CHAPTER V. 



BASSE FISHING ON THE SHORES OF LONG ISLAND. 

 Kindly furnished for this edition by T. D. Lowther, Esq. 



OFF the south-east shore of Long Island, during the fall 

 months, Basse are taken in considerable numbers. About the 

 middle of August, fish of from four to ten pounds begin to make 

 along the coast between Montauk Point and Fire Island, and 

 enter the Inlets, where they are generally taken upon the bar, 

 or just beyond the surf, either by trolling, or by " heaving and 

 bawling" from the shore. The latter is a favorite mode of 

 fishing, but rather laborious, requiring both physical strength 

 and practical skill. The squid for this purpose should be of 

 block tin, full six ounces weight, with large hook (no kirb), 

 size, number one Cod. This attached to a cotton line, full 

 twenty fathoms long, light and close twisted, is made to gyrate 

 around the head until it acquires sufficient velocity and momen- 

 tum, when it is cast, with the full swing of the arm, into the 

 breakers, carrying after it the line that is held loosely coiled in 

 the left hand. The moment the squid strikes the water, it is 

 hauled swiftly to shore that it may not sink, but play on the 

 surface, and imitate the motion of the natural fish. At Mon- 

 tauk, they wind around a long squid-lead a strip of fresh skin 

 from the belly of the basse, or draw and tie up over the lead the 

 tail-skin of an eel. But hungry fish will snap at any moving 

 thing. I have seen taken a basse of twenty-five pounds that bit 

 at a rag. 



As you will need a number of squids (for some will get 

 broken and lost in the rocks), take various kinds if you please: 

 Fishermen have their fancies and so perhaps have fish ; but 



