STKUAJM, 



61b 



BLUEFISH. 



THIS fish is now reported in abundance on the coast south 

 of here, and affords great sport to anglers. Hallock's 

 Sportsman's Gazetteer treats of him as follows : 

 Bluefish,— Hanatomuf wdtatiii.—QlW. 

 This fish is known as the bluefish in New York, New Jersey, 

 and New England, except in Rhode Island, where it is recog- 

 nized by the name of horse mackerel. On some parts of the 

 New Jersey coast it is also called the horse mackerel. Form 

 of body oblong, head rather large, snout round d, mouth 

 large, armed with long sharp teeth ■ tail deeply forked ; color 

 brilliant steel blue and silver in the young fish, and deep 

 greenish blue in the old fish ; fins yellowish. 



The blue fish is a pelagic or wandering flab, passing its win 

 tysin the South, and itssummers in the North. In March 

 and April they are found oft the Carolina coast. Ahout the 

 twentieth of May they make their appearance off the coast ol 

 New Jersey. Barnegat is a favorite ground for them, where 

 set nets have taken as many as sis thousand in a single day. 

 Very often vast schools are driven upon the beach by pot- 

 poises and other large feeders, where they have been gathered 

 up by the cartload with pitchforks, baskets, etc. Other 

 schools have chased the shiners, muss-bunkers, sardines and 

 anchovies upon which they principally feed, close in shore, 

 and have been jigged from the surface by the hundreds. The 

 May fish range from two to twelve pounds in weight, are 

 poor in flesh, and ravenous as sharks. In June they are 

 found equally abundant off and In Fire Island Inlet, and in a 

 few days thereafter are scattered off Montauk Point, the east 

 end of Long Island, Shagwauna reef, and other reefs adja- 

 cent. By or near the twentieth of June, depending some- 

 thing upon the forwardness of the season, they have spread 

 themselves over the reefs of New London and to the eastward, 

 on to Block Island, and thence through Fisher's Island Sound. 

 By the twentieth of August they are in plentiful supply all 

 through, inside and outside of Vineyard Sound, Nantucket, 

 etc. They have gained flesh, and become quite palatable. 

 The size here described is seldom found to the westward of 

 the Connecticut Kiver. On the main of Long Island Sound 

 it is quite interesting to see them drive the menhaden, or 

 moBS-bunkers in shoals, causing a "sleek" on the water as 

 they spill their oil when they chop them up with their great 

 sharp teeth. 



Early in June a size of about three pounds weight make 

 their appearance at the same points, though much fatter, and 

 remain in the vicinity of the same grounds for perhaps a 

 month. In July they spread out to the eastward, up Long 

 Island Sound to Saybrook Bar and Faulkner's Island, and 

 westerly to Stamford, and remain until October, though oc- 

 casionally shifting ground for their food, which, in addition 

 to the moss-bunkers, consists of a small species of '-' shiner " 

 (anchovy). On some of the outer reefs they remain but one 

 01 two flays at a time. 



About the middle of July the small creeks and rivers, from 

 Stamford eastward to the Connecticut River, abound in a 

 size weighing about a quarter of a pound, which, in a month 

 grow to half a pound, and these feed on a size still smaller, 

 recently spawned, and scarcely an inch and a half in length. 

 The surface of the Housatonic River, from the railroad 

 bridge to the mouth of the river, is annually covered from 

 bank to bank with countless numbers of this small fry, drift- 

 ing with the tide as it ebbs and flows, while at the same time 

 a size larger, say about a half pound in weight, is feeding up- 

 on them from beneath. About the first of September the 

 small fry are sufficiently large to venture into the Sound, and 

 then they swarm in the creeks and harbors, affording great 

 sport to lads who catch them with a float line, with shrimp 

 for bait. By the month of October both large and small fish 

 are all well fattened. 



