The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-12

One Nibble fer Fhirfy-fsur and a
Half Hours steady Fishing.
INnAu York Snn.1


New York SUM-
1t was a bleak wintry day, with al
fierce cold wind blowing and not gleam
of sunshine out of the leaden sky; but
twenty-three men and boys, perched on
the West Thirteenth street pier and al
barge alongside, didn't seem to mind the
weather much. Their eyes We're watery,
their neses blue, their ears red, their fin
gers numb, and most of them kept up a
gentle mechanical movement of their feet
as though to constantly assure themselves
that they still had those members Each
man and boy was fishing and all were full
of eager anxiety for a lucky boy over on
the barge had hauled mp bass very
nearly seven inches long, not more than
two hours before, within an hour man
had had a nibble, and every anglers soul
thrilled with excited hope that he might
soon get bite. A tall old man, with a
basket on his arm, looked on and en-
couraged the fishermen.
"Tom Rooney of Greenwich street,
caught three pound bass here two
wooks ago next Friday" said he.
"There was two-pound bass took here
last Wednesday," spoke up a fisher.
Three young men hurriedly examined
their baits, and several more took up
the cold rods they had temporarily laid
down, and unlcoped their lines from the
reel handles, to be ready to play big
fish. ..,j
'Is this good place for fshingw
asked reporter
"N-n no, not exactly what you may
call real good, though sometimes nice
fish is caught here" responded the old
man. hesitatingly, with the air of man
who couldn't tell lie, even about fish
ing. "But," he went on, "there used to
be good fishing here, and it's probably as
good yet, if not little better, than any
of the other docks along here. You see,
the tide sets in along this side, and
sweeps right under this pier, and then
goes out from this dock to the channel,
and that brings the fish, when there are
any, right through here. But there's no.
where about New York that the fishing
is as good as it used to be, I remember the
time, only few years ago, when you
could catch bass at the foot OF West
Twenty-second street, at this season, as
fast as you could haul them up-fine
ones, too. Now, hardly any are caught
there. The sewer drives them away"
"They don't mind the sewer" spoke up
young fisherman, who looked as though
he wouldn't mind a sewer either. Fish
don't mind nothin'. They aint afeard of
row in the water, for I've catched 'em
right under the wheels Of the South
Ferry boats, a-comin' into the slip, and
they don't mind a sewer, for I've catched
: 'em right at the mouth of one"
, The old man waited with calm dignity
until the interupter was silent, and then
he continued: cover On the coal docks at
Weehawken used to be good place, too.
That old man you zee a-sitting there
caught thirty-seven pounds in one after
noon there few years ago. Invent over
: last year. had the dock to myself all day,
Y and never got nibble. This year
y wouldn't 20. The oil and chemical works
.have killed off and driven away the fish
| mestly."
, "Complaint is made" remarked the re
porter, "that the East River fish are SC
impregnated with petroleum, from the oil
5 refuse thrown into Newtown Creek, that
they are not eatable when caught. Is
D that the case herew
r "Well," answered the old man, "they
are good deal that way; but still yol
: can eat 'em if you have good deal of ;
/ pretty strong sauce on 'em, especially i
: you're hungry"
k At this point one of the anglers ex
d cited the eager interest OF the othe
i. twenty-five, for by the way he acted i
v was evident that he had had nibble
but in few minutes he laid his roc
9 down again, with grunt of disgust ant
v the explanation, "Only sand porgie."
! "They're a good pan fish, if you ge
i 'em big enough to cook" commented tn
# little old man previously referred to a
e the catcher of thirty-seven pounds OF fisl
i in one day at Weehawken. "That on
r was too small to take the hook; didn'
J. weigh more'n half an ounce" growle.
e the man who had the nibble.
e "Well, that's leetle toe small" al
o sented the friend of the porgie.
h Here small boy came up, with tina
v lazy, lounging gait, which always betray
n the born angler. In lieu of hook h
had an Internal machine at the end of
= string, thing with multiplicity q
lie long sharp brass claws, set back by
n trigger, and ready when the bait in tn
" center was touched to grab anythin
n within radius of several inches.
# "1s that thing any good" queried tn
e reporter.
l. Its good to catch Lafayettes. I neve
/ heard of any other sort of fish being too
e by it," replied the tall old man with tn
beaded nose.
e eyes they is" exclaimed the boy il
It dignantly; 'Tve catched Tommies wit
v it,"
y "The best time to catch Tommies is a
r night" suggested another fisherman; g
1t got twenty-five here the other night"
lie "Me and my boy caught seventy-seve
n here one night, between dark and l
lie o'clock, a couple of weeks ago" remarke
It the man who had the nibble.
r. "The Harlem River is the place 70
Tommiesn - exnloded prllff man who ha