164 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[March 14, 1889. 



DRUM FISHING AT BEAUFORT. 



AMONG the considerations which allured me to Beau- 

 fort, last March, was this, that within easy distance 

 of my rooms at Beaufort I could at any time or tide, be 

 reasonably sure of some very fair fishing for various 

 styles of pan fish, "boats and bait supplied," and that 

 but a few miles away were the best drum fish grounds on 

 the coast of the United States; that the drum had began 

 to run and large ones were taken daily. This was about 

 March 20 to 30. 



The evening of my arrival I sat aloue on the porch 

 with my pipe and listened to the gossip of a party who 

 afterward showed themselves to be mighty huuters, 

 ardent anglers, warm friends and excellent yarn spinners. 

 Their yarns were of the field and flood. One, a captain, 

 gave vivid description of a battle royal between himself 

 and hounds with a wildcat, which he pictured as a lynx- 

 like beast, standing very tall, wonderfully ferocious, 

 whipping the entire pack, at last subdued only by the 

 intervention of some negro cur coon dogs. Another, a 

 colonel, told of a deer hunt where the odor of a rattle- 

 snake was accompanied by the starting of his horse, then 

 on a stand, his discovery that near the fetlook was a 

 single drop of blood, his hurrying toward an open 50yds. 

 away, on reaching which the horse staggered, fell, and 

 died in agony. Another, also a captain, told of his 

 struggle with a broken-legged, throat-cut buck. An- 

 other, a governor — so they called him — made a good 

 raise on every story told, till finally the subject of fishing 

 led quickly into drum fishing, and there it staid. 



Then I heard for the first time— I heard it often enough 

 afterward — that no gentlemen could catch a drum; for 

 although surrounded by boats of successful negro fisher- 

 men, the drum would not, could not, be induced to associ- 

 ate with the whites. Stories of fishing trips always end- 

 ing in failure were rife, at which I, some little distance 

 from the group, quietly smiled into my pipe, as I thought 

 over the halibut and cod, groupers and snappers, lake 

 trout and bass, and many great Alaskan fishes with 

 names known only by Messrs. Goode, Bean & Co., that I 

 had coaxed up from the wet, in nearly every country 

 where fish and fishermen exist; and I thought to myself, 

 just wait, I'll show you; for of the various reasons as- 

 signed none seemed to me satisfactory. 



The next day, under the auspices of my friend Lieu- 

 tenant Lyman, who has command of the Naval Station 

 on Paris Island, fully outfitted with gear and plenty of 

 fresh prawn, I set out on my first trial. In his comfort- 

 able, roomy catboat, the Yum-Yum, we made quick work 

 of the eight or ten miles which separated the station 

 from the fishing grounds at the mouth of Broad River, 

 and anchored in the midst of a fleet of boats of all de- 

 scription, from little batteaux, small for a couple of men, 

 up to big sloops carrying a dozen each. We fished faith- 

 fully for five hours all around us. Drum ranging from 

 thirty to ninety pounds were being hauled into other 

 boats. Lyman insists upon it that he had a bite. I did 

 not, at least none that I knew of. My hook came up bare 

 several times, but that I laid to crab3, toadfish, anything 

 but drum. 



That evening talking over the day's experience, after a 

 jolly terrapin bupper, Mrs. Lyman suggested a reason for 

 our non-success. She with her family had sailed down 

 in another boat and made us a biief visit , and, backed by 

 them all, she now declared that we two had kept up such 

 an incessant, and at times loud conversation, in regard to 

 naval affairs, which we were settling in accordance with 

 our own views, that, first, no fish with the sense of hear- 

 ing would have come near our boat; second, that if one 

 bit, we were so occupied in other matters that we did not 

 know it. Several times she had spoken to us, and had 

 received no reply, or one that had no connection with the 

 question asked. Admitting, simply because it is not 

 pleasant to radically differ from one's hostess, that this 

 reason was the reason why we two gentlemen caught no 

 drumlish, the solution covers only this particular case. 

 The group again gathered the next evening after supper. 

 This time I was one of them. Although I was still con- 

 fused as to the proper distribution of names, I was quite 

 sure to hit somebody by simply saying Captain, Colonel 

 or Major. The subject reverted to drum fishing. Sev- 

 eral gave in their experience, which in nearly every case, 

 while injurious to their reputation as fishermen, did no 

 damage to the claim of being gentlemen. It was the 

 same old story: 



Darkies to the right of them, 



Darkies to the left of them, 



Darkies all around theta. 



