448 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[JUNE SO, 1889 k 



time table is as complex as the weakfish tacMe illustrated 

 in a New York evening newspaper. 



The *teamers crossing the bay from Canarsie to Rock- 

 away Beach make their landing there at Seaside station. 

 This is the last station if the angler comes by rail at 

 which there is a fishing resort. It is the nearest place 

 from which to reach the fishing grounds off Barren 

 Island, and is convenient to several other favorite places. 

 Martin Scbultz, of this place, has for hire twenty-one 

 flat-bottom rowboats at cents a day; three round-bot- 

 tomed boats at 50 cents an hour or $3 a day; one small 

 catboat at $3 a day, and one 21ft. catboat at $1 an hour 

 or %1 a day, including sailing master. Schultz makes all 

 his own boats and guarantees them dry. He reports 

 gond catches of weakfish, blackfish, sea bass, bluefish 

 and fluke. One of his customers, Mr. Charles Newman, 

 of Brooklyn, in one day's fishing recently caught thirty 

 fluke, which averaged two pounds in weight. Schultz 

 always has bait and tackle on hand. 



At Holland station, the next stop above Seaside toward 

 Brooklyn, is Charley Frey's place. He has thirty-seven 

 rowboats at 50 cents weekdays and 75 cents Sundays and 

 holidays; one 22ft. catboat at $0 a day, and one 19ft. cat 

 at $5 a day. He also has one 37ft. cabin centerboard 

 sloop at $l6 a day, which includes sailing master. Frey 

 and Charles Miller caught fifty weakti h at Moxie's 

 Creek at the head of the bay as early as June 8. On the 

 same day Messrs. A. Phillips and J. F. Burke caught 

 twenty-eight large blackfish at the Block House wreck 

 opposite Barren Island. Frey keeps both bait and tackle. 



At Holland station is the headquarters of the Redfield 

 Fishing Club, of which Mr. Andrew Sutton of New York 

 is the president. 



Hammel's station (Willow Grove) is the next stopping 

 place. E. G. Babcock has twenty-two rowboats at from 

 50 cents to $1 a day; three catboats from 16ft. to 22ft. at 

 fjj>3 a day without sailing master or $5 with one, and one 

 20ft. sloop at the same rates. Babcock is a boat and 

 yacht builder and does good work. Bait and tackle can 

 always be supplied. 



M. A. Magerus, at Hammel's station, has fifty row- 

 boats at 50 to 75 cents week days, 25 cents extra Sun- 

 days and holidays; one 21ft. catboat at $8 a day, and one 

 26ft. open sloop at $10 a day, sailing masters included in 

 the last two craft. One day recently Henry Snyder, 

 of Williamsburgh, one of Mr. Magerus's patrons, caught 

 a 71b. blackfish at Block House wreck, and the party he 

 was with took twenty blackfish of an average weight 

 of 41bs. Magerus keeps bait and tackle. 



J. Carle, at Hammel's station, has fifteen rowboats at 

 50 cents week days, 75 cents Sundays and holidays; one 

 13ft. flat-bottom catboat at $1.50 a day: one 16ft. catboat 

 at $3 a day, Bailing master $1.50 extra. He also has a 

 26ft. steam launch, accommodating from ten to twelve 

 persons, at $8 weekdays, $10 a day Sundays and holidays. 



At Hammel's station is the luckiest fishing club on the 

 bay, the Lonesome Six. They are also the jolliest and 

 happiest crowd that exists in all Long Island. Three of 

 them, Louis Diessle, George Groesch and George Roehm, 

 were down the day the Forest and Stream man visited 

 Hammel's, and they had been making a big record. 

 They enticed 17 fluke out of the wet, one more than they 

 coaxed the Sunday before, and their average weight was 

 61bs. The night before they bobbed to get 301bs. of eels 

 but took 401 bs. by mistake. They want to see the Colum- 

 bia Club, of Staten Island, try te beat their fishing record 

 this season. 



At Beachanel, the station between the beach proper 

 and Broad Channel, is T. A. Smith's place. He has thirty 

 rowboats for hire at 50 cents week days, 75 cents Sundays 

 and holiuays. 



