232 WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW TO CATCH FISH 



While en route from St. Louis to Florida, during the winter of 

 1890, I met in the smoking room of the Pullman a gentleman from 

 Chicago who had a bundle of fishing rods with him ; I also had a 

 bundle. We got to talking about fish, and as we each had rods 

 along we each knew the other was all right, and were warm friends 

 in fifteen minutes. I told him what my plans were and that I was 

 alone, and the conversation ended in an agreement to make the 

 cruise together, which I had intended to make alone. The cruise 

 was on the "Lillie Shippy," Capt. Dick McCarty, with John 

 Gardner, assistant. The gentleman was Mr. John B. Zimmerman. 



I stated to him that I had seen somewhere, I believe in Henshall, 

 that ten different fishes had been caught at one anchorage of a small 

 boat in Indian River Inlet, all with cut Mullet bait. We resolved 

 to test its truth, and caught thirteen species. 



A year or two after the above occurrence an acquaintance of 

 mine came to Indian River Inlet with only fly tackle, and caught 

 thirteen Trout and Ladyfish with it ; nearly all the former. 



The Trout is almost the only salt-water fish in Florida which will 

 take a fly ; and he rarely does so. 



Some are caught off the bridge at Daytona ; usually only in the 

 fall, when they are plenty and hungry. I have caught a few small 

 Mangrove Snappers under the mangroves, one-fourth to one-half 

 pound, never a large one, and I have faithfully tried. 



When at Indian Key, three years ago, a family, consisting of a 

 man and wife, two or three half-grown boys and some younger chil- 

 dren, occupied the house, and had charge of the Key for the owner, 

 who resided in Key West. The old gentleman was originally from 

 the "Bamas," as the " Chonchs " all pronounce Bahamas. He had 

 resided on several Keys, lived in Key West, "sponged," fished, and 

 last, but not least, had "wracked" (as they call wrecking) a great 

 deal. He had a great fund of wrecking stories to tell, and would 

 say that such and such a ship made a "fine wrack," paid $25,000, 

 $40,000, etc., etc., to the wreckers. 



He had two or three claims in the United States Court at Key 

 West, as I think is constantly the case with about half the " Chonchs," 

 and many of the residents of Key West. 



Wrecking is one of the important, and lucrative, industries of the 

 Key people. 



One morning after breakfast, in looking toward the house from 



