THE POMPANO 203 



The Common Pompano^ is a good fish for the table, 

 but unfortunately its mouth is so small it is next to impos- 

 sible to take it with a hook. Once when penned up by bad 

 weather in the mouth of New River, Florida, where this fish 

 was abundant, we fished for Pompano until we almost starved. 

 The "Silver King" tantalized us daily by showing himself 

 at the surface, but his vagrant pounds of flesh were almost as 

 far beyond our reach as the stars. 



The Pompano is essentially a fish of the two coasts of 

 Florida, and the northern half of the Gulf of Mexico. It is 

 one of the most highly prized fishes in the markets of its home 

 waters, and as a rule the supply seldom is equal to the demand. 

 The Jacks are more common. Several of the species found 

 in this Family are characterized by the enormous thickness 

 of their ribs — a very peculiar character, which makes them 

 look like ribs afflicted with elephantiasis. 



Mr. John T. Granger, of Washington, regards the Permit 

 or Great Pompano- as a game fish well worthy of the atten- 

 tion of salt-water anglers, and believes that it will become a 

 general favorite. A struggle with a 27-pound fish, taken 

 with rod and reel at Miami, Florida, revealed to Mr. Granger 

 the game qualities of the Permit. 



The Mullet. — Throughout the sounds, and bays, and 

 half-salt rivers of the Carolinas, Florida and the Gulf states, 

 the mullets are omnipresent and highly prized. When better 

 fishes fail you, they can be depended upon to fill the dish; 

 and you may go far without finding a more toothsome morsel 

 than a Silver Mullet,'' or White Mullet, freshly snatched 



1 Trach-i-no'tus car-o-li'nus. ^ T. goodei. " Mu'gil bra-sil-i-en'sis. 