The peculiarity of this fish is that, by about the middle of 

 October the large size, that weigh from nine to fourteen 

 pounds, are generally found from Nantucket to Watch Hill, 

 around Block Island and outside of Montauk Point ; while 

 from Stamford eastward to New Londou, on the outer reefs, 

 they are of a uniform size of about two and half pounds 

 weight, and those in the harbors and creeks are a mixture of 

 small fiBh just spawned, and a size that weighs from one- 

 eighth to one and three-quarter pounds. Another singular 

 feature is, that by or about the twentieth of October, or the 

 first freezing weather, these fish, of all sizes, up to two and a 

 half pounds, vacate the northern harbors and sounds ; and so 

 sudden has been their departure in many seasons that a change 

 of tide has utterly emptied the waters of their teeming fish- 

 life, with the exception of au occasional pensioner who has 

 been bitten or disabled, and dare not run the gauntlet for 

 southern climes. More singular still, the great mass of fish, 

 except the newly spawned, take the coast within one or two 

 miles of shore, part of them stopping, if the weather permits, 

 at the inlets of Fire Island, Egg Harbor, Townsend's, Canar- 

 sie Bay, Cape May, and so on along shore, using up all the 

 feed therein, and by the month of December they are found 

 iu the creeks and rivers of North and South Carolina, where 

 they remain through the winter, to migrate the next season to 

 northern waters. 



But what becomes of the small, newly spawned fish that 

 disappeared the previous fall 'I Have they been eaten up by 

 the larger fish on their journey, or do they remain at the 

 North ? They are not seen in the South, nor do the larger 

 fish spawn there. 



Four generations of bluefish make their appearance in our 

 waters at the same time. It is only about forty -five years 

 Bince the bluefish were first seen in our waters. They now 

 seem to be increasing year by year in size and numbers, indi- 

 viduals having been caught at times weighing between twenty 

 and thirty pounds, whereas a twelve pound fish was regarded 

 aB something remarkable twenty yeats ago. Large shouls 

 were also uncommon until within the past dozen years. 



On the reefs they are generally trolled for.; but will take 

 the hook with live bait. In October near the close of the 

 season, large catches are made off Montauk Point, and from 

 Watch Hill eastward through the Vineyard Sound, that weigh 

 from ten to fourteen pounds, and are fat as seals ; so also in 

 Oanarsie Biy, in some years they have been taken from twelve 

 to eighteen pounds in weight. But it is only in rare excep- 

 tionable cases that these great fish are taken west of Plum Gut. 

 The bluefish fraternizes with the weakflsh, or squeteague, 

 on inshore grounds, and are of large size, say from five to 

 twelve pounds. Both of these fine fish are taken with the 

 a-pud or jig in the surf at Montauk, Newport and elsewhere, 

 and afford the most exciting sport— the angler, often stand- 

 ing waist deep in the breakers, throwing his squid to incred- 

 ible distances by practice, and dragging the fish by main 

 strength to terra Jinna when he has struck. 



The best trolling is done from a sail boat with a six-knot 

 breeze blowing. If motion is more rapid, fewer flsh will be 



hooked, and a great number will tear out. IE the boat moves 

 slowly, the fish will discover that the bait is a deception and 

 will refuse it. It is dirty wotk, and a suit of worn out 

 clothing should be used for the purpose- and an old felt hat, 

 brown flannel shirt, vest, thick cassimer pants, and a pair of 

 stout brogans. To prevent the hands beiug lacerated by the 

 friction of the line, rubber finger stalls or thick woolen mit- 

 tens should be used. The first can be bought of dealers in 

 rubber goods for one dollar per dozen. A well laid cotton 

 line, which is not liable to kink, can be purchased at any 

 twine store for fifty cents per pound. 



For large fish, in spring and fall, use a line seven-sixteenths 

 of an inch in circumference. For small lines choose cotton 

 braided ones, laid, as they are less apt to tangle than small ones, 

 and are more pleasant to the fingers of the fisherman. If the 

 fish are plenty, and in a biting humor, from forty to sixty feet 

 will be ample ; but if scarce and dainty, from eighty to one 

 hundred and thirty feet will be required. Sometimes blue- 

 fish snap at the line between where, it comes in contact with 

 the water and the squid, and occasionally through the struggles 

 of a fish -to escape the lines are fouled, and one of the number 

 is apt to pass into the mouth of the hooked fisb. In either 

 case the line is liable to be stranded, and unless knotted, may 

 be parted by the next fish. If an expensive line is used, the 

 fisherman will request the boatman to knot it. If knotted, 

 the ends unravel, and an attractive bait is presented, which 

 hungry fish are apt to seize. If a cheap line sustains an in- 

 iujury, it can be cheaply replaced by a new one. 



