170 



With Rod and Gun in New England 



places in Buzzard's bay, in the sound, and along the south shore of Cape 

 Cod, where good sport may generally be found. 



Still-fishing for bluefish is also followed to some extent, the angler 

 anchoring his boat on the edge of a shoal, and using for bait a piece of 

 menhaden or other small fish. With a strong rod good sport is often thus 

 obtained, the fish making long and quick runs, and giving good play. The 

 hook is attached to a fine wire leader, the ordinary gut snell being easily 

 severed by the sharp teeth of the fish. 



The bluefish is undoubtedly the most destructive species that swims in 

 our waters ; it kills, absolutely for the sake of killing. Rushing into a 

 school of mackerel, or menhaden, it cuts a swath as wide as it can reach, 

 its path being marked by a trail of blood and by the pieces of fish that it 

 mangles and scatters around. The statement has been frequently made 

 that it destroys more than twice its own weight, daily, of other fish, and it 

 is so gluttonous that it eats to repletion, and then disgorges in order that it 

 may again be filled. Its numbers seem to be decreasing in our waters. 



This decrease may be attributed partially to the scarcity of food, but 

 probably it is owing chiefly to the destructiveness of the pounds and weirs. 



" I have also had great sport with the tautog," said the Judge ; "it is 

 often very gamy." 



" Yes," I replied, " it is a species that in many localities is highly 

 prized." 



' f ,- , 



The Tautog. 

 " In its ordinary habits it is a bottom fish ; that is, it is not a free- 

 swimming species like the bluefish or the striped bass, but generally makes 

 its home amid the rocks and sea-grass in the bays and estuaries, and in 

 seeking for food confines its operations to the small crustaceans and shell- 

 fish upon which it almost entirely subsists. It spends the winter in the 