At Broad Channel, one of the most famous fishing spots 

 on the bay (get off at Broad Channel station) is Fullers 

 Hotel, Charles Fuller, proprietor. He has seventy-five 

 rowboats at 50 cents week days, 75 cents Sundays and 

 holidays, two flat-bottomed 16ft. catboats at $2 a day, 

 one 19ft. c. tboat at $4 week days, $6 Sundays, one 20ft, 

 cat, same price, and one 2Aft. open centerboard sloop at 

 $6 week days, $8 Sundays. Last three craft are provided 

 with sailing masters. Fuller always has bait and tackle. 

 He will furnish lodgings and the finest fish dinners around 

 the diggings at reasonable prices. Weakfish are being 

 caught in plenty by Fuller's customers. The season 

 opened here very early, Dr. Houghton, of Brooklyn, hav- 

 ing caught 38 weakfish averaging l|lbs. on June 7, and 

 21b. snappers are also plenty. The last of the flood is the 

 best tide. 



Babcock & Rasweiler are also at Broad Channel. They 

 have seventy six rowboats at 50 cents week days, 75 cents 

 Sundays and holidays; four catboats from 13 to 17ft. long 

 at $4 a day with boatman, $J a day without, $1 extra on 

 Sundays; and one 27ft. cabin centerboard sloop at $5 a 

 day for service inside tne bay, $7 outside. Bait and 

 tackle can be procured here, and lodgings at 50 cents a 

 night. Meals can be bad d la carte. 



At Dorman's Atlantic Fishing Station, Broad Channel, 

 there are fifty rowboats at the same price as Fuller's; 

 three flat-bottom catbo -its at $2 a day; one 25ft. catboat afc 

 $7 week days, $8 Sundays; and the handsomest yacht I 

 saw on the whole bay, the Gracie Young, 40ft. over all, 

 with cabin, which is hired at $10 a day with a crew of 

 two. Dorman keeps bait and tackle. His patrons have 

 caught good creels of weakfish, the first big catch of the 

 season being that of Mr. William Chase, of New York, 

 who caught seven weakfish June 7. Bluefish are also 

 caught now in large numbers. Frank Hammond, of 

 Brooklyn, took a 5-pound sheepshead under the Broad 

 Channel drawbridge, June 6. 



The Entre Nous and the Empire, two well know fish- 

 ing clubs, have their headquarters at Broad Channel. 



At The Raunt, the next station above Broad Channel, 

 there are several resorts. Michael Hanson has about 

 thirty rowboats for hire at the prevailing price, and one; 

 35 it. "schooner at from $8 to $l0 a day. 



Christopher Muhr, at The Raunt, has forty rowboats, no 

 sailboats Prices same as at Broad Channel. 



Hamm's Fishing Siation, at The Raunt, has plenty of 

 rowboats at prevailing prices. 



Phdtip Schappert, at Goose Creek, the next station 

 above The Raunt, has fif ty rowboats and some small sail- 

 boats. Prices same as at Broad Channel. 



Tne Amphion Fishing Club, composed of New York 

 business men, is at Goose Creek. 



John D.iy ton, at the Aqueduct station, the first stop- 

 ping place on the bay as you come out on the cars from 

 New York, keeps a small place and has a few boats for 

 hire, Seneca. 



NEAR-BY FISHING.* 



MR. A. M. SP ANGLER, president of the Anglers' As- 

 sociation of Eastern Pennsylvania, has recently 

 published a very useful little pamphlet for the benefit of 

 anglers, telling them where, when and how to go for 

 fresh and salt water fishing within a radius of 100 miles 

 of Philadelphia. The information is intended primarily 

 for the unscientific angler, and includes " something 

 about the habits and qualities of 'near-by' * * * 

 fishes, where they are usually found, when they can law- 

 fully be taken, how to reach their haunts, and the kind 

 of tackle and bait requisite to tempt and capture them." 

 The introductory pages are devoted to a brief sketch of 

 the growth of scientific angling, with the consequent im- 

 provements in tackle, a glance at the depletion of streams, 

 and the steps necessary to replenish them. Then follow 

 directions for taking the yellow perch, the white perch, 

 the sunfish, the wall-eyed pike, the striped bass, the 

 species of black bass, the brook trout, the fall fish, the 

 pickprels, the catfish, the shad, the roach and the carp. 

 Mr. Spangler tells us a great deal about the fishes without 

 circumlocuiion and in very plain terms. 



