September, 1918 
531 
FOREST AND STREAM 
taken at all stages of the tide. They do, 
however, seek out the deep cuts or slues 
and feed much at the bottom, but when 
they are in their favorite waters and at 
night particularly they are frequently taken 
from the flats. Like all other marine ani¬ 
mals they search over all bottoms when in 
quest of food. 
A S before stated the fish usually confine 
themselves, while along the Atlantic 
coast, to the southern parts of the 
state, rarely appearing in any great num¬ 
bers north of Barnegat inlet, at least close 
in along the beach. That the future of this 
fish to the market men and to the public in 
general means much is to be believed. 
While but little appreciated as food and 
like many subjects which have lain dormant 
for a great period, when the proper effort 
was made to place it in an attractive man¬ 
ner before the public, acceptance was 
prompt and with satisfying results to the 
promoter. The anglers in the years gone 
by have taken great pleasure in sending 
their catches of this fish to charitable insti¬ 
tutions in the nearby cities; they are wel¬ 
comed there for other than economic rea¬ 
sons, as the food is wholesome and makes 
an agreeable change of diet for the inmates. 
The angler, having equipped himself as 
described, should seek out a deep slue or 
cut along the beach—if possible between 
two bars—and fish patiently along the 
whole cut, allowing his bait to work from 
the points where the water is breaking to 
where it will lie quietly at the bottom. 
The best time of the day is doubtless the 
very early morning hours or from sundown 
to well into the evening. This seems to be 
more important than the stage of the tide 
Whatever bait is used always let it be gen¬ 
erous in quantity. As this writing deals 
with September conditions it may be re¬ 
garded that the flood tide of this class of 
fishing is now on. The first of the run was 
taken at “New Inlet” late in June when in 
company with Joseph Cawthorne and Har- 
tie I. Phillips I made the initial endeavor 
of the season. 
If the reader will trace down a shore line 
map of New Jersey he will find below 
Barnegat inlet “Beach Haven.” Then on 
down six miles toward Atlantic City “New 
Inlet,” one of the most remarkable as well 
as favorable fishing points along the coast. 
It can be reached by boat only as there are 
no roads reaching it at present and Beach 
Haven is the nearest point by rail; but 
there are always boats to be had at the 
latter place as well as good hotel accom¬ 
modations. 
This arm of the sea setting in wester¬ 
ly has the remarkable depth of more than 
fifty feet a half mile back from the shore 
line and casting is easy no matter where the 
wind holds nor how great the velocity. 
Even though the surf may be tumultuous 
the waters are always quiet at the point 
where fishing is the best, albeit a strong 
tideway sweeps in and out creating a 
strong tide-rip or cross-current. This is 
the favorite fishing point as it is just here 
where the fish gather to secure their food. 
Having heard much in favor of the 
place, we three old timers at the game, in 
company with Theodore Everitt, who kindly 
furnished his motor boat for the trip, made 
the initial endeavor of the season. 
Our lines had not been in the water 
more than ten minutes when I heard a 
shrill whistle from Cawthorne and saw his 
reel fairly flashing fire as the line went 
seaward, making the tip of his rod nod 
back and forth in unison with the surges 
of the fish. Away out yonder where the 
tide-rip is setting breaks the bronzed, bur¬ 
nished warrior of the Atlantic coast, using 
all the cunning known to fish craft to dis¬ 
lodge the restraining hook. Sounding deep, 
he endeavors to unset the hook at the bot¬ 
tom, then at the surface he can be plainly 
seen striking viciously at the leader with 
his broad tail, all making a picture to de¬ 
light the heart of the enthusiast. The 
watch is held on him and for forty-eight 
minutes the battle is kept up, each one 
of them earnest and anxious for it is never 
known how well the quarry may be hooked. 
But when a master hand controls the rod, 
no matter how great the cunning or resist¬ 
ance of the victim nature must yield; 
finally the beauty is brought to the sands, 
there are just thirty-three pounds of him, 
all bull-dog and glory. And the man who, 
behind the footlights, has made millions 
laugh now wears a smile of contentment 
that no professional conquest could bring. 
After being duly weighed and photographed 
the fish is turned back into his native ele¬ 
ment again to face the joys and dangers 
incident to his life. 
While the battle was on other rods were 
busy with the smaller kinds, weakfish, 
croakers and kingfish were taking the hook 
and all were in anticipation of a heavy 
weight at any moment. On his next cast 
Cawthorne’s whistle was again heard and 
again the rod played all sorts of antics. 
This battle was not so prolonged nor so 
strenuous; a thirteen pound striped bass 
had taken his bait and was an easier vic¬ 
tim. Later in the afternoon I was reward¬ 
ed with a strike and after a good run of 
several hundred feet lost him. Then 
Phillips, who is always doing something, 
hooked a shark but after a struggle taking 
out about seven hundred feet of line he cut 
himself loose and was gone. 
The following morning while fishing at 
low water I felt a peculiar drawing on my 
line, and then a sort of picking hard to 
describe. Cawthorne’s advice was “just let 
him have it and when he gets ready he will 
let you know he wants it” and at that 
moment he did. How that channel bass 
did go! With but six hundred feet of line 
on my reel and about five hundred feet out 
and still going, I was becoming anxious; 
but he had reached the tide-rip and there 
was where he wanted to fight. And fight he 
did; again forty-eight minutes was the time 
of landing and thirty-one pounds the 
weight. Battles like these are destined to 
live long in the memory. 
L ATER in the season many members of 
our club visited the “inlet” and all are 
enthused with what it offers and pro¬ 
duces to the angler. At this writing there 
is a movement on foot to erect a lodge on 
the point for the use of fishermen, and if it 
is carried out will be hailed with delight as 
there are no accommodations there at pres¬ 
ent. I will take pleasure in answering any 
inquiry in relation to this spot as my opin¬ 
ion is that it will speedily become one of 
the most famous points for many varieties 
of fish along the entire Atlantic coast. 
Mr. Hulit snapped in the act of bringing home his catch 
