The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-05-03
FISHING IN FLORIDA.

4 shonld here say that we were to fish es-
pecially for specified perch, which only bite
from the LIST of February until the last of
March. For this purpose had six-strand
linen line end such hook as the Chautau-
qua sportsman uses for bass In other
words I had o bass-fshing outfit, minus
reel. Live minnows would be the proper
bait but these not being attainable we had
to substitute cut bait taking piece of dead
fish about the size and length of the little
finger, thrusting the hook through its larger
end and imparting to it the movement of =
hive minnow as nearly as possible by gen.
tie twitching of the line. This is the bait
universally used and would succeed but
poorly where fish were not plentiful and
hungry. Allowing the canoe TO drift gently
into the edge of the rushes or water selge--
there ara no real rushes here--I made a
cast, using a cork . regulate the depth
! Of Line, and we both worked for fully twenty
/ minutes Without ny Indication of hiEs@
4 Finzlly just Aa ! war abtut Il draw III ALL
move on, had a strike, and my cork went
out of sight, tightening the line before had
time to square myself for work Pulling
taut, away went the game, fairly making
the line whiz as it cut the water and nearly
bending my pole double as he surged down
upon it. at once knew it was not perch,
as they never weigh more than two pounds
and although they bite very prettily, give up
at the first pun and may be swung ont of
The water as easily as our sunfish. In fact
they are of the same family and give about
the same sport, only they are larger. Mean
time my game was fairly making the water
boil and threatened to break my pole, which
| finally had to shoot through my hands
into the water behind me and haul in the
line by hand, thereby succeeding in landing
my game, which proved to be q four pound
blue catfish BY the time had released my
hook my companion had brought in half
pound perch, and then the sport began
My companions hook had been
in the water about five minutes when
-he felt a tremendous surge which swung his
end of the boat out toward deep water and
| threatened 10 break his line. From the
commotion in the water we concluded that
he must have hooked n small alligator, as
the game did not act like fish. Before he
had succeeded in bringing it to the surface
my own neglected pole started overheard
with rush, and barely succeeded in grasp
ing it in time. Then followed five minutes
of MS beautiful play as l ever had with fish
aud which gave me my hands full and re-
shifted in bringing on board bill-nosed gar
weighing fully eight pounds. This fish has
bill like ducks but much longer, which
is provided with two rows of teeth as sharp
as needles. 1t is not suitable for food, but
L had furnished its full quota of sport AZ
ter killing my viciously disposed gar, !
found my companion still wrestling with his
catch, which however he had brought to
the surface and proved to be a soft-shell tur-
| tie, or what he termed "cooter,n weigh
ing about twenty-five pounds. They are
similar to the sea turtle and are considered
great delicacy. At the close Of
onr tlay's sport we had les porch that wnnld
| average more tfan rotinu eacn IN wefgnt
there being scarcely any variation IN their
size eleven catfish weighing from two to
five pounds; one gar weighing eight
pounds mudiish weighing six pounds,
and "cooter geighing twenty-five
pounds, which was by FAR the largest catch
with hook and line that I ever saw two men
show for days sport. Cor. Buffalo Coa-
rier.