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The Sheepsbead Family 261 



fresh it is an excellent pan-fish, its flesh being 

 firm, white, flaky, and of a fine, sweet flavor, but 

 owing to its abundance is not properly appre- 

 ciated. It grows to a foot or more in length, 

 weighing a pound or two, though its usual maxi- 

 mum length is ten inches, and weight half a pound. 

 Very rarely the oldest fish sometimes reach a 

 length of fifteen to eighteen inches, weighing 

 from two to four pounds. 



The scup is usually taken by hand-line and 

 clam bait on the fishing banks from the excur- 

 sion steamers ; but fishing from small boats 

 anchored over the shoals, with suitable tackle, 

 is more sportsmanlike. It is a very free-biting 

 fish, but is not possessed of much gameness, 

 though the pleasure of angling for it is much 

 enhanced by the employment of light tackle. 



A trout bait-rod is quite in order for the scup, 

 though a light natural cane rod about ten feet 

 long, fitted with reel seat and guides, will answer 

 a good purpose. A small multiplying reel is not 

 essential, though it is an advantage in accommo- 

 dating the line to different depths ; and then a 

 larger fish than the scup may be hooked. The 

 fine should be of small size, Sproat hooks Nos. 6 

 to 8 on gut snells, with leader three feet long, 



