The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-05-24
SEA BASS ON THE ST. JOHNS.
ETrolIing From a Steamer--An In
land Sea Full OF Ocean Fish,
How an Alderman and His
Friends Spent Some
TInns.c
I THE ST. JOHNS.


During the winter season visitors take !
possession Of Palatka, and the city is so
sthronged that individualities have no op-
Rportunity Of noticeable assertion. But
when the cold of the north has abated SO
lthat it ispossible 20 live above Mason
and Dixon's line, then the pressure is re-
moved, and personalities become promi- !
nent, and different desires take us in
levery direction searching for excitement,
profit or pleasure.
Now some Palatkans pride themselves !
N their knowledge Of fish and fishing,
nd have been killing sea bass in Lake
Seorge wear after year. For just at this
eason great schools of small fry are seek
the ocean, and the impatient bass
s. .end the st. Johns to meet them at
Eolusia bar. A splendid fellow is this
His sides flash with the brightest
M, his whole body quiyers with nerve
|Id energy, his savage jaws and power
il grinders are ready to second the de-
sands Of a fierce appetite, and he is fresh
srom the ocean and therefore game to
Ae marrow. He watches for the appear
Ace of the little shad and mulIet and
= l,m at the mouth of the river, but he
# BECOME impatient from ahundred causes.
and doubtless imagines there will be
fonnd solid masses OF delicate minnows
lust suited to his taste in the country
Afrom which so many come; at least so he
q 1. nd &c Crnrl
serallv found that the animal is seldom
|gAuperior to us. Arrived at Lake George,
the hungry visitors plunge open-mouth-
ed at the schools oflittle fish which are
coasting the shores of that broad lake.
I'he black bass are quietly attending to
nmilv duties. but these visitors cut loose
Rom their children in April and are
ow anxiously trying to recompense
aemselves for the self-denial of the past
.yo months. And their attack on the
hools is like a charge of cavalry.
hight bodies CLEAN in the air as they
Ike the rush the little victims dart
tl1er and thither or leap out Of the wa
to escape these cavernous jaws, and
pursurers and pursued" beat the waters
to foam and pass onward in dark
Ind mingled mass" Into this struggle,
man need only come to vindicate his
claims to be the most successful destroy
6r in nature. The bass viii snap greedi-
y lvat anything, and every troll passed
4 into the scene of action brings a victim.
Now these facts came to the lnowl-
edge of a ruler of the city, and imme-
diately a desire seized him to know how
it was himself; now after the manner of
his people this ruler was called Augustus
because Of his imperial proportions, and
his surname was Mann, from the name
of his fathor5.) And he quickly sought
those who had been there before, even
the Judge and Spike, and one who was
called the Admiral because he knew not
q boat when he saw it. and also because
he could not swim. And then these took
also one like unto themselves who was
called Professor, and after the addition
was made they laughed, and winked anC
conducted themselves in a fashion mos
strange and wonderful
And then this Augustus aforesaid calle'
three wise men even the captain and tn
pilot and their assistant, and they tool
the steamer Princess and filed her s.
full of good things that little room wa
left for passengers. And when the ToI
was called at six o'clock in the mornin
Spike was absent, and the Professor wa
sent TO bring him. which he did, Thel
the last yells were exchanged, and th
Princess shot ont into the bright sur
shine under which the waves ripple
around our bow, bright trees returne
our expressions of delight from the shoI
which varied in endless contrasts an
flushed and paled with thousand TIM
soft to the eye-past little towns and bi
orange groves and handsome residence
which mark the banks of our beautifr
river, and we reached Black Point c
Lake George about one P. NJ, The
Spike went aloft to keep lookout, b.
remembered it was customary on boar
ship to pour n libation to Neptune whe
crossing the line, and as he heard som
thing pop, he went below to assist in Il
pouring process. Before the ceremon
was we'll completed the alderman's prin
ministers sang out Look what
that's" Well might they say SO far {
was a line of foam which rapidly adva
ced through its foamy whiteness brig
bodies glanced and plunged and bros
fins dashed. Lines were out, the stear
CT dashed forward and breath failed
our fingers already tingled with the a
ticipated pull on the lines we hel
When within hundred yards. stea
was shut down and the boat glid
smoothly into the struggle The ba
! seemed literally piled upon each othe
the shad darted and jumped and rae
- Ca. lffa ,,-liIa fran, {ha ,yatpY a 4Sl;