

Sea and River Sishing. 
FISH IN SEASON IN NOVEMBER. 

SOUTHERN WATERS. 
Pompano. Trout, (Black Bass.) Sheepshead- 
Snapper. Drum, (two species.) Tailorfish. 
Grouper. Kingfish. Sea Bass. 
Rockfish. Striped Bass, Rockfish. 
Ge eS 
—I» the next number of this paper we shall give a very 
comprehensive article on the fish of southern waters, a, 
subject which the best informed sportsmen and naturalists. 
khow little of. Books treating thereof are extremely rare, 
and with the exception of Holbrook’s estimable work, give: 
but limited information. A pleasant and useful book, 
however, was that of Chas. E. Whitehead, Esq , the worthy 
and efficient secretary of the ‘‘Sportsman’s Club” of this 
city, but it is unfortunately out of print and the angling 
fraternity is anxiously waiting for the want to be supplied 
by some authority equally well informed and trust-worthy. 
—The New Orleans Picayune of last week says:— 
Our fish markets were never better supplied than at pre- 
sent. Red fish, red snappers, black fish, sheepshead, floun- 
ders, salt and fresh water trout, brim, striped bass, pompa- 
no, river cat, shrimps and oysters are abundant, and at 
reasonable prices. But the market fluctuates and we often 
find fish scarce and high. The fisheries on the Gulf coast 
are capable of gréat development, and the door is open for 
profitable investment. As far back as 1829°a dozen Span- 
ish fishermen, living at Charlotte Harbor, paid to the 
United States Collector at Key West $5000 a year for ton- 
nage, light money and duties on salt. In 1831 their ex- 
ports were valued at $30,000. They confined themselves 
to drying and salting and converting the offal into oil. 
Another branch of the business—supplying the Havana 
market with fresh fish—was in the hands of the Yankees. 
In 1832, thirty smacks, owned chiefly in Connecticut, were 
engaged in the business, and their annual earnings were es- 
timated at $120,000. It is a singular fact that no first-class 
fish pond exists along the northern coast of Cuba, and the 
supply is obtained on the Florida Keys. The canning of tur- 
tle, the curing of fish and converting the offal into oil and 
into fertilizers, all along our Gulf coast, from Vermillion 
Light to the Balize, and from the Chandaleurs to Tampa. 
Bay, must become an important industry. 
Fishing through the ice is a pastime that serves to vary 
the monotony of a long and dreary winter, and when the 
ice is smooth and in good condition for skating, is really 
enjoyabie. With a large bright fire blazing on the ice near 
at hand, and the body glowing delightfully with vigorous 
and not too violent exercise, it is exhilirating sport to ‘‘tend” 
the scattered tilts and tip-ups when the fish bite freely. 
With the blood in freest circulation, one scarcely feels the 
cold of the freezing water on his hands, and when he has 
unhooked his fish and tossed it toward the stiff and rigid 
pile already caught, he cheerily gives his arms a thresh to 
quicken the warmth, and darts away with lengthening 
strides to obey the signal that another fish has struck. 
When the day is calm and without wind, one can get as 
much amusement out of this pastime as he ever can with 
his sakmon rod and reel. The simplest kind of a tilt isa 
lath or narrow piece of board, with a hole bored through 
one end, through which a round stick is run with both ends 
resting on the sides of the hole in the ice. The line and 
bait are attached to the short end of the tilt, and when the 
fish ig on his weight tips up the longer end and gives the 
signal that he is caught. In our last we describedan im- 
proved tip-up’ invented by A. Mowry, of Putnam, Ct., 
which gives better play of line, besides hoisting a signal 
flag easily seen. Another contrivance is to plant supple 
saplings at the sides of the fishing holes, and when the fish 
is on he is detected either by the motion of the sapling or 
by its being bent low by dead weight. 
But neither of these methods compare with that of spear- 
ing fish in winter, but the latter requires so much skill and 
dexterity that it may be included with legitimate sports. 
A. correspéndent whose knowledge of backwoods devices 
seems unlimited, sends us a sketch from his own ex- 
perience of a primitive mode of spearing. He, with two 
friends, is fishing at a lake near Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. 
He writes: 
We were arranging our tip-ups one forenoon, when C. 
said, ‘‘I wonder how the ‘Injun’ method would work here? 
Let’s try it.” We proceeded to the blacksmith shop and or- 
dered a three tined spear, which under C.’s direction was 
constructed so that the spear part was loosely fitted in the 
socket of the shaft, and also attached to the same by strong 
cord, giving about a foot or more of play to the tines when 
it was displaced. I did notsee the object of this until he 
explained that if we struck a 80-pounder or so we would 
be more apt to hold him that by the simple strength of 
the staff. While the spear was being made, C. whittled out 
a decoy from the handle of abroomstick, which after being 
blacked, and loaded with lead, and with tin fins, eyes and 
tail attached, looked nota little like a small shiner. When 
tied with a string about a yard in length to a short stick, 
and the stick jerked up and down the minnow would play 
in the water beautifully. We then got a sugar hogshead, 
sawed out a hole on one side large enough for one of us to 
crawl in and out, rolled it on the ice a short distance from 
a point in the lake where C. said the big fish cruised round, 
cut a hole in the ice about two-thirds the diameter of the 
cask, and turned over it our impromptu obscura. I crawled 
in, and placed my back to the hole, thus shutting out the 
light, and the effect was magical. Away down through the 
depth of the clear water, I could see the weeds and mosses, 
with here and there a shell or bright pebble on the bottom. 
FOREST AND STREAM. ~ 
Placing a foot on each side of the hole with my spear in my 
