The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-06-22
8atsesll@'reons. q
A Days FISHING IN FLOR
IDA.

[ should here say, ~rites cor
respondent of the Buffalo Courier,
that We were to fish especially for
speckled perch, which only bite
from the 1st of February until
The last Of March. For this pur-
pose l had q six.strand linen line
and such hook as the Chautau-
qua sportsman uses for bass. In
other words I had a bass-6shing
outfit, minus reel. Live min
nows would be the proper bait,
but these not being attainable we
had TO substitute cut bait, taking
a piece of dead fish about the size
and length of the little finger,
thrusting the hook through its
larger end and lmpartiDg to it
the movement of a live minnow
as nearly as possible by a gentle
twitchlng of the line. This is
the bait universally used and
would succeed but poorly where
fish were not plentiful and hun
cry. Allowing the canoe to drift
gently into the edge of the rushes
or water sedge-there are not real
rushes here-I made a cast, using
a cork to regulate the depth Of
line, and We both worked for fully
twenty minutes without any indi-
pation OF q bite. Finally, just as
I was about 10 draw in and move
on, l had a strike, and my cork
went out Of sight, tightening the
line before l bad time to square my
self for work. Pulling tant, away
went the game, fairly making
the line Whiz as it cut the water
and nearly bending my pole
double as be surged down upon it.
| at once knew that it was not q
perch, as they never weigh more
than two pounds, and although
they bite very prettiIy, give up
at the first pull and may be
swung Out Of the water as easily
as our sun6sh. In fact they are
of the same family and give about
the same sport only they are
larger. Meantime my game was
fairly making the water boil, and
threatened to break my pole,
which l finally had to shoot
through my hands into the water
behind me and haul in the line by
hand, thereby succeeding in land
ing my game, which proved 70 be
a four pound blue catfish. BY the
time l had released my hook my
companion had brought 10 half.
pound perch, and then the sport
began. My companions hook had
been in the water about FIVE min.
utes when be felt tremendous
surge which swung his end of the
boat cut toward deep water and
threatened to break his line.
From the commotion in the wa.
ter we concluded that he must
have hooked q small alligator, as
the game did not act like a fish
Before he had succeeded in
bringing it 10 the surface, my
own neglected pole started over
board with a rush, and / barely
succeeded in grasping it in time,
Then followed FIVE minutes Of as
beautiful play as l ever had with
fish and which gave me my
hands full and resulted in bring.
ing on board o bill-nosed gal
weighing eight pounds. This
fish has q bill like o ducks but
much longer which is provided
with two rows of teeth as sharp
as needles. 1t is not suitable fol
food, but it had furnished its full
quota of sport. After killing my
viciously disposed gar, l found
my companion still wrestling
with his catch, which however he
had brought to the surface anc
proved to be ? soft-shell turtle, Of
what be termed a 'eooter,' weigh
ing about twenty-five pounds
| They are similar TO the SET