62 Fisuinc iv American WATERS. 
how a man can “waste” an occasional day “at the stupid 
sport of angling.” These persons do not even know that the 
modern angler is as widely different from the ancient dream- 
er portrayed by good old Izaak Walton as are percussion 
caps and locomotives from flint-locks and post-coaches. 
The tide here appears to take longer to make a decided 
turn than at any place known by me. We will shed a few 
crabs, as the boat toles nearly right. Notice the landmarks: 
the dock at Bergen Point is in range with the steeple at New 
Brighton; the south side of the Light-house ranges with the 
high chimney on Staten Island shore. These ranges form the 
angle where our boat rests, a hundred yards west of the 
Light-house, and within casting distance of the submerged 
rocks, seven to the left and five to the right, at the stern of 
our boat. 
Now for commencing. Cast a trifle to the left, and let 
your sinker fall just above the seven rocks, and I will cast 
slightly to the right of the stern, toward the five rocks. 
There! Itold you so! You can not sink your bait before 
you have a bite. Well, this is sport! Each of us is either 
playing a bass, landing him, or casting. Under these condi- 
tions, it will depend on the activity in baiting, and dexterity 
in playing and landing our fishes, for deciding which will take 
from 
the greatest number. It is true that they are not large 
a pound to two pounds generally, with a three-pounder some- 
times, and a semi-oceasional five-pounder ; but itis rare sport, 
for all that. The tide becomes more swift, and our fish are 
harder to play. Deftly and gingerly are the words, while not 
a moment is to be lost. Ihave angled here and taken bass 
throughout the ebb tide; but if I take from fifteen to twen- 
ty-five in an hour, I generally become fatigued, and rest the 
pool for some one else. 
You know George Wilkes, of the Sprrrr? Well, he and I 
were once still-baiting here, and, as we were about te leave, 
after taking between thirty and forty bass, our line on which 
the fish were strung, and fastened to the thole-pin for keeping 
