The Drum Family 219 



casts should be made toward the advancine or 

 retreating fish, and the bait kept in motion by- 

 being reeled in. No sinker or float is required, 

 as the bait must be kept near the surface. Men- 

 haden or minnows, shedder-crab, lobster, blood- 

 worms, clam, and shrimp are all good natural baits. 

 A small spinner, or a small mother-of-pearl squid, 

 if reeled in rapidly, often proves very taking ; also 

 a large, gaudy fly, as the red ibis, soldier, silver 

 doctor, Jock Scott, royal coachman, etc., can be 

 used with good effect when the fish are running 

 strongly and in goodly numbers. 



Still-fishing, with a float, and a sinker adapted 

 to the strength of the tidal current, can be prac- 

 tised in the eddies of the tide, or at slack water 

 near deep holes, using the natural baits men- 

 tioned. Another method is casting with heavy 

 hand-line in the surf from the outside beaches, 

 using block tin or bone squids, and hauling the 

 fish in, when hooked, by main strength. The 

 largest fish are taken in this way ; but while it is 

 in a degree exciting, it can only be said to be 

 fishing, not angling. Many anglers, however, 

 prefer it to any other mode of fishing. Another 

 favorite method, but a tame one, is drifting with 

 the wind and tide, following a school of fish and 



