Fish and Fishing 



It appears quite early in the spring with the 

 weakfisli, and is found a good deal in company 



with it ; like that fish it seems to prefer a 

 Cauffht ^'S^^^ mixture of fresh water, as is shown 



by its keeping in the mouth of rivers and 

 running farther up during the dry season. It 

 takes the bait quite readily, though it is not caught 

 in anything like the same number in a given time 

 as the weakfish, thirty or forty at a single tide 

 being considered a splendid catch for one boat. 

 They bite readily at hard or soft clams or small 

 pieces of fish and are taken most successfully on 

 the early flood tide. They may be captured on 

 or near oyster beds, especially when the oysters 

 are being taken up. Its mouth though small is 

 hard and leathery, and when once hooked it is 

 sure to be fast; however much it fights it rarely 

 gets off. In taking the bait they have a variety 

 of ways in going for it, sometimes with just a 

 nibble that is hardly felt; at others they rush at 

 it with the greatest fury, racing off with long runs 

 from right to left, sometimes going at a clipping 

 pace right around the boat; in this way the gamy 

 fighter keeps it up till safely landed, when the 

 . angler will be surprised at the deter- 



mined resistance a fish of but two 

 pounds can and does make. Though I have 

 never seen it, it is said at times to break water 

 if the line is held taut, playing exactly like the 

 small-mouth bass, with rushes to the bottom, 

 and pulling and tugging in angry jerks. The 

 proper tackle for so bold a fish is a light })liant 

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