240 GAME FISH OF NORTH AMERICA. 



ment he may be able to take individuals on a clumsy bunch of 

 grey and scarlet feathers, or red flannel, improvised as a fly. 

 Sometimes in pursuit of caplin and other small fish, they leap clear 

 of the water. Bait with caplin, lance or herring-. Bank fishing in- 

 volves more hard labor than sport, yet some persons enjoy a cruise 

 with the fishermen. Codfish subsist on crabs, shell fish and other 

 fish. Spawn in November and December. The best fishing sea- 

 son is in April, May and June. 



ToMCOD J frostfish. — Microgadus tomcodus. — Gill. 



1 his familiar fish is taken in abundance from wharves and in 

 Ide water rivers, with hook and line baited with clams or crabs, a 

 light rod, and small sinker, with or without a float. In midwinter 

 it swims near the surface, and can be jigged up with an unbaited 

 hook fastened to a two-foot No. 8 wire attached to a ten-foot pole. 

 The bait-fishing season is in the fall. The tomcod is olive-brown, 

 an back shading to dull yellow ; belly white. In shape and many 

 of its features it resembles the codfish. 



LABRID^. 



Blackfish ; Xa.utos.—Tautoga oniiis. — Gth'r. 



This is a fine fish for the table, broiled or for chowder. Grows 

 to the weight of twelve pounds. Much fished for in May and 

 October with hand lines and hooks, and baited with fiddlers 

 and clams, with sinker below the hooks. Taken near the bottom, 

 around reefs and old wrecks on the flood tide. Color, black on 

 back with lead colored belly. Spawn in June. 



CuNNERj bergall; chogset; bluefish; blue perch — Tautogolalrus adspersus. 



Cunners are very common on blackfish (tautog) grounds, and 

 although a fine table fish and a bold biter, are not esteemed by 

 anglers, who are incessantly annoyed by it while fishing for better 

 fish. It takes fiddlers or sand crabs, clams, and cut fish bait,^ 

 which it will nibble from the hooks as fast as put on. They are 

 found on reefs and around old wrecks. Generally very small, but 

 are taken over a pound in weight. They are quite bony, and their 



