294 



RECREATION. 



satisfactorily as at Key West. Fishing boats 

 are lying at the fish wharf at all times, 

 and in their wells may be seen specimens 

 of numerous species, many of them of bril- 

 liant coloration; and by going out with 

 the fishermen upon the bars and coral reefs 

 cne may, by the aid of a water glass, spend 

 many hours observing and studying a mul- 

 titude of fishes and other interesting forms 

 as they disport themselves in the clear 

 waters beneath the boat. 



While the waters in the vicinity of Key 

 West are wonderfully rich in species of 

 fishes used as food, not all the food fishes 

 of Florida are found there. The shad does 

 not occur there; neither does the black 

 bass nor any of the fresh water species; 

 nor do we find there, except possibly as 

 stragglers, the spotted sea trout, the red 

 drum, spot, whiting, pompon, flasher, and 

 perhaps still other species known from In- 

 dian river. Additional species are known 

 from Pensacola which do not occur at Key 

 West. The total number of different spe- 

 cies of food fish now known to occur in the 

 waters of Florida is approximately 140, di- 

 vided among 36 different families, as fol- 

 lows: 



Acipenseridce (Sturgeon) 1 



Siluridce. (Catfishes) 4 



Catostomida (Suckers) 2 



Cyprinidce (Minnows) 1 



A nguillida (Eels) 1 



Elopidce. (Tarpons) 2 



Albulidce (Lady-fishes) 1 



Clupeidce (Herrings) 8 



Luciidoe (Pikes) 2 



Esocidce (Needle-fishes) 2 



Hemiramphidce (Balaos) 4 



Mugilida (Mullets) 4 



Sphyrcenidce (Barracudas) 2 



Polynemidce (Threadfins) 1 



Holocentridce (Squirrel-fishes) 1 



Scombridce (Mackerels) 4 



Trichiuridoe (Cutlas-fishes) 1 



Carangidoe 14 



Pomatomidce (Bluefish) 1 



Centrarchidoz (Sunfishes and Black Bass) . . 10 



Centropomidce (Robalos) 1 



Serranidce (Sea Bass) 10 



Lobotidce (Triple-Tails) 1 



Lutianidce (Snappers) 8 



H&mulidce (Grunts) 12 



Sparidce (Porgies) 12 



Gerridoe (Mojarras) 4 



Kyphosidoe (Rudder-fishes) , 1 



Scicenidce (Croakers) 11 



Labrida (WraSBe-fishes) I 



Scaridce (Parrot-fishes) 2 



Ephippidce (Angel-fishes) 1 



Chatodontidce (Butterfly- fishes) . ^ . 3 



Teuthiididce (Tangs) 3 



Scrfi&nida (Rockfishes) 1 



Eiei*ronectid<z. , 4 



This large number represents about 1/20 



of the entire fish fauna of America North 

 of the equator. 



The value to the State of these com- 

 mercial fishes need not be dwelt on here. 

 Suffice to say that the money value of the 

 annual fish output of the State is, in round 

 numbers, not less than $1,000,000. 



The fame of the game fishes of the State 

 of Florida extends throughout America 

 and beyond. Wherever there are anglers 

 and rod and gun clubs the prowess of the 

 "silver king" is known and talked about. 

 The one great hope of every angler is that 

 he may go to Florida and kill a tarpon be- 

 fore his fishing days are over. But while 

 the tarpon or silver king is the king of the 

 game fishes of this State, it is by no means 

 the only game fish. Some of the largest 

 black bass known have been caught in 

 Florida waters. The sunfishes are the 

 largest of their kind. The ladyfish and the 

 bonefish are thought by many to equal 

 their relative, the tarpon, in real game 

 qualities. Trolling for kingfish, jack, cre- 

 valle, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and 

 spotted sea trout at Indian river. Lake 

 Worth, Key West or Biscayne bay fur- 

 nishes sport of the most exciting kind; 

 while still fishing for sheepshead and man- 

 grove snappers at Indian river inlet; for 

 chubs, porgies, porkfish, yellow-tails, snap- 

 pers and grunts at Key West; or for red 

 snappers, red groupers and others of their 

 kin on the Snapper Banks, furnishes suffi- 

 cient variety to please any angler, in what- 

 ever mood he may chance to be. I have 

 fished in every State and Territory in the 

 Union but 3, and from Siberia and Bering 

 sea to the gulfs of California and Mexico, 

 and, all things considered, regard Florida 

 as unequalled in the richness and variety 

 of its attractions for all sorts of sport with 

 rod and reel. 



A RECORD SMALL MOUTH. 



In November Recreation Dr. I., of 

 Cincinnati, inquires for the largest small 

 mouth bass on record. I believe Wiscon- 

 sin and Lake Mendota have it. I enclose 

 relative literature. I sent you an account 

 a year ago, which you published, but evi- 

 dently the doctor did not see it. I can tes- 

 tify to the truth of the story, as I saw the 

 bass both before and after it was mounted. 

 I was also in a boat from which one was 

 speared, a number of years ago, that 

 tipped the scales the next day at 7 pounds 

 9 ounces. 



C. M. Clarke, Stoughton, Wis. 



Enclosed with Mr. Clarke's letter is a 

 circular from which the following is an 

 extract: 



On November 28, i8q8. Isaac Palmer, of 

 Madison, Wis., while fishing from a boat, 



