Tbe Channel-bass 199 



ruary, and remain until August, spawning there 

 in the shallow bays, leaving or going to sea in 

 October. Dr. Jordan reports young measuring 

 two and a half inches at Pensacola in April. 

 This gives the Indian River region a channel- 

 bass season, of nine or ten months, about equiva- 

 lent to that of the yellowtail of the Pacific. 



As a food-fish the channel-bass is of great 

 value, those up to ten or fifteen pounds being 

 of excellent quality, the older and larger fish 

 better adapted to the angler, though I have 

 eaten a large channel-bass, seined on the St. 

 Johns, that was beyond criticism. The eco- 

 nomic value of the channel-bass can be realized 

 by a glance at the catch and returns of various 

 states. In North Carolina, in 1888, 140,000 Ibs. 

 were taken, valued at #3800. South Carolina 

 took out 50,000 Ibs., valued at #1600 in the 

 same time. Georgia, 20,085 Ibs., valued at #470. 

 Florida, 404,557 Ibs., valued at $11,000. Mis- 

 sissippi, 140,000 Ibs., valued at $6000, and Texas, 

 838,000 Ibs., valued at $32,761. From this it 

 will be seen that Texas, where the fish is 

 known as redfish, is the headquarters for chan- 

 nel-bass and offers an interesting and profitable 

 field for the angler. 



