Part 22 (1/2)

Black Ba.s.s are found widely distributed over the Atlantic slope. They are not particular in their diet, eating many kinds of food--fish, crawfish, moths, flies, frogs, and even rats and snakes. They can leap powerfully. It is said that the best time to take them is at night, or when rivers are high and muddy. There are two types, the large-mouth and the small-mouth. Ba.s.s may be caught by using artificial flies or minnows, or live minnows, small frogs, gra.s.shoppers, or by the use of trolling spoon.

THE SUN-FISH.

The Sun-fish is the ”Sunny” or ”Pumpkin-seed” of New York and New England brooks. It is common, too, in the Great Lakes region and the coast streams as far south as Georgia. It prefers clear, still water.

The Red Breast is a Sun-fish which is known also by such names as the ”Brim,” ”Pearch,” ”Red-headed Bream,” ”Sun Perch,” ”Red-bellied Bream,”

and ”Red-bellied Pearch.”

The Blue Sun-fish is the most widely distributed of the Sun-fishes. It is also called ”The Blue Bream,” ”Copper-nosed Bream,” and ”Dollardee.”

THE STRAWBERRY Ba.s.s.

The Strawberry Ba.s.s is another fish abounding in names. It is called ”The Strawberry Perch,” ”Gra.s.s Ba.s.s,” ”Bitter Head Perch,”

”Lamplighter,” ”Razor Back,” ”Chinquapin Perch,” ”Silver Ba.s.s,” ”Big Fin Ba.s.s,” ”Calico Ba.s.s,” ”Goggle Eye.” It resorts to deep, sluggish waters.

As a pan fish it is surpa.s.sed by few other fresh-water fishes.

The c.r.a.ppie or Croppie is closely related to the Strawberry Ba.s.s.

THE SNAPPERS AND GRUNTS.

The Snappers and Grunts are the brightly colored fishes of the coral reefs. The Red Snapper is bright crimson and is abundant in the Gulf of Mexico and about the Florida reefs, living in holes and gullies. It feeds upon small fish, crabs, and prawns. Snappers are always boiled or cooked in a chowder. They are caught with a bottom bait of fish.

The Gray Snapper lacks the brilliant color of the Red Snapper. It is also known as the Black Snapper and Sea Lawyer.

The Red Mouths or Grunts are small fish found in the insh.o.r.e waters of the Gulf and South Atlantic states. They resemble the Snappers and are characterized by the red color of the inside of mouth and throat. On account of this peculiarity they are sometimes called Flannel-mouths.

When taken they utter a peculiar sound, hence the name ”grunts,”

”pig-fish,” and ”squirrel-fish.”

The Black Grunt is brownish in color. It is found as far north as Charleston. The Norfolk Hog-fish is brown, spotted with orange and yellow.

The Sheepheads have large heads, strong jaws and teeth. They are sluggish in movement, feeding among the rocks close to the bottom. They derive their name from their resemblance in profile to the sheep. They are known by this name wherever found. In New York Harbor, Jersey, and Long Island coasts they are common. Barnacles and crustaceans form an important part of their diet and frequent old wrecks to which their food adhered. Their teeth are fitted to crush their food. They are shy and will take the bait more confidently if it is allowed to lie at the bottom. When they bite, give a short, quick, but not too violent jerk.

The average weight of this fish is about six pounds. They are one of the finest food fish.

THE PORGY.

The Scuppaug, or Mishcuppauog, is a name of Indian origin. In some parts it is abbreviated into the ”scup,” and in others the second syllable is used, paugy or porgy, notwithstanding that the true porgy is an English fish of an entirely different kind. The Southern Scup is called the ”Fair Maid.” The food of these fishes consists of worms, mollusks, etc.

It is largely used as a pan fish.

THE WEAK-FISH.

The Weak-fish about the Cape Cod section are called ”Drummers.” Further south they are known as ”Yellow Fins” and ”Sea Trout.” Along the sh.o.r.e from Norfolk to Nantucket they are abundant, arriving in late May and departing early in the autumn. August is the best month for Weak-fish.