himself : "Often we see a solitary boatman leisurely rowing and holding a 

 long and heav}^ line in his teeth (a sure sign, I take it, that they are his 

 own). How any one's jaws can stand such a strain, I do not know; no 

 doubt though, enthusiasm gives them three-fold strength. I have seen 

 such a lone fisherman rowing along with the stillness and imperturbable 

 gravity of a sphinx, suddenly drop his oars, take the wet line from between 

 his teeth and after a struggle, bring to his basket a three or four-pound 

 striped bass. Imagine what a tooth-pulling strike such a fish must have 

 made." 



Fly-fishing, too, may be successfully practiced for a limited season 

 and under favorable conditions of wind and water ; but trolling and surf- 

 casting are tl)e;rnethods employed by most anglers in striped bass fishing. 

 Either styl^ should, in the proper season, afford sport exciting enough to 

 satisfv/tne most ambitious fisher. 



(ji the localities for striped bass fishing, brief mention has been made. 

 Qiitside of the imm^iate vicinity of New York City, some of the noted 

 places are Martk^ Vineyard, Block Island, Montauk Point, the Elizabeth 

 Islands (iiidiiding celebrated Cutty hunk) and the rocky shores of Massa- 

 chus^t^, Connecticut and New Jersey. Along the coast in the sections 

 indicated, lovers of sea-fishing are in ecstacies when the run of the salmon 

 ^' of the surf is at its height, usually in August and September. 



"~ THE MANGROVE SNAPPER. 



ng be the tackle, for the saw-like teeth 

 cut yoiuL^ij^-\vp«ii gut like razor edge, 

 fd The mangrove to beguile 

 rom submerged roots, else hook and fish are lost, 

 For swift it rushes for its secret hole, 

 And fights and struggles hard while life remains." 



This species of fish, a native of southern waters, derives its name 

 from the habit of hiding under the submerged roots of the mangrove, 

 where it lies in wait for its prey, usually the small mullet. It is not a fish 

 of active habits, but is very shy, and the usual method of fishing for this 

 species is to make long casts from the boat, allownig the bait to drop and 

 sink near the holes which it frequents. 



The mangrove snapper bears quite a striking resemblance to the 

 small-mouthed black bass, and like its fresh water cousin is an excellent 

 game fish. The ordinary size is from one-half pound to five pounds, but 

 under favorable conditions it grows considerable larger, up to perhaps ten 

 pounds. It feeds freely at night, and in cloudy weather, and ^furnishes 

 good sport for the angler if he can keep it away from the roots, its natural 

 shelter, for which a rush is made as soon as the hook is felt. 



48 