Salt-water fishing introduces us to the flounder, the 

 blackfish, the weak fishes, the bluefish, the kingfish, the 

 Spanish mackerel, the sheepshead, the sea bass, the spot, 

 the croaker, the black drum, the channel bass and the 

 scuppaug. With very few exceptions the illustrations 

 are good; the small-mouthed black bass and the pike are 

 very poor. We believe a work of this kind should omit 

 scientific names altogether; but the author who insists 

 upon using them should adopt the latest names accepted 

 by competent authorities. The source from which most 

 of the figures were derived would have served equally 

 well as a guide to the current nomenclature. There is, 

 however, so much valuable information in the little vol- 

 ume, that we can afford to overlook its minor defects. 

 Favorite waters for perch fishing mentioned by Mr. 

 Spangler are the Bohemian River, a tributary of the 

 Chesapeake, and Lake Hopatcong in Morris county, New 

 Jersey. Good catches of large yellow perch are reported 

 now on the flats in the eastern branch of the Potomac 

 River at Washington. The creeks near Havre de Grace, 

 Md., are full of spawning perch in February and March. 

 The spawning season is the best time for taking them, 

 and they are then in prime condition. In the lower Po- 

 tomac and as far up as Washington, we find perch full of 

 eggs in April and May. Lake Erie furnished such an 

 abundance of this species last year that the fish were 

 often given away. 



Mr. Spangler tells us that Betterton, on the eastern 

 shore of Maryland, has lost its glory as a place for white 

 perch fishing through the agency of seines and fyke nets, 

 although good scores may yet be made there when the 

 tide and weather are favorable. He recommends the 

 waters at the head of Chesapeake Bay, near Spesutia 

 Island, and various points on the Susquehanna frnm Port 

 Deposit to the Columbia dam. He finds the tributaries 

 of the Delaware River, to considerably above Lambert- 

 ville, full of white perch, which come early in the spring, 

 spawn in May, and then go for a while into deep water, 

 returning later to their retreats under submerged timbers 

 or among the rocks and sand. At the mouth of the river 

 at Beesley's Point, N, J., the white perch is very common 

 in August, but large individuals are scarce in the shallow 

 water. In the salt-water creeks emptying into Great 

 Egg Harbor Bay vast numbers may be taken on the last 

 of the ebb tide, and among them will be many large ex- 

 amples. The tidal rivers and salt creeks of New Jersey 

 are almost everywhere well supplied with this fish. At 

 Somer's Point some of the fishermen call it ''yellow 

 perch," and sometimes pronounce it "peereh." The finest 

 fish at this place are caught in gill nets in winter. 



Mr. Spangler names shrimp, soft-shell crabs, earth- 

 worms, minnows, sturgeon spawn and pieces of fish as 

 baits. We have never found anything better than the 

 first two of these. 



For pike-perch, or wall-eyed pike fishing, black bass or 

 striped bass tackle is suitable. Minnows are the most 

 killing bait, but insect larvae, small frogs, worms, tad- 

 poles and crayfish will not be refused. 



Mr. Spangler states that the striped bass ascends the 

 Susquehanna as far as Columbia, but before the dam was 

 built they ran up to Luzerne county. Almost any town 

 along the Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad is the best 

 place for this species, individuals weighing 201bs. being 

 frequently taken. The best months for striped bass fish- 

 ing at Port Deposit are June and July. In the Delaware 

 River, on the Pennsylvania side, he mentions the outlets 

 of Pennepack and Neshaminy creeks as good localities, 

 and says that the species ascends to Lambertville. On 

 the New "Jersey side there are numerous creeks which 

 contain striped bass nearly all spring and summer. At 

 Somers Point, on Great Egg Harbor Bay, the mouths of 

 the rivers and creeks in the vicinity are moderately good 

 places for this fish. About the middle of September 

 fish weighing 2 or 31bs. are pretty freely caught with a 

 hook at the mouth of Tuckahoe River. In the Potomac 

 the striped bass runs tip to the Great Falls, eighteen miles 

 above Washington. On the Susquehanna Mr. Spangler 

 mentions salted eel tail as a favorite bait, and has found 

 the spoon or spinner effective, although not equal to live 

 minnows. Early in the morning and late in the evening 

 are the best times for fishing and clear water is essential 

 to success. The tackle must be selected with reference 

 to the character of the water and the size of the fish. A 

 well constructed rod, a multiplying reel and about 100yds. 

 of 9 or 12 thread Cuttyhunk line are recommended for 

 this species. 



