New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-05
FISHING.
THE SPORT IN GREAT SOUTH BAY-uOw TO
CATCH BLUE-FIsH, AND WHERE TO CATCH
THEM.

it not for :he pleasure derived catching bluefsh
Summer il the proper time for this sport and there
many localities where the arrival Of bue-Hh
OF greater Importance than the election Of delegate TO
the State Legislature Babylon ia one Of these points
II currently reported that OF the inhabitants Of
this little town whose name Il suggestive Of ialcn
greatness, assume comatOse condition when the
Autumn rosts drive away the clsh, and only awake
active life when their marine friends return with the
buds and blossoms Of Spring They hibernate-thc in
habitants, the blue-hshin the ursne and
engage in the system OF haud-nursing by which the
black bear is supposed TO maintain himself in the season
of frost and Their Winter lives full Of eX
ctement the Of oyster before he attans his
growth, but their Summer days bright and glorious
when the blue-nsh homeward fly" to mn the native
stomach with delicious bros and extract numsmatic |
tribute from the purses Of metropolitan visitors who
down to the sea in boats and indulge in sport Of
citing character.
Meeting Babylonan acquaintance In New-York a
fortnight ago, casually asked him " what news" His
reply patronzng and dignhed quite unlike his
manner six months ago, when he "a meek "a kitten
Just rescued from involuntary bath News" said
he, Don't you know the bluc-dsh have comeP 1 con
fcssed my Ignorance. and promised to visit Babylon at
once. and here am. My thoughts by day and dreams
by night are of the nny inhabitants Of Great South
Bay and that contiguous but less interesting body OF
water known as the Atlantic. have eaten Of bueish
till am expecting my skin TO assume fshke appear
ance and would not be greatly surprised my hands
and feet should become fins. am learning to talk IKE
q native, and rapidly adopting the technical terms
that are necessary BabylODian citizenship On cleo
ton days. if there Is any doubt Of the qualifications OF
voter he is required respond TO series OF questions
that test his knowledge of the local 0rgOt Should he
fail TO answer fair proportion Of Ithe nterrogatOrieS
he Il rejected unfit for the privilege OF citizen.
stranger could no more force himself into the society OF
BabylonIans being ignorant Of fish talk than could an
uuetterod. eratc person pass for teacher OF French
language and literature.
And yet there matters connected with the business
OF which the natives are ignorant. Yesterday when /
went to the pier which forms the port and harbor Of
Babylon, accompanied by scientific gentleman
whose head u anthill Of all the "olosieS ever
known There wa a boat at the dock and the boatman
was gathering the spos Of his watery chase from box
that stood just above his keel. what have you got
there 70 asked the Professor. "Them's buefsh, them
is" was the gruiT reply of the ancient mariner CTho an
swered the of Captain -, and he did not con-
descend to look up "Ah yes said the Professor as he
stopped the box in the attitude OF man conem-
plating the contents OF well equipped mt-pt, q" see
you have the Ielnodon sGltdtor, vugarly speaking
blueish." Beg parding, Sir didn't understand YOU
said the marine Viking and this time lie looked up The
Professor repeated his remark; mariner looked down
into his box began to handle the fish I'm confused
way. He silent only an instant aud then replied
They're nothing but blue-hsh, ana you're right when
you say they're demd odd in salt water. They jump
like cats and when you get a sixpoundcr your hook
you'd think You had shark DO you want boat, gen
temen Take YOU cheap anybody, and have the hest
boat the bay" We accepted, and went a-isling.
The Professor continued 1.-THE TWHodDH Salta2r IS
found OF the Of the Atlantic state erOm PASSPORT
the Capes of Florida He is species OF macbercl and
closely allied 20 that abundant and excellent product OF
the sea- lie is larger than the mackercl and does
IN schools with his head back 0utOf water and he j.,
not iond of any thing except live game Along the
OF New England he j. known the blue-h of the Jer
ey coast they call him the horscmackcrcl aud in Nr
gina he rcioccs i'm the name Of saltwater tailor Why
he should De thus designated cannot say, though
readily understand why he is both horse mackcrel and
bluclsh. He is decacy Of his season, and delicate
tint of through his entire flesh though il is not
80 apparent internally externally. On the outside he
has silyery appearance when he comes ont OF the wa
ter his best blue does not show itself tin he is dead.
Then he il as blue as q New England washngday the
conscience OF politician who has just lost Fat Office
and has a large family to support He IS very powerful,
but he does not live long out Of water The sooner you
eat after caught the better his flesh begins
to spoil very speedily after life is extinct"
1t is about a mile from the American House the great
resort Of blue-shng visitors to the dock whence the
boats take their departure. steamer runs from this
dock to Fire Island at regular intervals, and during the
there il great deal Of travel in that direction.
The boats drawn mp in line ready TO start and it
does not take long to get underway. Every boatman
has the prefix of Captain and his face IS bronzed by the
weather and whisky Of the seacoast until it resembles
a wel-w0rn Russiaeaher pOcket-bOOk. These mariners
are hardy race, know every drop Of water in the bay
understand all the mysteries OF boat nav CATION and are
as cool under circumstances Of danger patent re-
frgeraor. They understand where the best fish can be
caught and they know almost to a day when any kind
of birds n.h should appear. Their boats are clean,
ro0my and wefttcd with all the hooks. lines and other
necessary articles for the sport of the bay. In
gency could sleep quite comfortably on Babylonan
boat and II unfrcqueny happens that visitors ui-
bbe too freely Of certain eXhiaatIg fluids and thereby
assume condition that makes fair counterfeit OF both
sleep and death. In such event they are slowed
away where the motion OF the boat will soohe them
they lie with their heads below the water level and
listen 10 what wild saying. 1t il eight
nine miles from the dock to the buehshng ground We
sail down the bay leaving the hamlets OF Isp and Bay
Shore on our left and pointing our bow toward the
lighthouse on Fire Island The long, low stretch of sand
that forms the island stretches before us and shuts
the view of the Atlantic To the left Of the lighthouse
as we look Oceanward there j. the surf House where
auy pcOule go i'm the Summer season 10 pay hotel bills
ard breathe salt air. which they almost Invariably
nominate fresh. There is plank walk from the landing
10 fhe hotel and another from the hotel to the sea-
beach whore surf breaks and merry bathcls nh their
mouths and hair with a composition OF sand aud salt
leave it with It's island aud hotel while 20 To
open Atlantic As pass through the entrance OF the
bay the captain and crew with one voice there is only
Of them altogether announce that We have reached
the fishing ground We throw out our lines and begin
We do not anchor, not We We sail and We sail, ike
Captain Kidd, up and down the entrance Of the bay a.
near the breaking surf possible, and then d,
cty outside ana cruise back ana forth on the coast OF
Fire Island and In its vicinity. Ii there is good breeze
and Your stomach is well balanced there Is nOthnE I
more charming than trolling for bluefsh lOu thfIw
Out hDdred feet Of line and let IL trail through
water your boat dances on the and sails on nE
delightfully."- the fresh salt breczes fan your chct A %
Thrill through the system Ike yapOrized chaml"aIj
and the sun rejecting on the water burns y0u I J
gives y0u the complexion Of topper Of nVe lef ntor
ing. You have a comfortable seat and pair OF 3VlU
gloves, Win suit OF your oldest clothes You o Chen
line In one hand 50 as to he ready for bHe' ''' 49,
YOU have u you are expected tO haul iu ,, o., oir /
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