ON THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA. 201 



The season for Bluefish, Kingfish, and Spanish Mackerel is from 

 November 1st to April 15th, varying with the different years. The 

 Bluefish is caught inside, trolling with sailboat or launch, and with 

 rod and reel, the best ground being within a mile north and south of 

 the inlet, in the inlet, and trolling outside. Also from the beach, 

 surf fishing, and from the pier at the Breakers Hotel. I have 

 repeatedly caught them in all of these different ways. All these 

 different methods will not be successful all through the season, but 

 parties on the ground can watch the lake, the inlet, and the surf, and 

 at times can be reasonably successful. 



The Kingfish and Mackerel are caught outside trolling with hand 

 line or rod and reel, from sailboat or launch. 



From the pier, the following fishes have been caught with rod and 

 reel, or hand line : Amber Jacks, Barracuda, Cavalle, Bonito, Group- 

 ers, Permits, Grunts, Gulf-fish, Jewfish, Kingfish, Ladyfish, Margate 

 Fish, Bluefish, Pigfish, Spots, Runners, Sheepshead, Sailor's Choice, 

 Snappers, Spade Fish, Sea Trout, Sharks and other foul fishes. 



The larger kinds can be taken with a Tarpon rod, reel and line, 

 with Mullet or other small fish, dead or alive, as bait. The Mangrove 

 Snappers, Groupers, and other fish can be taken with Crab, Mullet, 

 or sand flea bait, and usual size rod and reel. These fishes are all 

 (except the small ones) exceptionally wary and shy, more so than at 

 any other places I have fished for them. 



Still, parties fond of fishing can while away many hours on the 

 pier, and may at times do well. I have seen as many as twenty-five 

 Kingfish caught there in a day, with six Amber Jack ; this was in 

 1897. Parties fond of catching Sharks and Sawfish can use the 

 clothes line and large Shark hook, and usually catch Sharks to their 

 heart's content, and stand a chance of getting a Sawfish. 



On 15th April, 1898, Capt. Gardner and myself caught fourteen 

 Pompano with light rods, small reels, No. 6 Hall lines, No. 3$ Harri- 

 son Sproat Hooks with double gut leaders, sand flea bait, casting from 

 the beach into the surf about 500 feet south of the pier. Thirteen 

 of the Pompano weighed about three pounds each, as they averaged 

 large, and one weighed 22^ pounds. We were catching them lively 

 when we quit, but stopped because we had no use for them. Mr. 

 Allen, who had charge of the Poinciana and The Inn, weighed the 

 large fish on the scales at The Inn. 



We gave it to Mr. Cory, the taxidermist opposite The Inn, who 



