The Blackfish 277 
rocks with a rod, off Salem, Massachusetts; and 
all alongshore, wherever rocky bottom and fairly 
deep water are found, and the conditions and bait 
are right, this sport may be enjoyed. 
While the pollack does not come within the 
proper scope or range of this volume, and is not 
a large fish, I found it as gamy as a trout at Ogun- 
quit, Maine. Casting from the rocks, I took them 
with a green fly, as well as bait; and several tips 
of my black bass split bamboo paid the penalty 
before I gauged the power of this active fish, not 
as well known or appreciated as it should be. 
There is another blackfish, at least so called, in 
the waters about Martha’s Vineyard, the sea-bass, 
Centropristes striatus, an entirely different fish. 
It belongs to the family Serranidz, in which is 
included the splendid striped bass, which attains 
a weight of one hundred pounds, and affords rare 
sport off the islands of southern Massachusetts 
and in various localities, and since its introduc- 
tion bidding fair to become the famous game fish 
of the San Francisco region. There are two 
species of sea-bass, ranging from Cape Ann to 
Texas, the northern species being found north of 
the latitude of Hatteras. The southern species 
is common at Cedar Keys, St. Marks, and other 
