Fish and Fishing 



its value as a table food. It grows to a consider- 

 able size, and is usually found in schools in great 

 numbers and is readily captured. It is a deep- 

 water fish, caught mostly in the open sea, in from 

 eight to forty fathoms of water, from the fishing- 

 bank boats and sailing vessels. At night, dur- 

 ing the summer months, they sometimes run in 

 close toward the shore, when they may be caught 

 off the long piers at Coney Island and other places. 

 They move in schools, periodically to and from 

 shore, according to the seasonable change in the 



temperature. The codfish, as well 

 Popularity _ , . ' , . 



as the tomcod, is a winter nsh, and is 



caught at a season when so many other species 

 that supply food are absent either in the deeper 

 water, or have moved Southward into warmer 

 waters. The codfish begin to bite early in Octo- 

 ber and so continue through the winter till the 

 end of April. They feed upon all marine animals 

 that are smaller than themselves, which are found 

 in the same water with them; anything that is 

 digestible is greedily taken by this vo- 



Hab1ts US racious fish- So g ree( ty are tnev that 

 they have been caught with their 

 stomachs filled to the greatest possible extent, 

 having fish in their mouths which they have been 

 unable to swallow for want of room; and in this 

 condition they were still biting at the hook. Is it 

 any wonder that they rapidly grow to an enor- 

 mous size, frequently over one hundred pounds ? 

 In fishing for cod nothing is needed but stout 

 lines and heavy sinkers, and special cod hooks, 

 116 



