298 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[May 2, 1889. 



FISHING NEAR NEW YORK. 



III. — THE NEW JERSEY COAST. 



THE coast of New Jersey, from Perth Amboy along 

 the shores of Raritan Bay and what is known as 

 Lower New York Bay to Sandy Hook and along the ocean 

 front from the Hook to Barnegat Bay, is a prolific fishing 

 ground. Barnegat Bay— at least the portion of the Bay 

 where the best fishing is to be had — is so far removed 

 from the city by distance that it will scarcely pay the 

 New York fisherman to attempt a battle with the denizens 

 of its shallow waters unless lie goes for more than one 

 day. Toward the close of this series of papers it will 

 perhaps be well to give a directory of resorts that require 

 more than one day to visit on a fishing excursion, and in 

 that case a report of the angling at Barnegat Bay will be 

 given. By taking the "'newspaper train" which leaves 

 New York at about four o'clock in the morning, Bay 

 Head, at the northernmost end of Barnegat Bay, can be 

 reached at about eight o'clock, but good fishing on Barne- 

 gat Bay is not to be had north of Tom's River, eight miles 

 south of Bay Head, and the very best is at Beach Haven, 

 which is twenty-eight or thirty miles from the head of 

 the Bay. The fact remains that the most excellent 

 angling along the whole New Jersey shore is in the 

 waters of Barnegat Bay, and it will pay a New Yorker 

 who can spare a week or more in late summer or fall to 

 spend it at Beach Haven or among the islands at Little 

 Egg Harbor. 



The fishing resorts along the whole New Jersey coast 

 may be reached by the trains of the New York & Long 

 Branch Railroad. This road runs from Perth Amboy to 

 Point Pleasant, which is only one and one-half miles 

 from Bay Head on Barnegat Bay, trains connecting at 

 the former place for all points along the bay as far south 

 as Tom's River. The road runs no trains of its own, but 

 is operated jointly by the Central Railroad of New Jersey 

 (foot of Liberty street, New York) and the Pennsylvania 

 Railroad (foot of Desbrosses or Courtlandt streets. New 

 York). The Central Railroad of New Jersey runs the 

 most frequent way trains, and is therefore, as a general 

 rule, the most advantageous for the fisherman to take. A 

 new time table for the summer went into effect upon 

 both roads May 1, and trains run at short intervals until 

 late in the fall. To reach the resorts on Sandy Hook the 

 New Jersey Southern Railroad is taken. This road is 

 operated by the Central Railroad of New Jersey, and runs 

 from the Sandy Hook pier to West End or Hollywood 

 station (Long Branch), and from Red Bank to Port Mon- 

 mouth and Atlantic Highlands. It also has a connecting 

 branch from Branchport (on the New York & Long 

 Branch Railroad) both north and south. Resorts on 

 Sandy Hook may be reached by taking either the steam- 

 boats from Pier 8, North River, to Sandy Hook Pier and 

 Atlantic Highlands, or the C. R. R. of N. J. from foot of 

 Liberty street to Branchport, and there changing to the 

 trains of the New Jersey Southern, running north along 

 the Hook. Steamboats also run from the city to many 

 of the resorts, and they will be mentioned in then- proper 

 places. 



Of what may be properly called coast fishing the nearest 

 is reached from Perth Ainboy, which is at the mouth of 

 both Staten Island Sound and the Raritan River, and 

 overlooks Raritan Bay between the south end of Staten 

 Island and the shores of Monmouth county, New Jersey. 