right hand, I commenced playing my minnow for my first 
mnscalonge. I don’t know how,long I had been at work, it 
could not have been long after quiet was restored, when 
something came in view athwart the hole beneath me, and 
made a lazy nip at my moving bait. It looked so large, so 
monstrous, (full four inches across the head,) that I never 
once thought of my spear or my business, but sat with open 
mouth and staring eyes. Of course my bait stopped play- 
ing, and with a whirl and flash he was gone. ‘‘By jingo,” 
thought I, ‘‘that was a fish; just let him try that trick 
again,” and I commenced to twirl the decoy once more. It 
was certainly not more than two minutes before either the 
same fish or his brother shot athwart my vision. I drove 
the spear at him, but in my excitement only tore off a few 
large scales, and put one of my legs into the water up above 
my knee, coming very near going in all over myself, and 
my second prize was gone. J began to get mad, and pro- 
posed, should such another opportunity present itself, to be 
| as cool as said water had felt about my pedal extremities. 
T had not long to wait before in came a bouncer, into whose 
back just behind the head I put the three tines of that spear. 
Then stooping close down I backed out of the hogshead 
dragging my prize after me. And he was a beauty, a sev- 
enteen pounder, not an ounce less. I tried it again, and in 
fifteen minutes I had another. It was enough. With one 
in each hand by the gills I dragged them to the village, and 
at the grocery they were weighed, and they brought the 
scales down to thirty-three pounds, and I think four ounces. 
After that we made it a business for several days. We 
built a small movable house on the ice, in which we rigged 
up a small stove, had cushioned seats, and other things com- 
fortable, and the way we did slaughter those muscalonge 
was asin anda shame. Thus were we the first, I believe, 
to introduce on Beaver lake that style of fishing. Others 
followed us, and I heard after I left that the destruction. 
was so great that the citizens had to interfere and put an 
end to the practice entirely. 
You will probably say that that was not a sportsmanlike 
way of taking a game fish, but I tell you it was exceedingly 
exciting, and a two or three pound fish brought out the 
science, for they came in and were gone like a streak of 
lightning, and one had to be especially quick to secure them. 
The big ones seemed too logy or lazy for a quick motion, 
J ACOBSTAFF* 
—There is another interested correspondent who wishes 
to add his experience in fly-fishing for black bass:— 
Aupany, November 15th. 
Eprror Forrest AND STREAM :— 
T have fished in the Mohawk for a number of years, and. 
have never yet been able to take a black bass with the 
fly. I have repeatedly taken them by trolling with a fly of 
my own manufacture, said fly having grey body, white 
wings and two small round porcelain buttons for eyes. I 
have tried time after time to get a rise from a cast, but never 
yet succeeded even when the bass were jumping all around 
after small white bugs, which swarm in myriads at certain 
times of the season, At such times chances for getting a 
mess of fish are rather slim. I think the black bass of the 
Mokawk is far more dainty than his brother of the lakes, 
and possesses more game qualities. He is not as black in 
color or as thick in body, but is certainly longer. I sup- 
pose being in swift water causes the difference. A few 
years ago while in New York making purchase of fishing 
tackle, I was presented with a blue fly by that finished 
fisherman, Andrew Clerk, which he was anxious I should 
try, as Thad informed him I was not able to take a bass 
from casting; but I was no more successful with that fly 
than with my other. Next season I shall try the cast again 
and if successful will drop youa line. Ihave not among 
any of your many correspondents seen a word of the noble 
Mohawk, a river which is increasing every year in the num- 
ber and size of its black bass; we hear of their being caught 
of four and five pounds weight, although the largest that I 
have caught weighed two pounds and thirteen ounces. As 
a general thing a string of seven or eight will average ten 
to twelve pounds. 
As I have mentioned before, the Mohayk black bass is 
a dainty chay, and you must have a variety of bait for him. 
We use grasshoppers, crickets, small frogs, grubs, minnow’. 
firesh water crabs, as they are called, although they are 
shaped like lobsters, and above all the dobsell. I don’t 
know the scientific name for it, but if you do you can give 
it. They are obtained in the river under the stones, and 
are sold by the boys for from three to five dollars a hun- 
dred according to supply and demand. I have caught bass 
on young bullheads about the size of my finger when I have 
been out of all other bait. WEEK 
—Spencer F. Baird Esq., of the United States Fish Com- 
mission, in a letter to the New York T%mes, acknowledges 
the receipt of some rare specimens of fish received from 
New York. Mf Baird writes as follows:— 
These fish sent are respectively the Hphippus Gigas, or 
angel fish; the Balistes Capriscus, the trigger fish, and the 
Pepritus Gardenii, or harvest fish; the first mentioned being 
the very large, broad, and silvery specimen; the second, the 
still larger, dark colored, rough scaled species, and the 
third, the smaller one, looking something like the young 
pompano, 
Very little is known of the habits of these fish or their 
distribution, the first mentioned, or angel fish, occurring 
over considerable extent of the American coast, and in the 
summer season very abundant on the coast of South Caro- 
lina and Georgia. The trigger fish is very widely distrib- 
uted, occurring both in the Pacific and Atlantic, and very 
common in the Mediterranean Sea, fhough less frequently 
found on the American coast. 
The smallest species is a native of the Atlantic coast of 

