The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-07-12


a bare-footed, tow-headed boy at dusk
last night. He was dressed in broken
straw hat, gingham waist, and pair
of brown jeans trousers that were kept
in place when he was on his feet by
single white cotton suspender. His
feet were hanging down over the water
as he sat on the sodded banks. He was
stringing common earth worms length
wise on piece of white cotton Irvine
by the aid of a darning needle. When
he had surrounded a half yard of the
Irvine with the worms he tied the two
ends of the Irvine together. and then
doubled over the stringed worms till
they hung in a bunch like a tassel
Around this he tied the end of fish
line attached to slender twelve-foot
soft-maple pole.
What are you going to do with
that?"
"Ketch some bullheads?"
"Where's your hook?"
"Don5t need none"
"Don't need any hook"
"Nawn
The boy swung the bunch of worms
out and lowered it into the water with
out ripple near the root of an old
sycamore stump. In about a minute
he began to raise it very deliberately
out of the water. When the end of the
line reached the surface a catfish was
hanging fast to the tassel of bait. The
fish clung to the bait while the bov
slowly swung it over the land and gave
the pole a smart shake; then it fell on
the grass and Hoped vigorously
Chem bullheads is such dOdblasted
hogs they don't know when they've got
enough" the boy remarked.
Old John Heresy sat in the fish shanty
at the mouth of the creek when he was
told of the exploit He said: ''The boy
was bobbing for catfish. His father
came from Jersey where cells are as
plentiful as mosquitoes. They bob for
cells there, only they use yarn to string
the worms on instead of twine The
cells catch their teeth in the yarn. The
bullheads hang on Just as the boy said,
because they don't know enough to let
90. They keep trying to swallow the
bait. | can tell of another queer way
to catch bullheads. There was u chap
here from Down East last spring that
could give us all points on catching
fish. He was walking along on the
banks of the dead creek out by that
sycamore stump one evening. 1t was
warmish like, and nothing stirring"
Good time to catch string OF
bu!lheads," said l. Guess I'll get a
pole and try EN-. Want pole p
g" Yes, you might bring me one,
said he
"With that he sat down on the grass
and took what thought was paper
of tobacco from his coat pocket, while
| started for the shantv. | was back
in ten minutes, and found three fine
fish lying on the grass with their
mouths slit open. How had he caught
them? With thread and needle
You don't believe that. do YOU? It's
true, though. In that bundle was a
spool of stout linen thread and thick
needle about two inches and quarter
long. He drew the end of the thread
through the eye of the needle until he
had end enough to whip haIfthe length
of the needle, leaving the upper hall
clear, and the point sticking up toward
the spool when the thread hung down
Then he split a bullet half in two with
his jacknife, pressed it on to the thread
a foot from the needle, turned over q
log and got a couple of worms, strung
one lengthways on the needle so that an
inch or so dangled loose, and dropped
it in. 1t required about two minutes
to get the Job done and fish biting
81 should think the fish would drop
off,"
$50 should I, but the fish swallows
the needle right down, and when the
strain comes on the line the point of the |
needle is fetched up against the mouth
and the other end slowed around so the
needle was croSsways.
"What We're the Sits in the mouth |
for?"
Gle cut the needle out after killing
the fish by q smart blow on the head. ="
As the law does not permit the use OF
nets, the fishermen that still remain
here use night lines. A strong cord
about the size of clothes line, and
long enough to reach across the creek,
is used. Every three or four feet. a
stout, double cord, two feet long, with |
three inch hook at the blight, is at |
tached to the big line. These hooks are
haited with bits of beef liver or live
frogs, or beef itself One end of the
big line is secured to the root of tree,
and the line is then stretched across the
creek. The line is raised twice dav.
Catfish from three to four feet long are
frequently caught.
Catfish when small are superior pan
fish. The flavor, according to some ex-
perts, is second only to the trout The !
bones are not troublesome The larger
fish are great fayorites also among those
who know how to cook them. The |
Irving method is TO cut them into con
venient pieces and cover them with |
water in frying pan, When the fish
is pretty well cooked, the water is
drained off and a gravy made of butter
and cream is poured over the fish.
When this has been brought to boil
the fish is served hot. 1t is delicious. -.
Cor. ~ y. S4n. !