162 



SNAPPING MACKEREL. 



She was finally freed of water ; hats, oars and rod were 

 picked up, the latter by means of the float that was 

 calmly fishing all by itself; my friend, who had swam to 

 and was shivering on a neighboring rock, was taken 

 aboard, and we returned, solemn and sad, my friend very 

 cold and myself greatly disgusted. 



In fishing, therefore, for snappers, it is better not to 

 fall overboard ; but if, by your awkwardness of doing so, 

 you half fill the boat, never try to climb in over the side, 

 but sacrifice yourself bravely. We were using on this 

 occasion a bait that, late in the season, is often more suc- 

 cessful than any other — a part of the fish himself. This, 

 in the early fishing, they will not touch; but in cold 

 weather, frequently prefer. 



It is a singular fact, that although blue-fish have always 

 abounded in the Great South Bay, snapping mackerel 

 were unknown there till lately ; whereas, while the latter 

 have been abundant in Long Island Sound from time 

 immemorial, the former have never been taken there to 

 any great extent. 



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