tropical America, but has never been found further north 
than New York. It is figured on page 75 of De Kay’s 
Fishes of New York, as ‘‘ Rhombus longipinnis,” and it is 
quite closely allied to what is called the harvest fish, Poron- 
otus Teiacauthus, and very common along our coast from 
New York to Penobscot Bay. 
 Mihletie Pastimes. 
S Secretaries of University and College Athletic Clubs will please mar 
their reports not later than Monday in each week. 


—The Billiard Tourney at Chicago, which has been in 
progress for the past week, terminated on the 22d instant, 
and the full score below shows who won and lost the games 
played :— 













SS ices: Nags s|s/2)| 8s 
oS Bop Os.) tS Sa Re & 
Garnier” Sy), nse cea E 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 
TIDGSER fas eee ese ees 1 a Poa 1) i 1 1 1 6 
CDM eta eetees ost s 0 0 2 1 1 1 i 5 
DALY oes, eraeeis een eile 0 0 0 1 1 1 it 4 
JOCAILON Menieaaeunl-ies hemes 0 OT Oa 0 1 1 1 3 
SlOssOMY RT con t-ham obese 0 O10.) 20.4) to 1 14.2 
| 
Bessunger..... PAS A ep | 0 0} Oy 0) Oy 0 ee 
Btiydenaaremceree: shetces 10 OMe t0u! DiN.0 dnO ata 0 
I 1 
otal aGos.. shiners. 1 | 1 | 2728 4 | 5 | 6 7 | 28 




