194 SCIENCE OF FISHING. 



The weakfish or squeteague is weak only in name. It is 

 found all along the coast from the New England states to 

 Florida. It grows to a weight of twelve pounds, but the usual 

 weight is two or three pounds only. It is a surface feeder 

 and is caught in the bays and channels mostly by trolling 

 with the artificial squid and light tackle. It may also be 

 taken by surf casting. The best fishing in channels is at 

 flood tide or just before. Out in the open water the best 

 fishing is at ebb tide. The best natural baits are shedder 

 crab, killie, shrimp and worms. A linen line and 1/0 to 

 3-/0 Sproat hooks and gut leader are the right kind of tackle. 

 The weakfish has a soft mouth and must be played carefully. 

 Use a landing net to get the fish into the boat. Perhaps the 

 most successful way of taking them is by casting from an 

 anchored boat, keeping the bait constantly in motion, as row- 

 ing is likely to frighten the fish. They are also taken by 

 casting tin or bone squids with a hand line. They sometimes 

 take the artificial fly. In the South a variety of this fish is 

 called the sea-trout or spotted weakfish. 



Channel bass or red drum are found from New York 

 southward along the coast to Texas. It reaches a weight of 

 seventy pounds, though the usual weight is from twenty to 

 forty. It is abundant about the Carolinas and Georgia. It 

 is taken by surf casting and by deep fishing. Light or 

 medium salt-water rods, medium linen line and 4/0 hook is 

 aibout the right outfit. Shedder crab and shrimp are the 

 most favored baits; menhaden and clam are also good. It 

 is caught mainly in mid-summer, from July to October. 



The black sea drum is found in the same waters as the 

 channel bass. It is caught by surf casting, using clam 

 bait. The size of this fish is about the same as channel 

 bass. 



The sheepshead is another Atlantic fish found from 

 New England to Mexico. The average weight is about 

 ten pounds in the North and six or eight pounds in the South, 