The history of the introduction of the black bass east 

 of the Alleghanies and its rapid increase in that region 

 are briefly sketched. The bass is defended from its de- 

 tractors, and its merits, from the angler's standpoint, are 

 recounted. The localities for black bass fishing in the 

 Delaware and Susquehanna rivers are so numerous that 

 it is scarcely necessary to name them. Little Washing- 

 ington, on the Susquehanna, and a half a dozen other 

 places below it on the same road, are especially noted, 

 and Lake Hopatcong, in northern New Jersey, is a cele- 

 brated bass ground. Mr. Spangler prefers an 8 or 9ft. , 

 10 to 12oz. split-bamboo rod. Among the wooden rods he 

 recommends bethabara. lance wood, greenheart and dag- 

 ana. He advises the use of a rubber multiplier reel with 



* "Near By" Fresh and Salt Water Fishing, or Angling within 

 a Radius ot One Hundred Miles of Philadelphia. Where to go. 

 When to go. How to go. By A. M. Spangler, President of the 

 Anglers' Association of Eastern Pennsylvania. Witb numerous 

 illuatrations. Philadelphia, 1889. Pp. 96. 



a check, capable of holding 50 or GOyds. of waterp: 

 enameled line, size G. For baits minnows, stone cai 

 lampreys, crawfish and helgramites are in general i 



Brook trout streams in northern Pennsylvania are 

 tically limited to Monroe, Pike, Luzerne and Si 

 counties, the first two preferred. Bedford, Blair, ( 

 Huntingdon and Miffln also contain some trout, 

 small number of brook trout are found in Cumber 

 county, where also rainbow trout have recently 

 introduced with some success. Henryville, Mo: 

 county, furnishes good fishing. Canadensis, reai 

 from Cresco, is another of the places mentioned. ForiS 

 Station is a good fishing center. Streams entering tm 

 Delaware in Pike and Wayne counties, Pennsylvania, are 

 recommended by Mr. Spangler, as also New York tri|M» 

 taries of the upper Delaware. The Mongaup is especially 

 mentioned. The Shohola and its upper tributaries and 

 most of the creeks falling into the upper La cka waxen am 

 celebrated waters. Masthope and Calicoon creeks affojga 

 fine fishing. From. Hancock many renowned streams o! 

 Sullivan county, New York, are reached. The authrij 

 names the following choice flies for northeastern Peiiqi 

 sylvania: "Epting, queen-of-the-waters^black-gnat, wkitt 

 and royal-coachman, Cahill, Beaverkill, red-hackle, Ira 

 brie, grizzly-king and Montreal." 



The pike, which is Esox lucius of the books, is tqM 

 found at May's Landing, Millville, Atsion, Spring MjJM 

 and in Lake Hopatcong; also in some branches of Forkaj 

 River, New Jersey. The spoon and live bait are the rnoa 

 successful means of catching pike, and cloudy days, earll 

 in the morning and late in the afternoon, are best for fisljj 

 ing. The chain pickerel, Mr. Spangler remarks, is nam 

 readily taken by skittering and trolling, the former mettiji 

 ing "jerking or drawing the bait along the top of 53 

 water," and called ''bobbing" in Florida. 



Mr. Spangler passes on to the catfish, the shad, the roast 

 and the carp. The last he finds in Woodbury Creek* 4 

 tributary of the Delaware, in the Neshaming and tit 

 Penny pack. He refers to its capture in the Susquehanna 

 The common red worm is mentioned as the most killing 

 bait, and grains of wheat, peas, bread crumb paste ai 

 partially boiled macaroni are effective. Light bass 1 

 is recommended and the line is to be kept on the bo; 

 A gut leader, a very small hook and a small bar 

 essentials. For salt-water fishing a rod about 7.1ft. 

 is the most suitable, and Mr. Spangler recommends 

 an extra rod be carried to provide against accidents, 

 advises tl* use of a nine-thread cable-laid hemp lint 

 a smooth-running reel that will not corrode, and hoi 

 about 100yds. of line. Leaders and snoods cf gut 

 superior to all others. Tightly twisted snoods ate i 

 avoided because they will unravel in salt water. Di] 

 must be varied with" the strength of the tide, their wi 

 ranging from -Joz. to 4oz. A reel for drying 

 necessary for their preservation. 



