Striped Bass Fishing 



waving ribbons of yellow seaweeds is too 

 plainly visible, and as you look down you 

 see a huge eel slowly glide from one rock 

 to another, and schools of green cunners 

 chase a little atom of bait the tide has 

 brought back. 



" By George ! I've got him," exclaims 

 our friend in the chair ; and as we hastily 

 look up, he is seen apparently righting to 

 keep his rod erect, whilst something at the 

 other end is convulsively dragging it down- 

 ward, with such jerks as threaten to part 

 the line or break the rod. The reel is 

 whizzing in a threatening way, and our 

 friend has a hard time to keep his thumb 

 on the barrel of the reel, and at the same 

 time avoid having his knuckles rapped and 

 torn by the rapidly revolving handle. His 

 left, as yet, grasps the rod above the reel, 

 and forces the socket into his groin. 



" Bring out that belt, Tom," he yells ; 

 and Tom comes jumping down the rocks, 

 in one hand his gaff-hook, and in the other 

 a leather belt with a short round pocket 

 sewed on its centre. This Tom hastily 

 buckles about the waist of the fisherman, 

 when, carefully shifting the pole, he places 

 the butt in this pocket, and is thus pro- 

 tected from possible injury, which the 

 great leverage of the fish's pulling on the 

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