft crabs are used in this style 

 of fishing, and the earliest bait, the eel-skin, is pre- 

 pared by stripping the skin off the tail of an eel 

 from the vent aft to the length of about a foot, leaving 

 it inside out, and drawing it over a couple of hooks 

 so placed on the line that one shall project near the 

 upper and the other near the tail end. A sinker of 

 the size of one's little finger is inserted at the head, 

 and the bait is cast by hand and drawn rapidly. The 

 rod is not often used in this style -of fishing, as the 

 heavy bait is apt to sink ere it can be reeled in. 

 The skin is frequently salted to increase its firmness, 

 and when used must be kept in continual motion, to 

 the great fatigue of the enthusiastic angler. 



The menhaden bait is prepared by scaling it and 

 then cutting a slice on one side from near the head 

 to the base of the tail, passing the hook through 

 from the scaly side, and back through both edges, so 

 that the shank is enveloped and the flesh is outwards, 

 and then tying the bait firmly with a small piece of 

 twine that is attached to the hook for that purpose. 

 A menhaden or bony fish furnishes two baits, and 

 the residue, except the back bone, tail, and head, is 

 cut up fine, called chum, and thrown into the water 

 to make a slick. A slick is the oil of the menhaden 

 floating over the waves, and extended frequently by 

 tide or current a long distance, attracts the bass, 

 by suggesting to them that their prey is near at 

 hand. 



