22? 



motion of the vessel, the fresh sea breeze, the rapid bit- 

 ing, and fine play of the fish make a day pass pleasantly 

 in trolling for blue fish. 



A- variety of squids is desirable, for dark days the 

 bright one are preferable and for bright days the con- 

 trary, but for general use the leaden or pewter squid is 

 the best. The size must be adapted to that of the fish. 

 After a run of good fish in the latter part of May none 

 appear in our bays until about July first when the small 

 ones arrive. For these small squids are desirable, but 

 as the season advances and they grow larger the bait 

 also must be larger. Their teeth are sharp and will cut 

 through the line if they reach above the hook, and it is 

 said, will take ofi^ the fisherman's finger if he puts it in 

 their mouths. It is necessary to have a stout line, and 

 it is well also to wear gloves to prevent cutting the 

 hands, the shearing about of the fish together with^ the 

 motion of the boat causing sharp jerks and a heavy strain , 

 and when the water is clear and the fish shy it will be 

 found profitable to use a twisted or double gut leader 

 for a short distance above the squid. This will stand a 

 good pull and will lift an ordinary fish out of water, 

 and if one is occasionally carried off will more than pay 

 for itself by the extra number of bites that it will obtain. 

 There are no shyer fish than blue fish, fierce and raven- 

 ous as they are. It they encounter the wing of a pound 

 net on entering a harbor they will not attempt to pass 

 around it like bass and weak fish and even Spanish 

 mackerel but they will turn back immediately and go 

 out to sea again. The finer the tackle that can be used 

 with them the more successful the fisherman will be, 

 and throughout the entire summer months no blue fish 

 will be encountered that cannot be hauled into a boat 

 on a good line of double salmon gut. Beyond this there 



