The sun., 1884-09-14
1,sH,ya IN rHx PACIFIC
A Na,,s Mare spsrt or she Ceast NJ sauthsvu
CmtSfprNin-Cusioas Fish

arc inferior in flavor to similar fish found In
tho Atlantic. Yet tho waters that lap the
southern coast pf California contain an abun-
nnce Of excellent fish. And many arc 80 strong
ard active upon the hook that their capture
will stir tumult In tho steadiest nerves. Not
only is there pleasant certainty oil finding
Osb. but there Is a sottness about tho great
occan that disarms all tho doubts Of the faint
henrtod. and loaves pleasure unalloyed with
fear. For the long train Of cloudless days that
here forms tho summer and autumn reaches
far out upon the aea. so that tho char
meter OF each dny may be foretold with
certainty. Tho never-iaIling soa breeze 10
30 suro not to exceed u certain velocity: the
smooth water is SO certain TO be unrnilled by
SQUALLS. and tho rloudless sky is 80 certain to
bear no thunder storm. no cyclone. no rain.
that a days fishing is more like sail on q mill
pond than on the mightiest OF oceans.
A more unpromsing DIR : for sailing never
orcned than this bright. still August morning
opens on the Bay OF San Diego. Like some
wood. cmbowered lake. IL lies CLASSY and shin
ing. with no swell in the channel. no ripple
along the shore. no lapping Of its waters
against tho pier. No sailing to-day" the
stranger would naturally say. But tho dwel!er
uron these quiet shores knows better. He
shakes the last reef from the snowy sail aud
waits IN pa;ionce.
Not long does anxiety consume his soul. for
Already a deeper blue Il tinging the waters
Blight iis smooth surface begins TO wrinkle. The
sail soon yewns and stretches. and the boom
swings lazily oyer to tho iandward I side As the
thnt lies along the inland hills. rippi"s begin
10 sparkle in the channel, tho plnsh OF water Is
from tho beliyin2 sail. the little vessel carcens
to lecward. and the gentie plash along the bow
On we 20 through the ship channel with the
low. gray shores of tho peninsula on the left:
md on the right the high rolling slopes OF
against the blue sky on the west; and on
through the narrow entrance ut ballast Point
where - lazy swell rolling beneath , tho
land soon wldsns. the harhor is past. and
on, on. ON we go over swei,s 80 long, SO SO lay LAY
the lnr We can sec far down the outside line
Of the peninsula that forms th. harhor; but
water charging upon 1t with impetuous rush.
Only little threads Of white near shore that
in soms Ms ioiani % riv"r than The brcak"rs OF a
mighty sea. The rorroise rolls IN giistening
wet. black. and shiny in the sun. and turns
upon the boat his great human eyes But
bur we have left. for the sengul. as II inside.
c.m'y s!ta on the floating keip, and the white
pelican drifts along on the gently heaying sur
flaps his way lazy through the air. descend
ing with heavy splash into into the water as he
ride. near the hArbor entrance. score or more
OF pccans are fishing in company. ns they do
water before the last one descends so that they
seem q revolving chain Of large whito bodies.
END hooss ws w w
asueamer or two floating IN inch or two be-
yond thsm-a device AZ quite as & good ns rs bone;
cnouCh,haye been gliding through the water
behind. but have CAPTURED nothing but few
ground Tor iespnir Ii il too early in the day
and Tho breeze is not yet strong enough for
S"Sb tho n s % wS5 WSo
hers. They are about two !cot long and cne
barracuda inspecting the bait. As some hunt
50 these % iis6 care re- nothing for The bait Until on
the wing. They will often follow IL for 100
yards or more without attempting to touch 1t.
but lot Il go fast enough and they will often
out OF water as they takoit.
On each side the shin channel. beyond the
bar. 10 long bed Of koip, and II is often well to
s'sss S ss s Nsry @ sss. from # v Eo.s ennsh Ss s Sy
trolling. and some of them are Of worry fns
flavor. In the kelr the surface il perfectly
CLASSY. though the water rocks with n short
uneasy swell hut by letting down the sail.
and making rope ias, to M = bunch Of the long
anchorage IS made. The tacks needed Or
these kelp i!sh is very simpie. long line
Win blnkeT III me ehu ana d nook OF TWO
baited with meat. and attached seysrai
feet, above the sinker.. so that tho, hook
shall not rest upon the bottom. but b"
quite near II. Is thrown out. and down it goes
full twenty fathoms to tho bottom. The green
tint the, water wears outside of the ke!p is
gons Here IL Is deeply blue. yet 80 transpar-
ent that one can ses almost to the bottom. Far
below. mo kelp can be seen reaching out its
der and m e
floats many shapely fish, almost az clearly
seen as II In an aquarium; Some are 1.-THE and
graylsh-brown upon the back and mottIed with
dar brown spots: others are deep olive green.
But, q sudden tug Hucn your line interrupts
ySSuF, ,inspMsGition OF the blue depths up comes
Within it. but at the %; end aWpns syss
ing mass of crimson. This is called the red
a,v. hsah tp1nrro"etopo% t pnl,hrl II Is pbon.
crimson. shading toward fesh color under
do you get him free Of tho hook before there il
tug upon the other line. Up II comes. bring
ps ss1 fish shan the
around him before lie clears the water 4 Very
good Ash this fheterostchus rostratusj but not
teen inches long. deep and broad like the last
ni hshi, put Is a pale bI?wnish gray In enlor with
fish,. along with several other varieties.
Ils thrashes about with great vigor as he is
bright and full, Of fire. and the spinss OF his
lorsal fin stand savagely erect. He 10 about a
foot long deep and thick in body. but. withxi
trinity built, has q large head, and full. mas.
hSe Sj jaw q "a and E L. vel Dotted with brown spots
tu.l one Of tho best table fish upon the coast.
Thus Ash after fish comes struggling out
Rood-looking., passabe. and homely. witt
an occasional greenish crab. motted with
brown. and carrying perhaps a few barnaclei
upon his back. until the fulnpss Of the breez'
advises that II Is time to troll. Other boat
and Chinese junks outside the kelp are roll
here and there over the lazily heaving surface
nnd na on thS stern OF sach are men hauling Il
upon the end as 1t is hauled up the stern.
Once moro. then. upon tho open water
Though the water is still smooth there is
decided increase In the breeze; the boat nov
leaves leave "a foamy track: and the hooks ride 2, :,
that their white swathing is plainly seen n
they, ride down tho slope OF eacn recodin.
swell. And before they have passed man!
swells your line Is twitched from your ham
and limo Of silvery light shines for an instan
below the surface where the hook was JUS
.iI I'D thA Ina anita =.