 However, there is excellent weakfishing in Staten Island 

 Sound only two miles north of Perth Amboy, near what 

 is know as Boynton Beach, a favorite resort for Sunday 

 school scholars during the picnicking season. To reach 

 Boynton Beach take the Central R. R. of New Jersey to 

 Sewaren station (round trip fare, 85 cents), and walk 

 southerly along the shore of the Sound a short quarter 

 of a mile to the Beach. It may also be reached via the 

 Pennsylvania R, R. to Wood bridge (round trip fare, 80 

 cents), and thence stage (fare 25 cents) direct to Boynton 

 Beach. Here Howard Tappen has forty or fifty excellent 

 boats, renting from 75 cents to $1 a day, and he can also 

 be relied on for bait during the season. Fish over toward 

 the Staten Island shore where the stakes in the water 

 mark oyster beds, or better still ask Howard where to go, 

 as on certain tides there are choice spots which are known 

 to few, but with which he is perfectly familiar. If you 

 bring your own bait get shedder crabs. I have known of 

 many catches of weakfish at this place running up in the 

 fifties and sixties for cne boat in one day's fishing, and 

 the fish average over a pound in weight. Meals can 

 always be had at Boynton Beach (European plan), and at 

 Sewaren near the station is a large hotel where prices 

 range from $2 a day up. No liquors are sold at Boynton 

 Beach, and it is a good place to take one's family for 

 a day's outing, as there are swings, bathing houses, shade 

 trees and a dancing platform. 



For Perth Amboy take either the Pennsylvania Rail- 

 road or Central Railroad of New Jersey (fare, round trip, 

 $1). From the station it is twenty minutes' walk to the 

 shure of the Sound, or stages and hacks will carry you 

 for ten cents. Captain Woglom keeps boats to rent at $1 

 a day, but he has only a few rowboats. If you cannot 

 get boats from him inquire of Captain Thomas Liddle, 

 the oldest and most skilltul pilot of the port, whose house 

 is but a few yards from Captain Woglom's, and he will 

 tell you where you can get a boat. Captain Woglom has 

 a good cabin sloop which may be chartered, and there are 

 several oystermen close by who rent boats, but none of 

 them makes a business of it. Bring your own bait (shed- 

 der crabs) from New York, as you cannot always be sure 

 of obtaining it here. Perth Amboy is near famous weak- 

 fish grounds, on the oyster beds of Raritan and Prince's 

 Bays. A good place to fish is near Buoy 10, around the 

 point of Staten Island, or nearer shore about a mile 

 further in Prince's Bay. Directly off Prince's Bay Light 

 (not the Great Beds Light, which can be seen from Perth 

 Amboy) is a good place. Porgies and the exasperating 

 'toadfish" are plenty here, and will consume enormous 

 quantities of bait, so it is best to bring a large supply. 

 The summer bluefish or snap mackerel will often take 

 the hook when fishing for weakfish, especially if the tide 

 is running smartly, and as they are apt to bite right 

 through a gut snell it is best to tie your hooks on gimp. 

 From Perth Amboy good striped bass grounds may be 

 reached in Raritan River, a little above the long draw- 

 bridge, for which sandworms should be used as bait. 

 The fishing iu Raritan River will be treated of fully in 

 another article. 



The next resort along the line of this route is at Cheese- 

 quake Creek. Morgan station (fare, round trip, $1.15) is , 

 at the drawbridge crossing the creek, and a hundred | 



yards up stream on the creek's banks is a quaint old inn, 

 two hunched years old, kept by Chaxles Applegate, known 

 all over New Jersey and by many prominent New 

 Yorkers as "Pop" Applegate or "Uncle Charley." There 

 are only half a dozen boats for hire here, at from 50 cents 

 to $1 a day, and for three out of the six boats there are 

 regulax patrons every Sunday throughout the season. 

 There is good striped bass fishing in the creek, but like 

 most of the haunts of striped bass, very little success can 

 be expected on the first visit. An angler will require 

 several visits to learn the haunts of these fish at various 

 tides and under different conditions of weather and water. 

 When the bass run up the creek in huge schools, as I have 

 f requently known them to do, the veriest novice can 

 catch two score of theni in a short time, but the bassing 

 at other times is uncertain for the "tenderfoot." For 

 general directions I would say try the hollow of the first 

 betid above the inn close to shore, the "deep hole" at the 

 mouth of Stump Creek or under the railroad bridge. If 

 the water is muddy, go up the creek for nearly or quite a 

 mile. No bait except shrimp can be had on the ground. 

