100 FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



THE GOLDEN MULLET. 



This is eminently a fish of the coast and inlets of the Caro- 

 linas, though in summer it is taken in considerable numbers 

 as far north as the coast and estuaries of New Jersey. Its 

 mouth is very small and toothless, so that a person might be 

 led to suppose that it lived on animalcula did it not bite so 

 ravenously. In size, the golden mullet range from half a 

 pound to a pound, and they are so fat that cooks say "they 

 fry themselves." I know of no fish possessing in an equal de- 

 gree the rich, sweet juiciness of the golden mullet. It is al- 

 ways distinguishable by from two to four jet spots above 

 the tail. The color of the back is brown, sides golden, belly 

 white, meat a cream color. Its scales are small and soft, fins 

 soft-rayed. The body is masculated in dark shades like the 

 squeteague, and the tail is straight across the end. 



THE GOLDEN MULLET. 



The golden mullet aifords exciting sport to the young an- 

 gler with very light bass and perch tackle. The rod should 

 either be four-jointed and ten feet long, or a plain bamboo 

 pole, mounted with guides and reel-rings. The reel may be 

 small, but large enough to carry a hundred yards of fine linen 

 line, because the angler sometimes hooks squeteague, grunt- 

 ers, striped bass, and kingfish while angling for the smaller 

 delicacy. The golden mullet affects shrimp bait, but will 

 sometimes take mussels and soft clams. The hook must be 

 small single leaders are preferred and a swivel and float 

 afford the prettiest sport, with two hooks, as rigged for small 

 striped bass. The golden mullet seldom ventures far above 

 the estuaries of rivers, and it should not be disgraced by con- 



