104 Sporting Sketches 



A reliable shot-gun is as deadly to the fish, not 

 nearly so dangerous in other directions, and much 

 handier for quick work. 



The pickerel, little brother to the muskallonge, 

 was not held in great esteem. These fish ran from 

 a pound to about fifteen pounds in weight, were full 

 of bones, and the flesh was rather insipid. When 

 the streams overflowed their banks in the spring, 

 the pickerel sometimes invaded the lesser tributa- 

 ries and ditches in astonishing numbers. Then the 

 short spears and the guns were busy day and night, 

 and great was the fun. By the light of torches, lan- 

 terns, and bonfires many large pickerel met their 

 fate. Later in the season, pickerel were taken by 

 troll and handline, by whipping with rod and spoon, 

 or other artificial lure, and by live bait, such as the 

 " shiner " minnow, grass frogs, and others. 



An excellent fish, termed by the boys " pickerel," 

 in reality the wall-eyed pike, was greatly prized for 

 the table, but could not be depended upon for a 

 day's sport. There was a heavy run about spring 

 freshet time, when tons of them fell victims to the 

 seines. At that time, too, numbers were speared in 

 the discolored eddies ; but later, during the regular 

 season for the rods, only one or two would be found 

 among a day's catch of good fish. Specimens 

 weighing five or six pounds were not uncommon, 

 while the seines took much heavier ones. 



Three peculiar fish were taken solely for the 

 pleasure of playing them, for none of the boys ever 

 would carry them home. Most abundant of these was 

 the " sheepshead," the fresh-water drum, a good- 

 looking, silvery fish, in appearance like the more 



