Popular Bottom Sea Fish 



present themselves in schools of immense extent, 

 numbering many millions, moving very slowly at 

 about the rate of three miles an hour. The porgy 

 is mostly a bottom fish and depends very much on 

 moUusks and shell-fish for subsistence, its 

 especial food being small crabs, shell-fish, 

 shrimps, and small minnows, but for bait the 

 clam is by far the best; they also like the claws 

 and legs of shedder crabs. Each leg when split 

 open will make two or three baits just the right 

 size for this fish. They will also go for small 

 sand worms and blood worms when they will not 

 touch other bait. They are gamy; if fine tackle 

 is used their play is similar to that of the fresh- 

 water perch. Sometimes the larger fish just nib- 

 l)le and the angler will hardly feel a bite — yet the 

 hook will be stripped clean. For that reason 

 small hooks are much the best Nos. 5 

 to 7 are the sizes. Large-sized hooks 

 are only used when big fish are running. The 

 sinker should be heavy to keep the bait in one 

 place. Place the first hook six inches above the 

 sinker, the second hook another six above, and 

 it may be of larger size than the lower hook. 

 The porgy has a large head and hard mouth; 

 so that when even a touch is felt on the line, give 

 a sharp, quick strike to firmly embed the hook. 



For tackle use a light spring rod, though a 

 reel is convenient to give a longer line at varying 

 depths. Use a very fine line and small but extra 

 sharp hooks. 



From the first of August to the last of October 

 113 



