FISH AND FISHING. 



ALMANAC FOR SALT WATER FISHERMEN. 



The following will be found accurate and val- 

 uable for the vicinity of New York City: 



Kingrish — Barb, Sea-Mink, Whiting. June to 

 September. Haunts: The surf and deep channels 

 of strong tide streams. Baits: Blood worms, 

 shedder crabs and beach crustaceans. Time and 

 tide: Flood, early morning. 



Plaice — Fluke, Turbot, Flounder. May 15 to 

 November 30. Haunts: The surf, mouth of tidal 

 streams. Baits: Shedder crabs, killi-fish, sand 

 laut. Time and tide: Ebb, daytime exclusively. 



Spanish mackerel — Haunts: The open sea, July 

 to September. Baits: Menhaden, trolling — metal 

 and cedar squids. 



Striped Bass — Rock Fish, Green Head. April to 

 November. Haunts: The surf, bays, estuaries and 

 tidal streams. Baits: Blood worms, shedder crabs, 

 Calico crabs, small eels, menhaden. Time and 

 tide. Night, half flood to flood, to half ebb. 



The Drums, Red and Black. June to Novem- 

 ber. Haunts: The surf and mouths of large bays. 

 Bait: Skinner crab. Time and tide: Day, flood. 



Blackfish — Tautog, April to November. Haunts: 

 Surf, vicinity of piling and old wrecks in bays. 

 Baits: Sand worm, blood worm, shedder crabs, 

 clams. Time and tide: Daytime, flood. 



Lafayette — Spot, Goody, Cape May Goody. 

 August to October. Haunts: Channels of tidal 

 streams. Baits: Shedder crabs, sand worms, clams. 

 Time and Tide : Day and night flood. 



Croker — July to October. Haunts: Deep chan- 

 nels of bays. Baits: Shedder crabs, mussels. 

 Time and tide: Day, flood. 



Snapper — Young of Blue Fish. August to No- 

 vember. Haunts: Rivers and all tide ways. Baits: 

 Spearing and menhaden; trolling pearl squid. 

 Time and tide: Day, all tides. 



Sheepshead— June to October Haunts: Surf 

 and bays, vicinity of old wrecks. Baits: Clams, 

 mussels, shedder crabs. Time and tide: Day, 

 flood only. 



New England Whiting — Winter Weak-fish, 

 Frost-fish. November to May. Haunts: The 

 surf. Baits: Sand laut, spearing. Time and tide: 

 Night, flood. 



Hake — Ling. October to June. Haunts: Open 

 sea surf, large bays. Baits: Clams, mussels, fish. 

 Time and tide: Day and night, flood. 



Weak-fish — Squeteague, Squit. June to October. 

 Haunts: Surf, all tideways. Baits: Shedder 

 crabs, surf mullet, menhaden, ledge mussels, sand 

 laut, shrimp. Time and tide: Day and night, 

 flood preferred. 



Blue Fish — Horse Hackerel. June to November 

 ist ; Haunts: Surf, open sea and large bays. 

 Baits: Menhaden, surf mullet and trolling squid. 

 Time and tide: Daytime; not affected by tides. 



DO WE DEGENERATE? 



Should genial Isaak Walton, patron saint 

 of fly casters, visit this world to try his 

 luck along the purling rapids of his old 

 haunts, I doubt if he would again leave 

 record of his achievements. His degener- 

 ate disciples of the present day would un- 

 doubtedly question the veracity of his state- 

 ments and set them down as fish stories. 

 Why this should be is difficult to imagine ; 

 but it is a fact that, no matter how plausi- 

 ble an account may be given of fishing ex- 

 periences, it is always received cum grano 

 salts. . Knowing this, it is with considerable 

 diffidence that I relate the following true 

 incident : 



Judge B., of San Francisco, a fisherman 



who boasted not a little of his skill with 

 rod and reel, invited a friend, General M., 

 to join him on a trip to Mendocino county 

 for a few days' fishing and shooting. Ar- 

 riving at a farm near a fine trout stream, 

 they concluded to accept the invitation ex- 

 tended to them to eat their luncheon before 

 proceeding to try their luck. The day was 

 warm. On reaching the creek they agreed 

 to separate, one going above and the other 

 below, so as not to interfere with each 

 other. 



The General, working the rapids down 

 stream for a short distance without results, 

 became sleepy. Seeing a large redwood log 

 in the shade, he stretched himself at full 

 length on it, and was soon fast asleep. 

 He had caught only 2 small trout, and 

 these he had strung on a forked stick and 

 placed, together with his rod and line, be- 

 side him. 



The farmer at whose house they had 

 lunched, curious to see what success they 

 were having, strolled down to the creek and 

 found the General asleep. Determined to 

 add a few fish to his guest's catch, he took 

 the rod from beside the sleeping man and 

 went to the creek. In about an hour he re- 

 turned with several dozen trout on the 

 general's string, which he replaced, with the 

 rod and line, just where he found them. 

 Then he retired to the adjacent brush to 

 await developments. Presently the Judge 

 returned in search of his friend. Seeing 

 him on the log near where they parted, he 

 cried, 



"Wake up there, General. What have 

 you been about? Is that the way you fish? 

 How many have you ?" 



The General sat up, rubbed his eyes, and 

 reached down for his 2 little trout, intend- 

 ing to plead weariness and the effect of 

 country air. Finding a string of fish where 

 he had expected only 2, he rubbed his eyes 

 again and looked around to see if any one 

 else was in sight. Then he held up the 

 trout, saying modestly, "That's all I 

 caught." 



"All you caught !" cried the Judge ; 

 "where in thunder did you get them? I've 

 walked 5 miles, and have not half so 

 many." 



"Well," said the General, "you bragged 

 how you were going to beat me, so I put 

 in my best licks." 



When they reached the house, the farmer 

 was there ahead of them, and apparently 

 dozing in a hammock. He held his tongue ; 

 and the General still vows that he caught 

 the whole string. 



Isaak would not have done this thing? 

 Do we degenerate? 



A. V. LaMotte. Ukiah, Cal. 



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