.lANUARY, 1919 
FOREST AND STREAM 
21 
IS an exception when they do so. It is 
also an important bait for the small 
flounder and is in much demand in the 
winter months by the early fishermen 
who go in quest of this fish. The blood- 
worm is found at the bottoms of all the 
rivers and bays of our middle Atlantic 
states in the alluvial strata and is taken 
by means of specially designed forks. 
Millions of dozens are sold annually and 
many men make good incomes from the 
pursuit and sale to dealers. 
The Skimmer Clam 
He will have them surrounded and sure 
in his own mind of the prize, but if 
slow in motion the fish will leap the cork 
line, and like a flock of sheep each one 
following its leader leave the discomfitted 
netter empty handed. They are a beauti- 
ful, silvery fish, and when prepared prop- 
erly greatly surpass the ordinary sardine 
in flavor. 
The Sand Eel or Sand Launt 
A S a favorite bait when procurable 
the species stands high; in fact, its 
only demerit is the lateness of the 
season in which it presents itself. Were 
it an earlier visitor it is much to be 
questioned if the mullet would have any 
claim to superiority. The fact that it is 
never with us until very cool nights are 
in season is an argument that does not 
favor its general use. It grows to a 
length of ten inches, but is rare of that 
size. About six inches, of the thickness 
of a stout lead pencil is the most com- 
mon size; the belly of a silvery white- 
ness and back of a livid green make a 
combination of colors of great harmony. 
Its peculiar habit of burying itself in 
the wet sand on the bars as the tide 
recedes, there to remain until the ris- 
ing tide calls it forth again, is undoubt- 
edly how its name originated. It is in- 
teresting to walk across those places and 
to see tiny creatures spring from the 
earth at your feet and as instantly dis- 
appear. More interesting, however, is 
the sight when in the water untold mill- 
ions are swimming in vast schools, the 
water fairly quivering, and from below 
the larger fish rushing here and there 
gathering in the helpless launt while in 
the air myriads of small gulls or terns 
with discordant cries feed on them in- 
cessantly, dipping to the water’s edge 
and circling away with its victim in its 
bill. After the arrival of the launt, if 
the weather remains at all favorable it 
becomes a favorite bait for the use of the 
beach fisherman in taking weakfish and 
plaice as well as the occasional bluefish 
that sometimes wanders near. 
The Mossbunker or Menhaden 
N O list of baits would be com- 
plete without including the 
mossbunker, as it is so uni- 
versally termed. It is a good at- 
traction for many of our finest 
fishes, and is largely used in all 
the offshore fisheries. It is the ex- 
clusive bait for the bluefish fleets, 
thousands of bushels being used 
annually. It is, however, its use 
as a bait for beach fishing which 
is of interest here. To use, a sharp 
knife must be brought into play, 
and the fish cut lengthwise, dis- 
carding the head and back bone, 
then a cross section of about one 
inch in width is to be placed on 
the hook. As the flesh is rather 
soft a piece of thread to wrap 
a few turns about the whole bait 
assists materially in keeping it on 
the hook. If possible throw all the 
waste portions to sea as they make 
a slick and attract the passing fish. 
It is always a good blue-fish bait 
and one that can usually be de- 
pended on for the taking of the 
channel bass. In fishing for the 
latter a very liberal portion should 
be used, as much as the hook will 
hold, as this fish is ordinarily quite 
tardy in coming to a feast which 
is not abundant. I have seen many 
of these fish taken when all other 
baits were passed by, only those 
using menhaden being successful. 
In former years striped bass fish- 
ing at Block Island and Cutty- 
hunk was conducted entirely with 
this bait. What the favorite lure may 
be at this date I cannot say. 
The Squid or Inkfish 
I T is only within recent years that this 
bait has held any prominence in the 
angler’s estimation. While it may 
have been used for a long time by the 
offshore boats working among the rocks 
in quest of seabass, it has not had more 
than ten years of special notice among 
surf fishermen. 
While of course it has been known for 
an indefinite time among those wise in 
sea lore, it has never been accepted as 
a particularly good attraction until re- 
cent years. That it enters largely into 
the food economy of the bass, weakfish 
and the mackerel family is to be believed, 
and it is at times a most welcome ad- 
dition to the anglers “kit.” Some of 
the largest bass ever taken along the 
(continued on page 42) 
T his is perhaps too well known 
to need much of a description 
as it is to be found much of 
the time along the beach front 
where it is washed in by the tides 
and where it becomes the prey of 
scavenger birds as well as the fish- 
erman who, other baits failing, 
turns to this when in quest of bass. 
At times this is one of the best 
possible baits to be had. Many 
times have I fished when nothing 
would be noticed by His Striped 
Majesty but the humble skimmer. 
It is much used by the deep sea 
fishermen for codfish and other 
bottom feeding fish. 
The Mullet 
A S a bait fish the small surf 
mullet is supreme. This fish 
must not be confused with 
the striped or southern mullet 
which occasionally comes to us in 
the autumn and is an important 
food fish. The species which is un- 
der discussion reaches a length 
rarely exceeding five inches and is 
most pronounced in character. It 
appears along the seaboard as ear- 
ly as July, but is much more abun- 
dant during August and Septem- 
ber. It ordinarily enters all the 
tidal streams along the coast, and 
is pursued by all the carnivora of 
the sea. Its life is one of con- 
tinual pursuit by every free swim- 
ming fish in our waters. Bluefish, 
weakfish and bonito are ever on 
its trail at the surface, while the 
ubiquitous plaice are continually 
striking it from below. The striped bass 
in the autumn feed ravenously on it at 
times; and it is then that the angler in 
turn gets back at the bass when he dis- 
covers them feeding in that manner, by 
trailing the metal squid rapidly through 
the school. The fish mistakes the metal 
for the mullet and so falls a victim to 
his rapacity. 
In surf casting for the bluefish the 
mullet is used when possible, as it is 
of a size to be used whole by passing 
the hook in at the mouth, then down 
the body, and then through near the tail. 
At night weakfish take the mullet read- 
ily and great catches of them have been 
made on this bait; in fact, all the strongly 
carnivorous fishes of the coast are in 
pursuit of it. The mullet is taken by 
means of casting nets as well as the 
hauling seines and it is amusing to watch 
the not-too-well-posted hand endeavor to 
gather in the mullet with the drag net. 
The old time fisherman was versed in bait-lore 