Hauled in the drumflsh. 

 They didn't get a bite! One old salt, Captain Willets, 

 had been temporarily suspected of ungentlemanly con- 

 duct. On his first trip he was one of a merry party in a 

 tug, and had made a wager that within a given period 

 he would secure a dnimfish. With the others his line 

 was over the rail soon after anchoring. When the others 

 got tired and went into the cabin he would not leave his 

 line. Presently sounds from the cabin induced, him to go 

 in for a minute; he remembered his bet and slipped out 

 to his line, with but ten minutes left to win in. His 

 thought!' ulness was rewarded. Within the time he had 

 hold of a good fish, which after due playing was brought 

 to the surface amid much advice and encouragement by 

 the old fishermen, .who had rushed out to see the fun. 

 Just then one of the excited spectators cried out, "Well, 

 I'll be dog goned if I ever see a drumfish come up before 

 with his insides all cleaned out." And a boat with two 

 darkies was detected paddling away. I have this from 

 the captain himself, therefore know it must be true. The 

 story suggested to me a probable clue. 



This clue I had in mind when a few days after I, too, 

 was a member of another party on board of the same 

 tug, the Bristol, the guest of Messrs. Brotherhood and 

 Gillem of the phosimate works. We anchored as near the 

 right place as our draft of water would allow. Half 

 a mile from us a fleet of boats were anchored. Two or 

 three of our most ardent anglers took one of our boats, 

 and pulled away across Broad River to join the fleet. The 

 rest of us kept several men busy for a while in fitting out 

 and baiting for us. Then came an hour or so of uninter- 

 rupted quiet. 



By and by the boat returned with several drum, but 

 while one gentleman did claim that he had himself caught 

 the very smallest, it was noticeable that no one asserted 

 as positively in regard to the others. And although all 

 claimed that the negro boat, which had been seen along- 

 side of their boat, had supplied them with bait, no one 

 asserted positively that bait was all. 



A few days after this I made my third trip; and by 

 making use of the knowledge I had gained, I was suc- 

 cessful. Lyman invited me to go with him. It was 

 a perfect day for fishing, cloudy, wind off shore, tide 

 just right, a delightful day at the station. We fitted out 

 a small boat this time, notthe Yum-Yum. and started— by 

 proxy. Two darkies went out and fished for us, and 

 adopting the course of reasoning on which many Adiron- 

 dack and Maine lake stories are based, we caught three 

 fine fish; the colored men were our guides, and of course 

 their catch was ours. Most every woods visitor will 

 admit the correctness of this. 



One other reason for the failures of white fishermen is 

 simply lack of skill, due to lack of experience. The 

 drumfish are caught in water from 20 to 30ft. deep; ex- 

 cept for a brief interval the tides run strong; except the 

 wind is off shore there is considerable sea. Expertness 

 is necessary to enable a fisherman, fitted with heavy 

 hand lines, sinkers from 1 to 21bs. weight, line bellying 

 one way with the tide, another by the wind and jerked 

 in all directions by the pitching of the boat, to detect 

 even a strong bite, much less that of the drum, which 

 bites very gingerly, frequently sucking out the meat of 

 a crab, leaving but an empty shell. Then if one is 

 hooked, the mouth is very tender, and a tyro is very apt 

 to lose his fish. The season for fishing lasts but two 

 months; the colored fishermen go every day and work 

 hard all day. The Southern gentlemen are not fond of 

 many hard days' work in succession, hence gain little ex- 

 perience, and the colored brother outfishes him at his 

 best. Sometimes the negroes are so successful that 200 or 

 300 drum, from 20 to 80 or 901bs. each, are brought to the 

 market. Then down goes the price, and a quarter will 

 buy a big one. Prawns, clams and crabs are the baits in 

 order of value, the first named comes with and goes 

 before the drum, the others are always to be had. Early in 

 the season the prawns only are used, and it is said that 

 these fish will take nothing else. My experience, I think, 

 justifies me in advising those who cannot go drumfish- 

 ing in the Bristol to go by proxy, as we did. Piseco. 



P. S.— The drum is a coarse stupid fish not worth 

 catching. 