It is amusing to inspect the various squids purchased by the 

 uninitiated— spoons and spinners of all kinds, sizes and 

 shapes, many of them ornamented with paint or feathers, 

 metallic fishes oi various forms and sizes, some with wide 

 spreading tails to prevent the fish from beiug hooked, and a 

 large proportion cast so as to represent scales. Bluefish will 

 bite at a spoon or spinner, but to unhook the snappish cus- 

 tomers is the rub j for if fingers come near their mouths, one 

 or more are apt to suffer. The best device is a plain, round, 

 while, bone squid for large fish, and for the first run, when 

 even small fish are ravenous, use a round bone squid live and 

 a half inches lone, and two and a half inches iu circumference 

 at the thickest portion. For small or summer fish, favorite 

 squids are four and a half inches long and one and a half in 

 circumference at the thickest point. Dr. Ken worthy says : 



" Hooks should be strong and reliable. For large fish, use 

 first quality Virginia hooks, (made by Job Johnson, of 

 Brooklyn,) measuring iu width one and three-eighth inches 

 at point ; and for small or summer fish, a Chestertown hook 

 seven-eighths wide at point. 



" A difficulty to be encountered iu using a bone squid is 

 the tendency of the hook to slip— at one time leaving the 

 bone in contact with the bend of the hook, and at another the 

 shaft of the hook slipping entirely out of the squid. To 

 render the hook immovable, attach a shoulder of solder to 

 the shaft of the hook at a point where it com03 iu contact with 

 end of squid. To prevent the hook from being moved out 

 of the squid, use several tight-tilling white pine wedges at 

 side of Bhatt of hook as well as a long and tightly-fitting-plug 

 where the line passes out of the base of squid. When wet 

 the oine swells, and generally renders the hook immovable. 



"Another and more perfect method js to take a piece of 

 No. 12 iron wire, and bend it so as to form a loop to receive 

 the line. The wire is passed through the squid and cut off 

 three-quarters of an inch beyond the end of the same ; tin the 

 shaft of the hook as well as the wire, after which place them 

 in position, and to prevent movement, bind the end of wire 

 and shaft of hook together with fine copper or brass wire. 

 Having some melted solder in a ladle, pour it into the end of 

 the squid so as to fill the entire cavity ; then apply solder to 

 end of wire and shaft of hook, at end of bone, bo as to make 

 an angular shoulder about three-quarters of an inch in length 

 — base of angle in contact with bone. The solder is dressed 

 down by s file, and a useful aud reliable squid is the result. 

 For a trifling charge any tinsmith will tinker the squids as 

 described, and the" blueflsher will find them more satisfactory 

 han the squids as usually sold." 



As a general rule, bluefish merely nip at the end of the 

 squid, and as hooks are usually placed in relation to the end 

 of the squid, the fish are hooked in the edge of the mouth and 

 tear out. To obviate the superficial hooking and tearing out 

 process, so arrange the hooks that the points clear the end of 

 the squid from one aud a quarter to one and a half inches. 

 This arrangement generally hooks the fish deep. 



Hooking bluefish requires no tact or piscatorial experience ; 

 all that is required is to allow the squid to trail behind the 

 boa^. When landed the best mode is to throw the fish info 

 the boat. Through their flouncing and bead-shaking the 

 squid is generally released. This failing, the fisherman, seizes 

 the squid and elevates the hook and fish, and a few expert 

 twists of the hand with the struggles of the fish sometimes 

 suffice. This procedure failing, seize the fiah by the back of 

 the nesk with the left hand, and if a large fish, hold his body 

 the knees, and with the right hand lightly grasping 

 the squid, wrench the hook from the mouth. 



