412 Big Game Fishes 
pine handle. By going out upon the lagoon or 
inner reef by sunrise the crayfish could be 
caught, as at this time they came in and spread 
over the reef, feeding upon the various kinds of 
alge. So plentiful were they at times, that a 
boat could almost have been filled if necessary. 
This was the most killing bait on the reef ex- 
cept for bonito, barracuda, and jack of various 
kinds. Another bait used for red snapper and 
grouper was conch, Stromdus gigas, the rich 
pink-lipped shell so common in _ collections. 
These could be found crawling over the lagoon 
in vast numbers, “hitching” themselves along 
by their sword-shaped operculum. The Conch- 
town of Key West in early days took its name 
from the Bahamians and others, who, it was 
supposed, lived more or less upon conchs, a diet 
as tough as unpounded abalone. The method 
of taking conchs was to pole the boat along, a 
negro accompanying it, who jumped overboard 
and threw the conchs in as fast as they were 
sighted. They were opened with a hatchet by 
cutting around the small end of the shell, upon 
which the animal could be unscrewed. Owing 
to its toughness this bait was in high esteem 
among the professional fishermen. 
