THE SEA BASSES. 
45 
In summer several steamers make daily trips from New York to the 
fishing banks off Sandy Hook and Long Branch. They are patronized by 
thousands of amateur fisherman, who seldom fail to bring back trophies of 
Sea-Bass and scuppaug. 
In the summer of 1832, Captain Lyman Bebe of the fishing smack Mary, 
of New York, discovered a notable fishing bank about twenty miles to the 
eastward of Sandy Hook. 1832 was the year of the “ great cholera,” and 
its progress was the one topic of conversation, and Captain Bebe named 
his new-found fishing ground the “ Cholera Banks.” 
Another famous reef, known as the “ Fishing Banks,” extends from off 
the Highlands of Navesink, past Long Branch, to a point about opposite 
Squan Beach. Both of these are favorite resorts for New Yorkers, who 
visit them on the small excursion steamers. 
An artist, visiting the Cholera Banks thus records his experience : 
“Starting so early in the morning that his eyes are still heavy with 
unexpended sleep, he soon finds himself on the steamer in company with 
a hundred more fellow passengers, some of whom are heavy-eyed and in¬ 
clined to grumble about the hour of starting, while others are cheerful, 
and full of excitement at the prospect of the day’s sport. Down the bay, 
through the Narrows, across the lower bay, and out to sea, steams the little 
craft on which they are embarked. Past the red light-ship, and twenty 
miles due east from Sandy Hook, she runs, and then begins the search for 
the Banks. The pilot takes ranges by several of the big hotels, of which 
so many, have been erected during recent years along the south shore of 
Long Island ; a man in the bows takes soundings; and if the day be clear, 
the steamer is soon brought to anchor directly above the reef, and a hun¬ 
dred eager lines are dropped overboard. 
“ Once at anchor the fun and trouble begin together. It is fun to catch 
fish; but seasickness is among the saddest of human experiences, and 
many of those who have bravely endured the pitching to which the steamer 
has been treated ever since she left Sandy Hook succumb at once to the 
motion that succeeds it as soon as she comes to anchor, and rises and falls 
with regular, ceaseless monotony on the long swells. 
“Apart from these and ridiculing their wretchedness/stand the profession¬ 
als and toughened amateurs, smoking short pipes, hauling in fish, making 
cruel jokes upon the condition of the novices, and thoroughly enjoying them¬ 
selves. They bait their hooks with hard-shell clams, skillfully toss their 
leaden sinkers far out from the steamer’s side, let run fourteen fathoms of 
line, and haul in Sea Bass, black-fish, flukes, rock cod, weak fish, porgies, 
or whatever else comes to hand. Once in a while a line goes whizzing 
through the water with a wild rush, there is a protracted struggle, and an 
ugly customer in the form of a shark either breaks the line and escapes, or 
is hauled on board amid much rejoicing. 