One mistake made by novices is, in having too many fish- 

 ing in the same boat. Three lines, one amidships and one on 

 each quarter, can be successfully used, but two are prefer- 

 able. Sometimes five and six fish from one boat, and the re- 

 sult is, that a fighting fish will entangle a portion of all the 

 lines. 



For successful bluefishing an experienced and industrious 

 boatman is a sine qua non. The expert angler who can cast 

 a fly or artificial minnow, and handle a nine ounce rod, may 

 enjoy excellent sport among the bluefish, provided he uses a 

 long shanked hook and gimp snoods. Numbers of these fish 

 may be seen " breaking water " at any time ou the banks and 

 shoals ; aud by using a small boat, the rod-fisher may enjoy 

 his sport ad infinitum. Within a year or so this has become 

 a favorite method. With hook and line, gimp snood as al- 

 ready suggested, a nine feet one and three-quarter pounds 

 striped bass casting-rod, a strong fine silk line, a heavy reel, 

 and two revolving minnows, (the whole costing about $20,) 

 the tackle is complete. The snood should be loaded Suffi- 

 ciently to keep it beneath the surface of the water. Another 

 excellent lure is made by wrapping a dozen layers of p itton 

 cloth around the leaded snood, and covering with an eel-ski n. 

 Bluefish, we all know, must have a moving bait. Now 

 wherever you have a swift tide, if you anchor your boat and 

 let your lines out it answers the same purpose as if you were 

 sailing, the water rushing by the line giving I lie same ellect. 



A great deal of sport is enjoyed in catching the summer 

 bluefish, or snap mackerel, which fid all our bays and estu- 

 aries, using a natural bamboo rod with common cork float, 

 and hook baited with shrimp. They are caught from bridges 

 where the current draws swiftly through, and from wharves 

 when the tide is running rapidly. 



To some fishermen the surf fishing already referred to, is 

 deemed ihe most exciting method, and it is certainly very 

 enjoyable in hot mid-summer weather. An ordinary pair of 



overalls, or a bathing suit is essential to comfort and unre- 

 strained movement. When a large fish has struck the squid, 

 already thrown well out beyond the line of breakers, the 

 fisherman heaves the line over his shoulder, and walks his 

 prize, up the beach to dry land by main strength, which is 

 often taxed to the utmost. No exercise can be more healthy 

 or less wearing. 



The bluefish and striped bass are the game fish, par excel- 

 lence, of the brine, just as the salmon and the black bass are 

 of fresh water. 



ARCHERY 



—Messrs. Peck & Snyder have complete Bets of Jefferies' 

 lawn tennis put up in handsome cases. This game deserves 

 greater popularity than is now accorded to it. 



Aeohbry Accudest. — Already in archery must we begin 

 to chronicle accidents. It would appear superfluous to caution 

 archers against the careless use of their implements, just as it 

 would appear unnecessary to warn gunners against shooting 

 each other. But so long as men use firearms we may expect 

 fatal acctdeBta, and as archers are human it is probable 

 that their sport will not be altogether blood less. A drawn ar- 

 row should never be pointed in the direction of a human 

 being. That he did not mean to shoot is very poor consola- 

 tion to the grief-stricken Cadet Jordan, who shot out the eye 

 of his friend at Annapolis last week. The report of that acci- 

 dent in the daily papers may well serve as a warning to arch- 

 ers everywhere •. 



A party of ladies and cadets were practicing at the tar- 

 gets. Cadet Jordan, of Maine, had bow and arrow in band 

 and was preparing to take aim. Cadet Winterhalter, of Michi- 

 gan, stood before the target talking to a lady. Cadet Jordan 

 told him to get out of the way. Ha answered playfully, 

 "Here, shoot at me!" "Well," was the response, "I'll 

 shoot over your head." He did not intend to shoot, but the 

 arrow slipped from his hand and struck his friend in the right 

 eye, piercing the ball and forcing it out. The poor fellow 

 fell headlong to the ground, and the probability is that he 

 will lose the sight of both eyes. His friend is heart-broken. 



