FISH AND FISHING. 



ALMANAC FOR SALT WATER FISHERMEN. 



The following will be found accurate and val- 

 uable for the vicinity of New York City: 



Kingnsh-^Barb, Sea-Mink, Whiting. June to 

 September.*- Haunts: The surf and deep channels 

 of strong tide streams. Baits: Blood worms, 

 siiedder 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 Mackerel. June to November 

 1st. Haunts: Surf, open sea and large bays. 

 Baits: Menhaden, surf mullet and trolling squid. 

 Time and tide: Daytime; not affected by tides. 



HOW I STOLE HIS TROUT. 



I was spending a delightful vacation at 

 Ayers', on Lake Duane, in the North woods, 

 and from the lake, the Twin ponds near 

 and the cold spring in the Little Salmon 

 river, into which the lower Twin empties, 

 I had taken many lively trout ; but of all I 

 caught that season no catch was so sensa- 

 tional as the one trout I took at the boat 

 dock just below the hotel. 



Late one afternoon, the ladies having gone 

 to their rooms to dress for supper. I was 

 sitting on the piazza alone, enjoying the 

 delightful atmosphere and watching the 

 changing cloud effects in the West as the 



hour of sunset drew near, the sun having 

 already disappeared behind' the topmost 

 peak of the mountain. After a while I felt 

 inclined to descend the stairway to the 

 landing, and them turned my steps along the 

 shore of the lake toward the boat house, 

 where I could se^ my friend Bronson, the 

 Wall street banker, fishing. By the time I 

 reached the dock I found him taking his 

 rod apart and with an air of impatience 

 preparing to return to the hotel. 



"Hello! what luck?" I inquired. 



"None," Bronson replied ; 'I've been fish- 

 ing here 2 hours without a bite, except 

 these miserable chubs," and he pointed to 

 several specimens scattered about the plat- 

 form. Some he had cut up and used for 

 bait in the endeavor to lure the trout when 

 his best flies had failed to tempt them. 



Spying a particularly good looking piece 

 of chub at my feet I said, 



"It's a shame to waste this good bait. 

 Why not try once more?" But Bronson 

 shook his head and continued his prepara- 

 tions for deserting the place. 



Against the boat house stood a slim rough 

 pole which some boy had cut in the woods, 

 and dangling from its end was a piece of 

 white twine 4 or 5 feet long, to which was 

 attached a large hook. 



I picked up the attractive portion of the 

 chub which Bronson had rejected, put it on 

 the great hook and splashed it carelessly 

 into the lake. Instantly it was seized and 

 I drew out a trout 9 inches long ! Detach- 

 ing it from the line I held it up and said, 



"There is an example of expert angling! 

 Given a long slim sapling, a piece of cotton 

 twine and a hook big enough to catch a 

 pickerel, with a huge chub bait, the result 

 is a trout fit to grace a king's table !" 



I was not congratulated. Bronson was 

 mad. He disgustedly exclaimed, 



"That is the meanest thing I've experi- 

 enced this summer. You come and steal 

 my trout under my very eyes !" 



Laughing at his discomfiture, I replied, 



"Well, let's go up to the house and show 

 the other fellows what an angler can do !" 

 Henry T. Gray, Brooklyn, N. Y. 



WANTS NETTING LEGALIZED. 

 I am a thorough sportsman with gun and 

 rod, but fishing is my specialty and speckled 

 trout are my pet fish. I hope to be able 

 thixugh your aid to change some of the 

 fish laws of New York State. I have fished 

 with hooks, flies and nets and have studied 

 the habits of fishes for 30 years in the 

 Adirondack lakes and streams. What I 

 have learned I am prepared to prove. I 

 have never slaughtered fish needlessly. My 



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