300 Bass, Pike, and Percb 



It frequents rocky situations, like the coney of 

 Holy Writ It is highly esteemed as a food-fish, 

 but is of smaller size than the groupers previously 

 described, seldom growing beyond a foot in 

 length or a pound in weight. It probably spawns 

 in the spring. It is quite a gamy fish for its size 

 on light tackle. 



It is usually taken by the market fishermen on 

 the same tackle as the grunts, snappers, porgies, 

 etc., among the rocks of the channels, in rather 

 deep water, with fish bait. It is well worth catch- 

 ing, if only to admire its graceful shape and brill- 

 iant coloration. 



For the coney, black-bass rods, braided linen 

 line, size F, with Sproat hooks, No. 2-0 or 3-0, 

 on gimp snells, and sinker adapted to the strength 

 of the tide, with the smallest fish for bait, will 

 answer admirably. The little whirligig mullet, 

 or spiny crawfish, or even cut-fish bait, are all 

 good baits to use as occasion may demand. 



THE NIGGER-FISH 



(Bodianus fulvus) 



It is difficult to account for names, we know; 

 but just why this handsome fish should be called 

 " nigger-fish " is hard to imagine. It is some- 



