The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-08-19
CATCHING FROGS.
How a Profitable IHdastry is Carried ON In
the Summer Months.

A short, thick-set man, dressed in sui
of faded jeans, which terminated in rubber
top boots, recently, crept softly along tht
bank of Shiny ditch in the Neck,
clutching in one hand slender pole, from
which dangled short line, and supporting
with the other a large sack slung to bis
belt, the contents of which wriggled and
squirmed in way unpleasantly suggestive
of snakes.
"What are you hunting for? ?"
Frogs /" was the hoarsely whispered an
swer, and the hand supporting the sack was
raised as a cautionary signal.
The reported stopped and the frog fisher
man took step nearer the ditch and softly
lowered the pole. The end of the line dis.
appeared among the flags; there was mo.
ment of silence, the pole darted to one side,
was suddenly jerked upward, and with a
surprised chunk " an immense green bull
frog lay sprawling in the road at the fisher
mans feet. Before froggie could gather his
faculties and hop away the man seized him,
opened his sack and thrust his Shiny captive
in among the writhing mass.
"Do you eat them ~
Sometimes; not often, was the answer.
They are very good. / could sell more
than l catch, though"
Where do you sell them ?"
MY wife She does the selling has
regular customers. / do not ask for names
when the money comes in promptly"
He appeared willing to tell story about
frogs and the prefer of o cigar completely
won his confidence He Embossed the
squirming sack, laid aside his pole, and,
seated under the spreading branches of n
big willow tree, chatted for an hour. Phila
delpbia is good market for the frog hun.
ters. There about fifty who follow it regu.
larly as profession. During the season
they make enough to live comfortable
through the winter. An expert fisherman
will catch from five to twenty-five dozen
per day. The early morning and evening
are the best fishing hours. The implements
necessary to pursue the calling successfully
are pair of high-topped boots, belt and
sack and pole and line. Affixed to the end
of the line is grapnel made by soldering
the shanks of three or four fishhooks togeth-
err Armed with this and equipped as above
described the fisherman is ready
Stagnant bitches are the hunting grounds,
md they are found in abundance in "the
Neck" along the Delaware River on
both sides md among The swamps and bogs
Of interior New Jersey A frog fisherman
must have supple wrist and quick eye.
He uses no bait, but steals quietly along the
ditch, rod in hand, carefully scrutinizing
every secluded spot. When he spies frog
he noiselessly lowers his pole until the Crap
mel touches froggie. Then with combin-
ed slide and upward jerk he impales the
frog on one of the sharp hooks. In remoy-
ing the hook care is taken not to injure the
game, for dead frogs are of no use. The
result of days hunt is confined in large
tank ut the home of the fisherman, where
they are fed ON corn meal until sold. Large
restaurants are the principal purchasers
Prices vary according to the size of The
frog The smallest brings 25 cents per doz-
en- ; The largest SO per dozen. The season
last from May until September. Philddsl
phia Times.