A FISH STRINGER. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I send you with this a fish stringer, such as I have used 

 with great satisfaction. It is not patented, and is not in- 

 tended to be, my only motive being to bring it to the no- 

 tice of the craft, that tackle makers may make them at a 

 cost so reasonable that every fisherman, especially every 

 black bass fisherman, can afford to add one to his kit and 

 enjoy it, as I have done. 



It is pre-eminently the thing for boat fishing or when 

 wading the stream for black bass. The stringer consists 

 of a leather strap, to which are attached wire snaps. It 

 is used as follows: The leather loop is passed around a 

 seat or otherwise made fast to the boat. The free end of 

 the stringer, with the snaps attached, is thrown over- 

 board. The wire loops are kept on an extra snap in the 

 boat. When a fish is taken the loop hook is passed 

 through both (remember both) lips of the fish and the end 

 sprung into the keeper. The fish is now held by the 

 wire loop; the end of the stringer is taken from the 

 water, the loop-ring placed in one of the snaps, and the 

 fish, now secured, is placed in the water. Thus one after 

 another may be added to the string, each independent of 

 the other, to be towed around for the time, with great 

 pleasure to the fisherman and no doubt with a great de- 

 gree of comfort to the fish. When wading, the stringer 

 and wire loops may be fastened to the belt, and the free 

 end of the stringer allowed to trail in the water. 



There are many things to recommend this over the 

 ordinary stringer. It is permanently attached to the 

 boat or belt, so that it may not slip from the hand while 



stringing a fish. The light lace-leather strap is very 

 strong and not liable to cut in two on the edge of the 

 boat. A fish is strung in less than half the time required 

 in the old way. The beauty of the catch, either in the 

 water or on shore, is greatly enhanced. But the main 

 thing is the humanity of the device. Instead of the fish 

 being jammed down one upon another on a common 

 string, often strung through one lip, and oftener through 

 the gills, and literally dragged to death, on my device 

 each bass may swim along on his own little wire loop, 

 open and close hia mouth, breathe naturally and disport 

 himself in a limited way, until with his mates he comes 

 ashore to be mercifully bled to death by the thrust of a 

 sharp knife through the tail. This is fair treatment of 

 the noble captive while living, and he should only die by 

 the knife. Out on the so called sportsman who allows 

 his boatman to club his game to death or who throws his 

 catch in the boat or on shore to gasp and die with the 

 blood in, It is not only brutal, but the fish so killed is 

 not fit for food. 



The sample I send, though ans wering every practical 

 purpose, is crudely made with such tools and materials 

 as I have at hand, but an expert wire worker could make 

 them very neatly either in brass or German silver. The 

 lace-leather strap I find the best, being light and very 

 strong, and may be replaced by a new one with little 

 trouble at any time. There should be twelve snaps on 

 each stringer and twenty-four loops, as on a large catch 

 two or more loops may be placed on each snap. 



If some good tackle maker will take this up and make 

 them for the trade I have no doubt, from my experience, 

 that many fishermen would use them, and I will take 

 pleasure in aiding their introduction in any way I can. 



Indianapolis, Ind. Eli LILLY. 



[Mr. Lilly adds in a letter: "In regard to bleeding fish 

 in the tail, the fish certainly bleed more freely and die 

 quicker than when bled in the gills, and I fancy they 

 keep better and have a better flavor. Bass caught, kept 

 and killed my way, dressed with the bones out, broiled 

 or baked with dressing, and sent to the table hot, hotter, 

 hottest — well, they are good enough. By the way, we 

 Black Bass people say you must always spell Black Bass 

 with two big Bs."] 



TUCKERTON WATERS. 



HI.— TACKLE. 



TN the adaptation of tackle to the fish sought for lies 

 JL part of the interest of fishing. He who holds a line 

 or pole with no judgment whether one kind of rig or 

 another is best, and no knowledge as to what kind of fish 

 is most likely to be attached to his bait, misses most of 

 the pleasure of fishing. 



