CHAPTER IV 



Popular Bottom Sea Fish 

 SEA-BASS 



This fish has an enormous appetite, and h 

 well known to be a most determined and persist- 

 ent biter. Its range is from north of 

 HaWts*^"^ Cape Cod to the sandy coast of Texas. 

 Round about New York, Long Island, 

 and New Jersey it is plentiful and common. 



During the breeding season the male develops 

 a large hump on its shoulders, which takes away 

 the fine shapely appearance which distinguishes 

 the female. It has a large powerful mouth, and 

 will take a generous bait of almost anything 

 that is eatable. It spends its time nosing about 

 loose stones, in cavities of rocks that have sea- 

 weed growing upon them, where they get vari- 

 ous crabs, fishes, and other creatures, in water 

 from twenty to fifty feet deep. They are a bot- 

 tom-feeding fish and rarely come to the surface. 

 The best time to catch them is during their feed- 

 ing time, which is during the lull of the waters 

 between the turn of the tides. The largest fish 

 are caught on the fishing banks, where steamers, 

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