CHAPTER XVII. 



THE LAFAYETTE, OR SPOT Liastomus obliquus. 



This fish is said to have first made its appearance in any numbers 

 on our coast simultaneously with General Lafayette in the year 1824, 

 and from that fact it has taken its most popular name. It is a very 

 small silvery fish with a big spot on the back, and it seldom reaches 

 a weight of eight ounces. It swarms on the eastern coast during 

 the hot months of July and August, and is caught even in Sep- 

 tember. 



In the Harlem and East Rivers and in Long Island Sound, where 

 I have caught them, they run very small indeed and it requires great 

 patience and small hooks to take them in. They keep up a constant 

 nibbling and the angler is so busy pulling his line up every minute 

 or two that he wishes he had not fallen in with the silvery pests. 



Like the bergall the " spot " bites at the hook with a sly tentative 

 nibble and immediately darts away, as is proved by their being fre- 

 quently hooked in the back, sides or tail. But there is this differ- 

 ence between cunners and Lafayettes; the latter are good to eat and 

 the former are worthless. I know of no daintier morsel than a big 

 fresh Lafayette, nicely fried and served hot. They are the most 

 tasteful of all the salt water pan-fish with the exception of the 

 Stonington eel. 



Few would care to go out especially for spots, but if you do, have 

 a lot of fine, sharp hooks, put four on your line above a light sinker 

 bait with small pieces of clam or sandworm, and fish on the first of 

 the flood or at dead high water in about fourteen feet. It is great 

 fun to take them with a very light rod. They can be caught in 

 great numbers at Rockaway, Cape May, Atlantic City, in fact, 

 everywhere on the coast. 



