Bait Angling for Common Fishes 



are absent either in the deeper water or 

 have moved southward in warmer waters. 

 The codfish begin to bite early in October, 

 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; any- 

 thing that is digestible is greedily taken 

 by this voracious fish. In searching the 

 bottom for shells and worms they often 

 pick up objects which can hardly be re- 

 garded as nutritious. It has been noted at 

 various times that the codfish has had re- 

 markable objects taken from its stomach, 

 such as finger rings, fragments of oil cloth- 

 ing, and the heel of a boot has suggested 

 the idea that large codfish sometimes swal- 

 low the fisherman. So greedy are they 

 that they have been caught with their stom- 

 achs 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 

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