THE SMALL GAME FISHES OF FLOEIDA 



in the beautiful broad-shad {Xystaema) of the Florida reef, 

 referred to in the chapter on barracuda fish. 



The big drum (Pogonias) is a hard-fighting fish. I have taken 

 it on the New Jersey Coast, and on the Florida reef, though 

 rarely. The fish is a striking creature, with large stripes, remind- 

 ing one of the sheepshead, a high dorsal fin and very small lower 

 jaw. It is high and heavy, and presents a formidable fight on 

 light tackle. One weighing one hundred and forty-six pounds 

 was taken at St. Augustine, Florida, some years ago, and thirty 

 and forty pounders are not uncommon, though the average fish 

 seen in the market is far below this. This fish makes an extra- 

 ordinary noise, I have heard it at a distance of one hundred feet. 

 During a hunting trip in Florida I took a large drum, and told 

 my man, a Cracker, to clean it. To my amazement, he nailed 

 its tail to a yellow-pine log and scaled the fish with a hoe. The 

 scales of this fish are used in decorations and in the manufacture 

 of baskets of a more or less melancholy character and design. 



There is scarcely any limit to the game fishes of the American 

 coast, below latitude thirty- three degrees, and scores of small fishes 

 of from two to five or more pounds are never heard of by the 

 average angler. The tautog {Tautoga ornitis) is always in evidence 

 as a good game fish on the ]S"ew England coast. Off Neyr York it is 

 called the black-fish. I have had excellent sport with it at Fisher's 

 Island, Long Island Sound, with rod and reel. From some rocky 

 vantage ground the angler can cast his lure of lobster or clam into 

 deep-blue water and enjoy sport of a rare kind. The fish has been 

 taken three feet in length. The wrasses, to which this fish 

 belongs, are legion, and many of them, including the l«few England 

 ' cunner,' particularly the Ifahant variety, are fine little game 

 fishes. On the Pacific Coast the coal-fish [(Anoplopomidae)Jh 

 taken at times by anglers, especially about the Straits of Fuca. 

 It resembles the pollack in general appearance. 



In Canada and Alaska in the North Pacific a number of game 

 fishes occur, which afford satisfactory angling from the sporting 

 point of view. Among them are the greenlings. 



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