 Kingfish are caught near the jetties at the mouth of the 

 creek, and so are weakfish. One day last fall Uncle 

 Charley brought in half a boat load of weakfish from 

 three hours' fishing off the mouth of Margaret's Creek, 

 only a short distance from Cheesequake. Meals and 

 lodging may be had at the inn for a small party at the 

 rate of $1.50 or $2 a day, and no better cooking or nicer 

 beds can be found. Only a few trains stop at Morgan 

 station, so it is best to make careful inquiries about trains 

 before planning a trip. The Central trains are the ones 

 to take in the morning, but trains of both roads stop for 

 the return trip at night. 



The next place is at Keyport."" Take trains of the route 

 already mentioned to Matawan (round trip fare $1.25), 

 and horse car (fare 5 cents) to the Keyport steamboat 

 dock, where boats can be hired at 50 cents to $1 a day. I 

 have fished a good deal around Keyport with very little 

 success, although I have known of many good catches. 

 There are striped bass in Matawan Creek, but I have fished 

 faithfully myself for three days in succession without 

 catching anything but toadfish and eels. Out in the bay 

 there are places where good catches of weakfish and snap 

 mackerel are made, to which the man who rents you the 

 boat will direct you. At James M. Butler's Mansion 

 House, near the water, good board may be had at .$2 a day 

 and upward, and any one who mentions Forest and 

 Stream to the Mansion House proprietor will be welcome 

 to not only the best in the house but to good, honest infor- 

 mation about the fishing in the vicinity. Keyport may 

 also be reached by steamer Minnie Cornell, from foot of 

 Vesey street (round trip fare 50 cents), at 3 P. M. every 

 week day and 8 A. M. every Sunday, making the run in 

 two hours. 



From Red Bank (same rail route; fare, round trip, 

 $1.50) several fishing resorts may be reached on the Nave- 

 sink or North Shrewsbury River, a beautiful stream. 

 There is excellent fishing for weakfish, flounders, summer 

 bluefish (snap mackerel), and sometimes kingfish, striped 

 bass, eels and plaice below Red Bank about three miles, 

 at Fair Haven (four miles below) and "Oceanic (six miles 

 below). Plenty of flounders are caught now, the other 

 fish in summer. It is best to rent boats at Fair Haven or 

 Oceanic, for which place stages run from all trains (fare 

 25 cents), as these points are near the best fishing grounds ; 

 but if you wish to row three or four miles along the lovely 

 banks of the river to the fishing grounds from Red Bank, 

 or prefer to "angle" with a chunk of meat for the fat 

 crabs which abound near the railroad bridge, Avalk back on 

 the track from the depot to the bridge and rent a good boat 

 for 50 cents a day from "Peter," a German who has a 

 dozen boats here on the south side of the railroad tracks. 

 At Fair Haven and Oceanic boats can be rented at from 

 50 cents a day up, and bait (shedder crab) can be had if 

 you happen to run across one of the hundred "crab boys" 

 who make a business of "scapping" soft shell and shed- 

 der crabs, which are very abundant along shore at low 

 tide. The fishing grounds are well out in the stream, the 

 best near the north shore. I have fished these waters a 

 good deal, and never without success. Below Oceanic, 

 around the bend, where the tide runs briskly, the sum- 

 mer bluefish are caught by trolling with small bone 

 squid, an eel tail or anything almost that is bright and 

 will twirl. I have caught them by anchoring in the 

 swiftest current at the edge of the channel and allowing 

 the hook (no sinker) to play at the end of a long fine, and 

 I caught my largest ones one summer evening with a 

 piece of lemon peel for squid. All these resorts may be 

 reached by steamboat from foot of Franklin street (round 

 trip fare, 80 cents). At present this boat leaves New 

 York afternoons, but in the summer and fall two boats 

 run, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. 



Port Monmouth and Atlantic Highlands may be reached 

 by New Jersey Southern Railroad from Red Bank (fare 

 from New York, round trip, $1.50), or by boat from foot 

 of Rector street (fare, $1). The steamer William V. 

 Wilton also makes the run from foot of Canal street to 

 Port Monmouth (fare, round trip, 60 cents), but she does 

 not leave her pier at any set time. Bullinger's weekly 

 Monitor Guide gives her time for the current week of 

 issue. At either of these resorts weakfish are caught, 

 and blackfish of good weight on the reefs and wherever 

 there is a sunken wreck. They appear first about May 15, 

 and bite near the bottom on shedder crabs or clam bait. 