The first of the fishes in Mr. Spangler's marine li 

 the flounder, a ubiquitous species of moderately ^ 

 table qualities. It is to be found in all the bays al 

 the coast from Virginia to Labrador, arriving on m 

 New Jersey shores in April, and leaving late in the fa$ 

 Small hooks must be used, and generally on the bottoijji 

 but one species of flounder may often be seen catchm] 

 minnows within a foot or two of the surface. Tki r 

 species (Paralichthys denial us) is one of the best for tBB 

 table; it may be seen cautiously rising in the shadow of' 

 pile when small fish are schooling about the wharf, 

 suddenly darting into the midst of the school.it s 

 one of the fish and slowly descends to the bottom 

 its prey. In such places live bait will be very success: 

 The species figured by Mr. Spangler is called wii 

 flounder at Somers Point because the adults are 

 abundant in winter than in summer. During the spavfil 

 ing season, which is in January and February, this fisl9j 

 at its best, and is really delicious. The summer flow 

 at Somers Poiut is the fish whose feeding habits we 

 described above; it is common in all parts of Great 

 Harbor Bay. 



The blackfish, or tautog, is a very free biter, frequent 

 ing submerged timbers, rock-strewn tideways, and &i 

 borders of meadows where the water is deep and tlietlfjj 

 moderate. It comes in April and continues to take 

 hook in suitable waters until the middle of October, m 

 its mouth is very small and the jaws strong, the hoofe 

 should be small and stout. Mr. Spangler recommendj 

 the Chestertown, and would suspend the hook about on 

 foot from the bottom. Crabs, sandfleas and fiddler craft 

 are good baits; hermit crabs and soft crabs are still muV 

 taking. The scales can be removed readily after dijfc 

 ping in strong vinegar; but it is better to skin the fislll 

 At Somers Poiut the tautog is called smooth blackfiftBl 

 The weakfish, or squeteague, has been caught by Mi J 

 Spangler at Cape May early in May, gravid females oi)Ijl 

 taking the hook. They arrive at Atlantic City and BafJ 

 negat Bay two or three weeks later. They remain on 

 coast until September, when they begin their migrafflW 

 southward. After the middle of September the fisbinjl 

 from Somers Point is almost entirely in the ocean net 

 the inlets. One method of angling for weakfish iSwH 

 means of a float and small sinker, keeping the hook orira 

 two or three feet from the surface. For fishing in frOM 

 two and a half to five fathoms we are advised to usb^ 

 sinker heavy enough to keep the line taut and 

 lower bait on or near the bottom. "At a snell's lengjf 

 above the sinker loop a single snell on to the line an. 

 3 or 4t't. further up a 2 or 3ft. leader, or a single lengji 

 gut snell. The lower hook should be smaller than jp 

 upper, as the chances are largely in favor of capturiffll 

 hake or kingfish while angling for weakfish." WeakfifM! 

 seek their food in the channels during flood tide aiM 

 retire to the deep water during the ebb. The latter haH| 

 of the flood and beginning of the ebb afford the best fi'sfi 

 ing, and night is the best time. Soft and shedder craft 

 are excellent baits, but shrimp, clam, mussel, shiners, afl] 

 a piece of the throat or eye of the weakfish are all use 

 with good results. Cape Mavis recommended for tS) 

 earliest fishing on the New Jersey coast. Later in m 

 season Slaughter's Point, Ship John Light, Fortesefli 

 Beach, Bay Side, and the "Shell Beds" opposite FishftJI 

 Creek furnish good sport. 



The erratic bluefish is on the coast for a varying perifcii 

 depending on the temperature of the water and tl 

 presence of its food; but generally lasts from the first ti 

 June until late in October. The outfit for fishing _ HI 

 eludes a strong cotton line about 300ft. long, a brigC 

 metal squid and a pair of woolen or leather gloves r 

 prevent injury to the hands from the friction of the lhii 

 A sailboat and a good breeze complete the requisites I?| 