Peqttosettb Auohebs. — The Pequosette Archers, of Water- 

 town, Mass., number twenty-five archers, of whom two- 

 thirds are ladies. In the first prize contest of the season the 

 winners were as follows : Ladies — First prize", Mrs. Silsbee ; 

 second prize, Miss Alma Walker ; third prize, Mrs. Gardner. 

 Gentlemen— First prize, A. 8. Browned; second prize, N. 

 Abbott ; third prize, Joseph Shackford. The club is having 

 a championship medal prepared, which will be competed for 

 on successive Saturdays during the season. 



Lose and Short Akohbby Runa*.— Highland Park, III. 

 —Editor Forest and Stream. : We read with much pleasure 

 the letter of Mr. Will H. Thompson in your issue of the 8th 

 of May, in which he referred to a recent communication by 

 your correspondent " N. K. D." on long vs. Bhort range 

 archery practice. With great modesty Mr. Thompson says 

 ho does "not pretend to be an authority on archery," but 

 while not making any pretensions, he certainly is " authori- 

 ty ;" and he and his brother are probably the only personsin 

 America generally recognized as such ; aud those who have 

 seen Mr. Thompson shoot, as was once our pleasure, or 

 know of the scores he has made and is now making, know 

 that when he gives an opinion it is not simply theory, but the 

 result of long use of the bow — of " intelligent practice." And 

 yet, with loss than a year's practice in archery, and never hav- 

 ing made a creditable score at any range, we cannot quite 

 uli everything in. Mr. Thompson's letter. He says: 

 "Here are two propositions which will be doubted by few 

 archers : First, practice at long range will improve one lapid- 

 ly at short range. Second, practice at short range will injure 

 one's shooting at long range." We are of the "few archers " 

 who " doubt," without denying, the propositions. We have 

 known a few gentlemen to shoot faithfully and well at the 

 York Round without notably increasing their occasional 

 scores at, the short ranges. Our doubt, however, is chiefly in 

 regard to the second proposition. We will suppose a person 

 has praciiced at 100 yards until he can make a certain Bcore, 

 X. He then devotes a month's practice to CO or 40 yards! 

 When he returns to the 100 yard range will he be able to make 

 the score X ? Perhaps not the first day. But he will be able 

 to, with ut question, much sooner than if he had not shot at 

 short ran- e. In a word, short range shooting will not have 

 injured his long range shooting. Until recently we practiced 

 at the short ranges, chiefly at 40 yards. In the second week 

 of our long range practice we made at 100 yards, with 72 ar- 

 rows, 80 hits, score 98. At 120 yards, with 35 arrows, 11 

 hits, score 41. Though these are only moderate scores, we 

 contend we were not injured by the short range work. To 

 show "hat long range shooting will do for one, Mr. Thomp- 

 son gives a score— 228— which he made at 40 yards, after he 

 bad been shooting for two months at the long ranges. Last 

 season he made at 40 yards 230, when he shot, we understand, 

 only the short ranges. We could cite cases to show how long 

 range practice does not rapidly improve shooting at short 

 range, and to show that short range shooting does not injure 

 long range shooting. But, cui bono! A "few cases do not 

 prove anything. In a former letter we may have set too high 

 the mark to be attained at the short ranges before attempting 

 the long. But we still believe Ibat a person will advance most 

 rapidly by first doing good shooting at short range; and we 

 think Mr. Thompson is himself un illustration. We would 

 lay down these propositions : First, shooting at either range 

 Improves one at all ranges ; second, a person must devote his 

 tithe to those ranges at which he desire3 to become proficient. 

 But it i8 from long range shooting that we derive the greatest 

 pleasure. As Mr. Thompson beautifully says, "The freedom 

 of movement, the strong draw, the great flight, the exhilara- 

 tion and matchless joy of archery culminate in the lone-range 

 shooting." N. K. D. 



DECORATION DAY ATHLETICS. 



[These records Were unavoidable crowded out from our 

 latt issue.] 



Nhw Yobs: Athletio Club.— Mott Haven ; open to all 

 amateurs : 



Sevan-mile Walk— E E Merrill, Union A 0, 65m 5GJ£a. 



