Jaw. 8, i890,] 



Forest and stREAM. 



■ ... ■.. 



The Silver Mullet (Mvgil ourema). 



the deep-water side of channels and streams, the angler's 

 boat being anchored 30 or 40ft. away." 



The Sheepshead (Archosarsus probatocephalus).— 

 This is one of the few common fishes of our coast winch 

 has only one popular name. It is remarkable in a species 

 having such a wide range. 



The sheepshead is not known to occur north of Cape 

 Cod, and is rarely found that far north. In some North- 

 ern waters it is less abundant now than it was half a 

 century ago. Souae Northern localities in which the 

 sheepshead is found in greater or less abundance have a 

 varying supply of this fish. In 1854 Professor Baird 

 failed to find it in Great Egg Harbor Bay, but in 1887 it 

 was not at all an uncommon fish there, and was found to 

 be breeding in several parts of the bay. From Virginia 

 southward its abundance increases, and in the Gulf of 

 Mexico it is very common from Florida to Mexico. 



In the Northern States the species is not found near the 

 shore during the winter, but in Florida and th*» Gulf it is 

 a permanent resident. It is not common in New Jersey 

 after Septembtr. It remains on the South Carolina coast 

 until November. In mild seasons naturally the date of 

 leaving becomes later. The sheepshead ascends certain 

 rivers beyond the limits of brackish water. The species 

 frequents the bottom in the shelter of high barks or the 

 vicinity of submerged log?, wrecks, etc., in moderate 

 depths. On the Florida coast it delights in the vicinity 

 of mangrove roots on which barnacips are growing. 

 From the peculiar structure of its teeth, which are 

 adapted for crushing clams, oysters and other shell fish, 

 we would naturally infer its recurrence in localities 

 where such food can be easily obtained. The young hide 

 under sod banks and in the shelter of leafy seaweeds. 



The natural food of the sheepshead includes barnacles, 

 •oysters, crabs, clams and mussels. It is particularly de- 

 structive to the oyster and may be attracted to a locality 

 by placing crushed ovsters on the bottom. The sheeps- 

 head is greatly affected by the condition of the tide. The 

 best time for fishing is usually during the latter half of 

 the flood. 



Tlia Florida sheepshead are smaller than those in 

 Northern waters, averaging only 3lbs. or olbs. in weight. 

 Some anglers mention Tibs, as a rare siz?, but Silas 

 Stearns claims 20lbs. as the maximum weight at Pensa- 

 cola. In Northern waters the average will reach Gibs., 

 and specimens of I5lbs. are occasionally taken. 



Thanks to Capt. Piatt, of the U. S. Fish Commission, 

 we now have definite information about the spawning 

 time of the sheepshead. Forest and Stream has re- 

 corded his successful development of eggs of this fish in 

 Charlotte Harbor, in the latter part of last March, which 

 resulted in planting about 10,000,GG0 of the young fish. In 

 Great Egg Harbor Bay young individuals of fin. to l^in. 

 in length were seined on the 10th of August, and on the 

 331 of the same month examples about 2in. long were 

 taken at Beesley's Point, N, J. 



The spawning season in Florida is said to continue 

 until May. In fishing for sheepshead the bait should lie 

 on the bottom and must be held down, of course, by a 

 sinker varying in weight with the strength of the tide. 

 Special hooks are made for this fish because of the won- 

 derful strength of its jaws and grinding power of its 

 teeth. Clarke recommends the tautog hook used at 

 Newport, and also the Virginia hook. Spangler uses the 

 largest size Chestertown hook. The short shank hook in 

 use in Great Egg Harbor Bay is one of the best we have 

 been able to find. The line should be light but strong 

 and very free from liability to kink; a twelve-thread 

 Cuttyhunk is recommended. 



For bait? there is nothing better than the clam, which 

 may be used either raw or boiled. Small soft-shell clams 

 are very successful, shedder crabs and hermit crabs are 

 particularly effective, and fiddler crabs, shrimp and 

 conchs are also used. 



