THE SMALL GAME FISHES OF FLOEIDA 



1 I had many experiences with these dainty fishes before I 

 caught them, and they are worthy the best and Ughtest tackle — 

 a six- or eight-ounce rod nine or ten feet long, with a six-thread 

 line, a long fine copper-wire leader, and small 6/° hook, and the 

 old-fashioned O'Shaughnessey, if you please. This baited with 

 crayfish, sardine or small fishes, I found very alluring, and a ten- 

 or fifteen-pound snapper on this tackle is a joy indeed. Their 

 rushes are magnificent, there is no other word for it, and they 

 are kept up, this way and that, in and out, now rising to the sur- 

 face, to dash down, come in, and play aU the tricks known to 

 clever fishes. I believe a large gray snapper on fair tackle has a 

 greater individuality than almost any fish I know. You may find 

 him around docks, a little way off, or old wrecks, or about man- 

 grove stumps that have been blown out into lagoons. 



The young are ready biters and beautiful little creatures. 

 It is a satisfaction to the angler to know that his catch is edible; 

 and no better table fish swims along the radiant groves of the 

 Florida Eeef. Jordan gives the salt Indian Eiver, and Jack 

 Channel Key West, as good fishing grounds, and I fancy all the 

 wrecks along the coast are the homes of this fish. 



Very similar to the gray snapper is the dog snapper, L. jocu. 

 Above, it is oUve in colour, the sides are often red or old-rose, 

 the cheeks red. I have caught this snapper weighing at least 

 twenty pounds from a boat off the Garden Key Eeef, using tackle 

 not much heavier than a short eight-ounce black bass rod. But 

 ■ here the comparison ends, the silk enamelled line of the bass, 

 angler wiU not do. 



Another radiant snapper is the schoolmaster, L. afodus, 

 or Fargo amarilla ; also the sUk snapper, L. vivanuis. A long^ 

 powerful snapper is better known as the Fargo criollo, or mutton 

 snapper, L. analis. I have seen specimens which must have 



^ It should be remembered I am describing the gray snapper of the 

 Tortugas group, the extreme outer keys, sixty mUes beyond Key West. 

 The snapper of Key Biscayne and Long Key may be a very different fish on. 

 the line. 



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