—The last game of the Chicago Billiard Tournament 
came off on November 22d between Ubassy and Garnier, 
was won by the lattcr in the forty-first inning. The score 
was as follows:—Garnier, 400; Ubassy, 293. On the twenty 
first inning, when the score stood 156 for Garnier and 134 
for Ubassy, the umpire, A Smith, decided there was no 
count for Ubassy, though a majority of the witnesses said 
it was a plain count. 
end the game, but after a moment’s reflection decided to go 
on. Subsequently Ubassy claimed ‘‘no count” on Garnier, 
which the umpire allowed against the general opinion. 
Ubassy became so angry that he refused to shake hands 
with Garnier after the game. 
Garnier, 63, 71, 31; Ubassy, 21, 38, 42. The averages were: 
—Garnier, 9 31-41; Ubassy, 7 6-41. Garnier takes the first 
prize, Ubassy the second, C. Dion the third, Daly the 
fourth, J. Dion the fifth. 
—The Chess Tournament of the Brooklyn Club is rapidly 
approaching its termination. Thus far over a hundred 
cames have been played, and the meetings on Wednesdays 
and Saturdays are largely attended by members. Up to 
November 24th the record of games won and lost stood as 
follows :— 













s iS | 8 
Vie slelal g/elelelsielelEelglele] a 
SEE /EIS/SISIEIRISISInIZle[g)| 8 
IEISIS IB ISISIERIGINIAISISIEIAl<| & 
TUNEL. sass. cee an ee | [ede ibe ajo 4d teeiee | ms he 4 
Merian os ease cris es Sh 2 
PETE | dossis's bares Pale seh 2 Al {1 0 {1 1|1 2 9 
Dill ee tet Weds aoe a aMadOntat 1). 14 
Barnethsa.ieite: -. a a hk eee Ne a 2 9 
BOAVCP sco sistance ws F 0 
Wiorthc itr Meee asks | Jue 
Bl well silage vs svi ee ae LUT ila! sre ese eaiae alee Ay 7 
Phillip.....-... Mie be 1/112 ]../4 1 JLT ad Qa as 
Js QUUDOZ he cietset (lol's Pies ee Fa BE |2 |. 1 5 
Delmar ease kak Pes MMU Mar ph (2 2 Ale 9 
Gilbery, ceig es A Ado dice alll ochedGee AINE Leona peas 
MES SPUN OR: AS /pas Wale Hell tevin ele tl] Self erat parse 1 
THAYER a. false pin eeleteln's 1 1 |2 1 j1 1 8 
DAVIS=.tkioeee ecm Sar {1 sep 1 
Abraham. ic. 22. 4. ass vefee/1 jd SPT eoeal e Ble fs Pat O3P5 F Dk 5 
Rotaleeee ene PME TT MER TPE EB 8% 















PIGEON SHOOTING. 
—ucru were three pigeon matches shot at Babylon, L. 
L, on Saturday, November 22.’ The day was most beautiful 
and the shooting excellent. The birds were of the usual 
kind. The first match for $100 a side, between Ira Paine 
and Mr. Deforest, 15 birds each, 21 yardsrise; Mr. Deforest 
shooting at 21 yards, Ira Paine at 25 yards. 
Paine—1;-0, 1, 0705) 1 deed ol, 0,0, died ah Oe 
Deforest—0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1,0, 1, 1, 0, O—Killed, 
9, 
The second match between Ryan and Deforest, 30 birds 
each, 21 yards for $500 a side. This match was a tie and 
they agreed to draw the stakes. Killed, 23. 
Ryan—1, 0, if 1, 0, af. ih us 1, 1, ue Ly, i af 0, pale ue ay 1 
Oy TOs, eyede cy OO: 
Deforest——1 yl; 141,250, 0; 1,00, 1, 1, Ldap teams 
Ae AaD suk Os Opts. Lh al 
The third match between Mr. Livingston and Mr. Lamson. 
for $25 a side, 25 birds each, 21 yards; Livingston shooting 
at 21 yards, Lamson at 22 yards. 
Inivingston—1, 1,151,454; 1) 1°) 1 ecu 
1, 1, 1—Killed, 20. 
Hamson—1) 15/0, 1) als dele ipa a ne Ol OonU: 
0—Killed, 14. 
Ubassy was vexed, and threatened to — 
The largest runs were:—_ 


