60 Fisutinc in AMERICAN WATERS. 
Now, having finished our rig, we will cast our anchor here, 
about a hundred feet above the hedge, and fish toward it un- 
til the tide turns, when we will anchor about as far the other 
side of the hedge. These hedges were made to lead shad 
into channels, across which nets were spread, as you perceive 
by the spaces left in the different rows of hedges. I always 
anchor my boat so as to cast at an edge of an opening, or 
channel, through. the hedges. Our boat is not so near as to 
alarm the fish, while a gentle cast of seventy-five feet reaches 
them. Make your cast, and let your sinker settle naturally, 
so that your line be straight, when you will feel the slightest 
nibble, though bass generally grab the bait and dash away, 
and, if they feel the hook, continue going until they become 
exhausted, when they rise to the surface, which is called 
“breaking water.” In this act they inhale a little open air 
oxygen, which renders them so gay and sportive as to be 
almost unmanageable. You should therefore always wear 
thumbstalls or cots on the thumb, a neglect of which has 
caused numerous thumbs to be blistered by the friction of 
the line when endeavoring to snub a striped-sided racer, or 
a bluefish, which intrudes as a guerrilla, and, with its steel 
jaws, chops up your tackle and occupies the post with impu- 
nity; and if perchance you hook a bass, he is sure to liberate 
it in the endeavor to get the bait, by biting the line off be- 
fore the mouth of the bass. Gimp snells are as straw to 
their saw-set teeth, and nothing but piano wire has yet been 
found strong enough to resist their bite. 
There, sir! When you jerk at a bite like that, reel in the 
slack you have caused, and let your sinker settle so as to 
keep your line straight. Well done! That fish is game. I 
will reel up, or he will cross my line, and, by becoming en- 
tangled, you may lose your fish. After all, he is not so large 
as to require a gaff. It is best to have both a gaff and large 
scap-net in the boat for such fishing. 
Our sport bids fair to-day. We have already taken a 
dozen bass, besides a few squeteague and blackfish, and the 
