412 Big Game Fishes 



pine handle. By going out upon the lagoon or 

 inner reef by sunrise the crayfish could be 

 caught, as at this time they came in and spread 

 over the reef, feeding upon the various kinds of 

 algae. So plentiful were they at times, that a 

 boat could almost have been filled if necessary. 

 This was the most killing bait on the reef ex- 

 cept for bonito, barracuda, and jack of various 

 kinds. Another bait used for red snapper and 

 grouper was conch, Strombus gigas, the rich 

 pink-lipped shell so common in collections. 

 These could be found crawling over the lagoon 

 in vast numbers, "hitching" themselves along 

 by their sword-shaped operculum. The Conch- 

 town of Key West in early days took its name 

 from the Bahamians and others, who, it was 

 supposed, lived more or less upon conchs, a diet 

 as tough as unpounded abalone. The method 

 of taking conchs was to pole the boat along, a 

 negro accompanying it, who jumped overboard 

 and threw the conchs in as fast as they were 

 sighted. They were opened with a hatchet by 

 cutting around the small end of the shell, upon 

 which the animal could be unscrewed. Owing 

 to its toughness this bait was in high esteem 

 among the professional fishermen. 



