The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-01-23
Cod Fishing.

Capt. AL Foster Is an ancient fisher
man. His nume is known to every lyro
and veteran in the gentle art along g the
coast, for he it was that inaugurated cod
fishing from steamboats,, and first gave
the sometime tishe, man his first oppor-
tunity to enjoy sea fishing in deep water.
| 4 reporter met the enthusiastic fisher
mau, "Cod fishmg," said the captain,
"begins Oh November Is and continues
until spring. This is my twelfth year
| Of fishing about New York, and every
year learn more about the ways of the
cod and his followers. Tho way that
we know that the cod has made his ap-
peararce is Ivy the advent vi tho dog cod.
| not agreeullc but seasonnble little
fish. They are veIy peculiar in appear
| ancc, having n horn Oh Their back fin
| and also on their tail measuring, ,abe,sy
two inches i'll length. When the dog
| cod comes ii is sure sign tina, the cod
is near. Thodog- cod are very ravenous,
| and sometimes drive tho cod away.
They are Il species of shark, and MAKE
| very poor eating. Their weight is from
4 to 25 pounds, but for purposes OF
| sport they are much more gnmy than
either the cod or blpcktish. When | go
on cod fishing excursion l make
arrangements to fish five hours, and if
the weather and ground are favorable
the catch ranges from $50 to 500 in
number, the fish weighing from to Sc
pounds. The big fellows cannot, OF
course, be landed with the line alone.
We use II large gatr.hook, striking the
barb into the tish's back and thus land
ing him.
"Cod fishing is invariably done with
drop liLes. The smackmon Use what
are termed scroll lines They are
from 1000 to 10000 feet in length md
hold about 5000 hooks. The line IS
sunk by lcadon balls and wound in u
circle about three feet from the bottom.
The hooks are baited with sea clans or
''skinners." The scroll is left on the
bottom for twelve hours and then is
retrieved, VIXEN it is very often dscov-
cred that every hook has its fish. This
Is the way in which tho great hauls
that are brought into Fulton Market
every week are made.
'The best fishing grounds arc Off
Scabrlglt, ut point called Rocky Hill;
III Gedneys channel, five miles east OF
Sandy Hook point; the Cholera Banks
oil Fire Island and the Hog, Jones and
New lnlcts. We cast anchor III water
ranging from 81 to 48 fathoms in depth,
and 1t Is II very bad day if we cannot,
together with II mess Of cod. bring I'D Il
number OF blackiisl and sea bass. The
best tide to fish in is either the young
ebb or Hood, us the cod swim in schools
and only get into motion with the turn
ing tide. The very best season of tho
year to catch the cod is th, present one.
From November Is to tile middle of
December the fish keep in deep water
and can be reached by Il steamer. In
January the cod hug the share, and dig
Tor tho skinner CLAIMS, Of which they
are very fond, and which is by far the
most desirable bait for the fisherman to
use.
"Inl1 about ostrichcs and camcls and
goats eating rocks and TN cans! Way,
J. have caught Goldfish which, upon
being opened, have presented n variety
OF dishes that would overwhelm the
stomach of the best organized goat in
Harlem. L once caught Il tisG weighing
twenty pounds, and found in his stomach
large pieces OF coal, fish bones, a
carving knife, some glass md large
spider and sea crabs. Catching cod is
not fishing; it is slaughter. The fish
close their eyes and go straight for the
bait, and swallow it without winkmp,
Then they show no fight. They simply
turn on their backs, and are pulled un-
resisting y on board. The largest haul
remember to haye ever made was a
fow years ago whom ran The Seth Low.
1t was fearful day, with storm of
ram, sleet and snow. put out how
ever, after considerable persuasion from
the Indies on board, and anchored in
the track Of northeast gale off Hog
inlet. l had about forty-eight persons
on board, and before we had been fish.
ing an hour, each person mad caught
thirty eight fish, the days haul reaching
total OF l, 1OU cod The next day /
made another trip with $50 persons,
and made haul of only 800 fish. In
this way does tisberman's luck run.
"Iogcthcr with cod we catch the
scnlpin- fish, q grccMsh yellow thing
which Is grcatiy relishcd by tho French;
skates, some OF which weigh lilo pounds;
pollock, aud numbers of hnke, haddock
and blacktish. Tney are all fnir eating
and sell for good prices. The tackle q
person needs Tor cod fishing is very
simple. cotton line, of an eighth of
an lnch diameter, two $50" or No.
Virginia hooks. md pound OF lead ut
the end of all. The who rig costs only
twenty-five cents, and IS worth OF fish
cah oasily be caught with it. We have
very Ctten seen whales when out fishing,
and four years ago we sighted such
big fellow lying off Fire Island that [
was compelled to ring the engineer to
back the stramer to avoid running into
the monster and getting wrecked.