•'The sheepshead is as ubiquitous in Florida waters as 

 the catfish. It is very abundant on both the east and 

 west coasts, though rare about Key West. "Wherever 

 there are oyster beds, or barnacle-covered posts or piles, 

 or mangrove roots laden with coon-oysters, the sheeps- 

 head will be found, its food being principally mollusks. 

 It is the most abundant game. fish, in Florida, and is 

 found not only in salt and brackish water, but runs up 

 the streams to fresh water, where I have frequently 

 taken i- t ten or twelve miles above tidewater, Between 

 Cedar K y and Anclote, on the west coast, are several 

 rivers that issue from the base of a high sand ridge in 

 the form of immense springs, 50 to 75 t. deep and an 

 acre or more in extent, Tti^ water of tnese rivers—the 

 Homosassa, Crystal, Pitblachesticootie, Withlacoochie, 

 Weckawachee, etc.— are perfectly fresh, pure and tran- 

 sparent, and sheepshead can be seen in them in great 

 numbers along their entire course, and even at the bottom 

 of these large springs. 



«'At the fishing ranches of the west coast immense 



numbers of sheepshead are taken in the seines and salted 

 with the mullet, and the settlers take them with the cast 

 net whenever they need them. The angler can hardly 

 go astray for sheepshead anywhere in Florida waters, 

 except, as I said before, about the keys near Key West, 

 the waters there being, I think, too salt, and their food is 

 not abundant. About the piles of old wharves sheeps- 

 head can be taken as fast as the angler can bait his hooks. 

 I know of a man taking four hundred on a single tide at 

 the old cattle wharf at Punta Rassa. (I do not mention 

 ibis as a meritorious performance, or a feat to be emu- 

 lated, but to show the abundance of this fish in Florida.) 



The SHEEPSHEAn (Archosargus probatoeephalus). 



•'The Florida sheepshead, however, is smaller than on 

 the Jersey coast, running usually from a pound to five 

 pounds in weight. At the lighthouse wharf on Sanibtl 

 Island, opposite Punta Rassa, they run larger than at the 

 cattle wharf, and at Little Gasparilla, some thirty miles 

 abeve, they are still larger. At any of the inlets or 

 passes of the east or west coast, on the deep-water side, 

 under the mangroves, sheepshead can be taken ad libi- 

 tum, with fiddler bait, which can he scooped up by the 

 peck on the inside beaches of the inlets and bays. 



\ 



The Angelfish (Chcetodipterus faber), 



"For sheepshead fishing a short, stiffish rod is best, as 

 this fish does net give much play, but pulls hard and 

 bores constantly toward the bottom. The 'Little Giant' 

 black bass rod, or a very light striped bass rod are just 

 the tool 5 . An impromptu rod, and one that answers 

 pretty well, can be made in a few minutes from the leaf- 

 stem or mid-rib of a large palmetto leaf, to which the 

 line is to be tied, as a reel, of course, could not be used 

 with a such a rod— and moreover, there is but little use 

 for a reel in 'sheepsheading' in Florida. 



•'The line should he strong, about size E, and the hook 

 should be of the best qu lily to withstand the sharp in- 

 c'sor teeth of the tish; it should have, moreover, a long 

 shank, or else a wire snell should be used for the ^ame 

 rpason. There is a specitl hook called 'black fish hook' 

 that answers a good purpose for sheepshead if the thick 

 barb is kept sharp by a file, otherwise it is useless, I 

 have found the Sproat hook all-sufficient and strong 

 enough even for sheepshead, and prefer it to any other; 

 the size should be 3-0 to 5-0, with gimp snell. 



"The best bait in Florida is the fiddler, and is very 

 easily obtained; it is taken by the fish as readily as clam 

 or crab bait. A whole one is put on the hook (and but 

 one hook should be used), passing it completely through 

 the center of the body. Hook the fish — if you can— upon 

 the slightest nibble being felt, otherwise tou may lose 

 your bait — and you will lose a good many despite every 

 precaution— but then you will be able to take all the 

 sheepshead you need in any event." 



