258 Bass, Pike, and Percb 



line is given during his frantic rushes, the spring 

 and resistance of the rod should never be les- 

 sened. Once on the surface he is easily kept 

 there until conquered ; but if allowed to descend 

 to the bottom, he is pretty hard to manage, as 

 his resistance then is very much greater, and he 

 endeavors to tear out the hook by forcing his 

 jaws among the rocks and debris or weeds. He 

 should always be taken into the landing-net, and 

 care must be observed to avoid his strong and 

 sharp fins when removing the hook. 



In Florida the sheepshead is almost gregarious, 

 congregating about oyster bars, old wharves, and 

 near inlets in great numbers. At Colonel Sum- 

 merlin's wharf, at Punta Rassa, I knew of a man, 

 fishing for market, I presume, who took several 

 hundred on a single tide. The wharf just across 

 the bay at Sanibel Island is also a famous locality 

 for sheepshead. The largest I ever caught in 

 that state was just inside of Little Gasparilla 

 inlet, near a steep bank on the north side. The 

 settlers of Florida take them in cast-nets, and the 

 commercial fishermen in haul seines ; the latter 

 either ship them on ice, or salt them along with 

 mullet, as they take salt well. With the excep- 

 tion of the mullet, the sheepshead is the most 