If one goes only to catch fish, a stout hand line and 

 heavy dip rig will generally bring the best results. But 

 it is not angling. This of necessity implies a pole. The 

 angler's outfit for salt water includes rod, reel, line, hook, 

 leaders, sinkers, floats and landing net. The first thing 

 to determine on is the line. Get the finest that you can 

 afford which will lift 12 to 151bs.; 60 to 100yds. of it wilt 

 do for bay fishing. Now, fine lines are expensive, and 

 the salt water soon weakens them. If used frequently it 

 will lose half of its strength in a month. A coarse line 

 holds its own better. The great drawback to bay fishing 

 is the strong tides. The finer the line the less does the 

 tide tend to carry it away: the less lead, therefore, is 

 needed to hold it to the bottom. The amount of lead 

 depends upon the size of line, the strength of the tide 

 and the depth of the water. The weight of lead in its 

 turn determines the stiffness of the rod. Four ounces of 

 lead requires a very stiff rod. Two ounces is compatible 

 with considerable spring of rod, and one ounce is still 

 better. My practice is to use two ounces, and when the 

 tide gets too strong for it, either to drift with the current 

 or stop fishing. Four ounces, with a stiff, strong pole 

 and fine line will do most anywhere. The best plan is to 

 have an assortment of sinkers, and change them as the 

 tide changes. If a heavy lead is U3ed on a light pole 

 strike very cautiously, or the rod will break. A large 

 fish will generally hook himself by the simple spring of 

 the rod, but the small ones will not. It is better to let 

 these escape than to risk a broken joint. Sometimes 

 eddies may be found where there is little current, and 

 quiet water may always be had at the turns of the tide. 

 At these times for an hour or two very light tackle may 

 be used. 



In fishing with a float it is still desirable to use a fine 

 line, for the drag of the water on it is much less. If the 

 bait may float near the surface it does not pull very much, 

 and a very light rod may used. If the bait is large, and 

 must be sunk some feet by a sinker, the combined action 

 of bait, lead and float will need a stiff er pole. When the 

 line is liable to be clogged by seaweed, a very limber pole 

 is likely to be overstrained. In all cases use the lightest 

 lead and smallest float that will answer. The more line 

 below the float the less lead is needed to bring it to any 

 required depth. 



When a float is used, any kind of a large, strong reel 

 will do, but for bottom fishing the reel should be light 

 enough to let the line down without any help. For this 

 large-barreled plain reels are excellent. 



There are two plans for adjusting the sinker. One is 

 to place it at the end of the line, with the hooks fastened 

 at suitable^listances above it. The other is to have the 

 lead above the hooks, and to raise it from the bottom far 

 enough to bring the hooks in the right position. This 

 last is the best. Where the hooks swing free below the 

 lead they are less likely to tangle, besides they remove 

 the bait as far as possible from the rest of the tackle. In 

 general let there be one or two feet of line below the 

 sinker, and let as much of it be leader and snood as can 

 be afforded. It is much cleaner than line, and does not 

 twist up so easily. It is better to use two hooks; then if 

 one bait gets taken there is still something left. Let 

 these hooks be of different sizes, and usually baited dif- 

 ferently, so that the fish can have some choice. For 

 barb or kingfish the bait should lie on the bottom. For 

 seabas«, blackfish and porgies it should be on or just 

 above the bottom. For weakfish it is better two to six 

 feet up. It is often desirable to have two hooks at the 

 end of the line, and one swinging two feet out, some 

 three or four feet from the bottom. 



For many years I only used Chestertown hooks. They 

 are strong, and hold bait better than any other hook that 

 I know of, but they are a little clumsy and not very sure 

 in hooking the fish. I have more recently adopted the 

 Virginia hooks with satisfactory results. The smaller 

 sizes are particularly nice. You can bury it in the small 

 bait, and yet on the jerk it will strike clean and sharp 

 against the fish's mouth. For small-mouthed bottom fish, 

 as porgies, spots, cunners and blackfish, No. 8 is about the 

 size. For barb, seabass and large blackfish use No. 4. 

 They will also do for weakfish when baiting with shrimp. 

 For weakfish generally use Nos. 2 and 1, while for striped 

 bass with soft crab bait use No. 1 or even larger. These 

 or similar hooks on double gut are quite expensive, and 

 I buy the hooks and gut separately, by the hundred, and 

 snood up the different sizes as they are needed. In using 

 a long minnow or sand eel or strip of fish for striped bass, 

 two hooks are advisable, one through the head of the 

 bait and one through its middle. For the lower place, a 

 treble book can be used to advantage. The bass often 

 seizes the lower half of the bait and starts off so quickly 

 that he does not have time to get the whole bait in his 

 mouth before he feels the resistance of the tackle. His 

 movements are so quick that it is impossible to give him 

 time before striking. 



