ON THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA. 219 



owners usually provide a cast net, grains, and water glasses, but no 

 tackle. A bargain can be made by the day, including board ; but 

 the usual, and better, method is to pay for the boat and crew a price 

 per day, and provide your own provisions, buying what you need or 

 desire. There are no hotels or boarding houses on any of the Keys 

 between Miami and Key West. 



The reader may take it for granted that he may from here south 

 catch one or more of all the fishes I have mentioned in my book so 

 far, and possibly some that I have not mentioned, as there are 

 probably 400, or more, mentioned in these waters by Jordan & 

 Kendall. Their entire "Check List of Florida Fishes" includes 

 576 species, so I guess I am within bounds. 



As I have mentioned all that I consider is of importance to the 

 angler, have described them, and given their appropriate tackle and 

 bait, I will at each point mention only those that I think are remark- 

 able, especially plenty, or deserving of mention from some other 

 standpoint. 



RAGGED KEYS. 



The most northern of these Keys is about fifteen miles from 

 Miami. 



They are five in number, and each one has a channel on each side 

 of it. They are numbered 1 to 5, commencing with the north one. 

 I especially recommend the fishing in the channels between Nos. 2 

 and 3, and 3 and 4, for all sorts of fishes. The bay entrances to the 

 channels are, in my opinion, the best, although just in line with the 

 Key north of No. 3 is A No. 1. Here I caught my first " Sea " or 

 " Bermuda Chub," which is a very gamy fish. I have also caught a 

 great variety of Groupers here, among them those that were named, 

 by my crew and myself, " Polka Dot " and " Dolly Varden ". Craw- 

 fish are readily obtainable here, more so than at any point to the 

 north. No Mullet as far as I know. Conchs plenty. Small Bar- 

 racuda, one to two feet long, are plenty around the shores inside, and 

 large ones in the channels ; and outside on the reef, in three to six 

 feet of water, there are many large ones, but they have always 

 been shy when I have been there. I saw plenty, but caught none. 

 These Keys are the property of Ball Brothers of the schooner 

 " Privateer." 