 They weigli from lib. to 121bs. Large sheepshead are 

 often taken here. Use strongest hooks bent on gimp or 

 piano wire, heavy sinker (resting on the bottom, with 

 hooks above it) and shedder or clam bait. Boats can be 

 rented at Ailantic Highlands at $1 a day at the hotel, and 

 for less at Port Monmouth, but at the latter place there 

 are few boats. 



Highland Beach, on Sandy Hook, and the Navesink 

 Highlands, across the Shrewsbury River, are good points 

 from which to reach the fishing grounds opposite Sperm- 

 aceti Cove. Take trains from foot of Liberty street and 

 change at Branchport (fare, round trip, $1.55), or boats 

 from foot of Rector street to Sandy Hook pier, thence 

 New Jersey Southern railroad (fare, round trip, $1.20) to 

 Highland Beach. Boats can be rented at Highland 

 Beach pavilion, close by the depot, at $1 a day. Nave- 

 sink Highlands, or the Highland Lights, connecting with 

 Highland Beach by a bridge across the Shrewsbury, can 

 be reached by the steamers Elberon at 9 A. M., or the 

 Sea Bird at 2 P. M., from foot of Franklin street (round 

 trip fare 60 cents), and boats may be hired at the steam- 

 boat dock at 75 cents a day. To reach the fishing grounds, 

 where weakfish, summer bluefish. blackfish and kingfish 



are caught, row down stream about a half mile or a mile, 

 j and fish on either side of the grassy island at the mouth 

 of the Shrewsbury River. 

 I Surf fishing for striped bass along the ocean coast is 

 delightful sport, and I have known of bass being caught 

 by this method weighing over thirty pounds. September 

 and October are the best months, but I have heard of 

 good catches in late April and during May. The cast 

 must be made standing on the beach or in the surf up tu 

 one's waist, and it must be made 100ft. or more so as to 

 drop the bait just outside the line of breakers. Menhaden 

 or "rnossbunkers" are the best bait for this fishing, and 

 the reel should hold from 300 to 400ft. of line. The rod 

 should be about eight feet long, made of two bamboo 

 joints, and a leather thumbstall is necessary so that the 

 line will not cut when stopping the cast or playing the 

 fish. The best place I know of for this sport is the beach 

 above Long Branch, and a good plan is to make head- 

 quarters at Snyder's "Old Homestead" at Branchport 

 (round trip fare, by rail $1.50; by steamboat Elberon 

 from foot of Franklin street 60 cents), and walk from 

 there over to the beach. Hotel rates are $2 a day and 

 upward. If the fisherman goes to Long Branch direct he 

 is no nearer the fishing ground and has to endure the 

 stares of the dudes and dudines of the swell hotels. Plat- 

 forms were erected on the beach here last fall for standing 

 on to cast, and I presume they will be there this season. 

 Another good place is Sandy Hook, reached from foot of 

 Rector street by boat to Sandy Hook pier (round trip $1), 

 thence a walk across the Hook to the beach. Other 

 famous places below Long Branch are Key East (round 

 trip, by rail, $2), and Ocean Beach (round trip, rail, $2). 



On the public fishing piers at Long Branch and Asbury 

 Park there is fair fishing for striped bass and occasion- 

 ally sea bass and big porgies. There is a yearly prize 

 given by Mr. James H. Bradley, of Asbury Park, for the 

 biggest fish caught off that pier. From Asbury Park 

 and Long Branch there are daily excursions to the Little 

 Banks, where sea bass, striped bass, ling, bluefish, cod, 

 pollock and other varieties are caught. The Banks fish- 

 ing will be described in another article. Seneca. 



Note. — Since the last article was prepared the writer 

 has learned that there is a steamboat running to Roas- 

 ville, S. I., and Perth Amboy, N. J., from the foot of 

 Vesey street week days at 10 A. M. Fare, round trip, to 

 either place by the Meta, forty cents. 



A DAY AT THE GROUPER BANKS. 