The Red Snapper (Lutjanus blaclcfordii).—Tbe pargo 

 Colorado of the Cuban fishermen in the Gulf of Mex.co is 

 the famous red snapper of Americans. Although long 

 known to the residents of the Gulf States and sparingly 

 shipped to Northern markets for many years, it wa3 first 

 introduced into the literature of science by Goode and 

 Bean as recently as 1878 and associated with the name 

 of the president of the American Fisheries Society and 

 the New York Fish Commission. 



The red snapper is now a familiar and appreciated 

 species in most large cities of the East and helps to cheer 

 the passage across the Atlantic on many ccean steame»s. 



The favorite grounds of this brilliant fish are in the 

 Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Northward on 

 our coast its range extends almost to Cape Cod. Mr. 

 Blackford has recently found the young in Great South 

 Bay. We may say, however, that Savannah Bank is the 

 usual northern limit of the species. 



The red snapper lives among the recks in depths vary- 

 ing from 5 to 45 fathoms, changing its locations some- 

 what with the season. Off Pensacola, we are informed 

 by the xecords of Silas Stearns, it appears to move in- 

 shore in the fall. It consumes an almost endless number 

 of bottom fishes, including many forms that are never 

 seen except in its interior. Crabs and prawns also form 

 a part of its food. 



We have seen red snappers weighing upward of GOlbs. 

 Stearns has recorded the maximum weight at Pensacola 

 as 351 bs. It is rot uncommon to find an average weight 

 of aolbs. in lots of 200 fish. 



There is not a more showy species known to us in 

 Florida waters nor a more palatable one. 



Red snapper fishing is a favorite pastime on the banks 

 near Jacksonville. Off Egmont Key is a famous place 

 for the species. About a jear ago fifteen men, each using 

 two lines, caught nine tons of there fish in a few hours. 

 We have seen the deck of the Fish Commission steamer 

 Albatross covered with red snappers on the Pensacola 

 grounds in a very short time. The areas covered by the 

 fish are usually small and vessels often drift away "from 

 the feeding place in a few minutes. We used groupers 

 and porgies (Calamus sp.) for bait. Almost any kind of 

 bright-colored freBh fish will answer. Dr. Goode says 

 they will sometimes bite at a white rag. The line must 

 have a sinker and be strong enough to withstand the 

 weight and brief struggles of a large fish, or of a pair of 

 large fish, for it is not uncommon to haul up two of a 

 kind. 



The Yellowtaix {Qeyurvs ehrysurus). — This is the 

 rabimbia of the old ichthyologists. 



The yellowtail is an elegant species inhabiting the West 

 Indies, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and ranges 

 southward to the coast of Brazil. About Cozumel it is 

 one of the commoner fishes. 



It is found in moderate depihs and is sufficiently vora- 

 cious to take almost any f re*h bait. At Cozumel we were 

 fibbing with salt mackerel and, doubtless, the silvery color 

 of the skin more than anything else attracted the yellow- 

 tail. 



Poey states that this species reaches the weight of 151bs. 

 Our examples were under 31bs., and we found them very 

 palatable. 



The yellowtail is a bottom fish with a moderately large 

 mouth and a good appetite. "It is common in the waters 

 of southern Florida, and is taken about Key West with 

 sea-cra wfish bait along with the grunts, porgies, porkfish 

 and other pan fish. The same tackle recommended for 

 thp red grouper, and the same baits will do for the vellow- 

 tail." 



The Black Bass (Micropterus salmoides).— The iarge- 

 mouthed black base, known also as the green bass, Oswego 

 bass, bayou bass, jumper, moss Lass, chub, Welshman and 

 trout, is one of the btst known and most widely distrib- 

 uted of our fresh- water fishes. It. extends to the north- 

 west as far as Manitoba and is common in all the Gulf 

 States. In Florida, writes Dr. Henshall, " it is abundant 

 in all fre-h-water lakes, ponds and streams, ard even in 

 the brackiih water at Lie mouths of livers." The species 

 is not indigenous to New England and the Middle Atlantic 

 States. 



It would be superfluous for us to discuss here the babits 

 of the black bass after what Dr, Henshall has written in 

 his exhaustive monographs of the two species. The 

 leaping of the large-mouth has often been referred to and 



