TACKLE FOE WEAKFISH. 79 



WEAKFISH, OR SQUETEAGUE. Labrus Squeteague. Storer. 



CHAPTER IV. 



WEAKFISH, OR SQUETEAGUE. 



THIS fish is considered the second in interest by the angler 

 of the coast and estuaries of our Eastern and Middle States. 

 It never visits fresh water, and either spawns along the sea- 

 shores, or on deep middle-grounds of estuaries or bayous, the 

 latter being small bays and back-sets of tide waters. It is 

 probably a family of the Clitpea genus, one of the marked 

 characteristics of which is that it contains roe in different 

 stages of approximate maturity, though this fish differs by 

 continuing to spawn at different times from the last of March 

 until the first of November. It is, therefore, quite probable 

 that the squeteague visits our shores to spawn, and that it re- 

 mains during the spawning season ; and if it be true that the 

 time of their stay is regulated by the duration of their spawn- 

 ing season, then we may reasonably suppose that they spawn 

 along the term of time between March and November, 

 though the best time to angle for the squeteague is from the 

 first of June until October. From the middle of June until 

 September the tidal parts of rivers from Chesapeake Bay to 

 Vineyard Sound actually teem with them. I have taken 

 with light bassing-tackle, comprised of a nine-foot jointed 

 rod, a reel carrying a hundred yards of fine linen line, a swivel 

 sinker, single-gut leader, 'hooks snelled on single gut, like 

 those represented on the plate for taking small striped bass, 

 medium-sized _ork float, and shrimp bait, on many occasions, 