Editor Fo7 % est and Stream: 



Looking oyer a late issue of the Forest and Stream 

 I noticed an interesting article on recent explorations in 

 the Gulf of Mexico, and it put me in mind of a pleasant 

 day spent on the Grouper Banks, whicli lie eight miles 

 due west from this place. We chartered a fine schooner, 

 the Asa Lowe, which is owned and sailed by Capt. Lowe, 

 an old fisherman. The party consisted of five gentle- 

 men, Messrs. Starr, Gentry, Phillips, Tate and the writer. 

 This expedition had been planned and attempted many 

 times, but on account of high sea outside or no wind we 

 never could catch any groupers; so when we announced 

 the evening before that we were going, every one laughed, 

 and some said, "I should really like to see a giouper." 



The morning broke, cloudless and as calm as could be, 

 but we went down to the Lowe, and waited until 8 

 o'clock before a ripple came on the water. Starr, who is 

 a very enthusiastic fisherman, but had his doubts about; 

 grouper fishing, was for giving it up then and there; but- 

 as we saw a sloop waiting for a breeze half a mile fromi 

 the wharf, and she had started at six o'clock, we thought 

 we would stick to it a little while longer. Well, after 

 many tacks, we managed to go out the little pass, beating- 

 the other boat, for the Lowe is a remarkably swift sailer 

 in all kinds of weather. The gulf lay like a lake, as blue 

 as the sky, with scarcely a ripple on the surface. As we 

 lazily rose and fell on the swell, we thought of the people 

 on shore watching and laughing at us, and determined 

 not to put back, even if we had to stay all night and 

 anchor behind the breaker bar. At noon we were not 

 more than four miles from shore or from the keys. The 

 shore lies two miles inside the keys. The lead showea 

 six fathoms of water and no groupers, as at this time of 

 the year the fish lie in deeper water, from ■ eight to ten 

 fathoms. We ate our dinner and whistled for a steady 

 breeze. At last the captain began to overhaul his sound- 

 ing fine, and at once every one was on the qui vive. 

 No more sleeping, no more yarns, when we may be over 

 the banks. The old captain stood on the port bow and 

 threw the heavy lead directly aft for about 3ft. , and then 

 with a forward swing sending it 30ft. ahead. The line 

 sang as the lead sunk and then stopped paying out. The 

 captain looked at the bottom of the lead, shook his head 

 and said: "Sand." A groan went up from us all. He 

 cast again. "Rock! Luff her!" The sails shivered and 

 the jib came down. In an instant, and before the 

 Lowe had lost her headway, every line was in the water. 

 The line used is a heavy cotton one, which has a heavy 

 sinker at the bottom and one or more hooks fastened 

 above. The fishermen never anchor, as the flukes 

 catch on the rocks and they are unable to recover the 

 anchor. 



The manner of fishing was entirely new to me, so I 

 will describe it, for it may be the same to others. The- 

 hooks are baited with a large piece of cut fish and the- 

 sinker is allowed to strike bottom. Then it is lifted and[ 

 dropped. This is kept up all the time while fishing, so. 

 as not to allow the sinker and hooks to catch on the: 

 coral. The jerks made by the sinker sliding from one 

 piece of coral to another resemble bites, and Gentry had 

 a hard time, for he was constantly pulling up his 60ft. 

 of line, protesting that he had a fish on, but he got awa y. 

 Of course every one was eager to catch the first fish. 

 The luck was with me, for I felt a decided pull and after 

 some little play landed a large grunt. Another groan 

 went up, as we were not out after grunts. The captain 

 said: "Where there are grunts of that size you will find 

 groupers," and sure enough, for Phillips began to haul 

 in groupers as fast as he could, single and double catches, 

 while none of us caught anything except grunts. We 

 tried to explain it by saying the fish saw our white lines. 

 Phillips was using a very fine line, and consequently 

 was obliged to wear gloves, as the line cut his hands 

 badly. 



The writer caught a splendid lOlbs. grouper, and then 

 we drifted off the rocks. We filled away again, and 

 found another bed of rocks, and began fishing. Gentry, 

 who up to this time had not caught a single fish, sudden- 



