Barbour County index., 1886-06-11
DEEP SEA FISHING.
Sport That Is Always Exciting,
Though Seldom Dangerous.
a Trip From New York to the CholerA
Banks-The Queer Assortment of Fish
Caught by Gratined Sportsmen--
Fun on the Ocean Blue.
&c. II. Dodge, In Detroit Free rrcss.l


&c. II. Dodge. In Detroit Free Prcssl
New York; six o'clock sharp; a clear,
sparkling morning; warm westerly winds
and we're "all aboard" for a deep sea
fishing trip to the Cholera Banks, forty
miles away and nearly out of sight of the
Long Island coast. Our fast sea-going
steamboat, the J. B. Schuyler, managed
by the celebrated FIVE Foster Brothers,
flies with its load of two hundred eager
fishermen through the magnificent bay
and Narrows till it energies on tue broad
Atlantic. Now we rush past Coney Is
land, gazing at its big elephant and other
wonders and arrive at the bell buoy, Oft
Rockaway Inlet, where we leave the shore
and "sail the ocean blue" in straight line
for the fishing grounds.
An hour and twenty minutes will bring
us on the banks. We're on the hurricane
deck and with our bait OF sea clans and
bunkers cut up in generous pieces and q
b1shel bag to hold the fish fastened in an
inverted stool we commence getting our
tackle ready. The boat rocks with tho
heavy ground swell of tho waves and
few landsmen are wishing they hadn't
come and we old fishermen enjoy it. But
we hope no easterly wind will spring up
making heavy sea, for in this spot, far
from any harbor, our boat couldn't stand
It, and we'd have to run away, leaving
the big fish we're sure of catching for an
other time.
Now AL. Foster is up aloft with his spy
glass taking the bearings from the hills
twenty three miles distant. The lead is
being sounded for rocky bottom and q
thrill of excitement and expectation per-
vades-such thrill as only true fishermen
can feel.
But AL. Foster never fails to find the
right spot. The whistle tools and the an
chor is dropped.
With our strong Newport bass rod we
cast one hundred and fifty feet away from
the boat. A moments suspense and We
feel tug on our line, and we've got fish
and big one, too. How he fights as we
begin steadily to reel in. Twenty feet
below the surface of the clear emerald
water we see him turning, darting and
struggling for his life.
It's a six-pound sea bass. At last we'vo
got him to the top, but he's too heavy to
lift. "Get the gaff;" we shout, and some
one below plunses one of tho many large
gaff hooks at the end OF pole
in him and lands him on the low
er deck. We rush down and proudly
bring up our prize. we bait the hooks
again with trembling fingers, and try an
other cast. Hardly are we on bottom when
we feel jerk that bends the stiff pole
double. It's 4 fuke this time, we know
by the way he comes up. "Get the gafr''
again, and a ten -pounder goes in the bag.
The next half dozen fish are smaller,
| two to four pounds each, and we lift them
OH the poles.
Now we've got dog iish On, and cry for
the other lines to look out, for this young
shark rushes among them so we're afraid
of tangle-and we get one, too. Four
| lines are mixed with ours and come up to-
| gcther. But we let the folks below take
off the varmint and patiently unravel the
snarls and wreak vengeance on the fish by
kniting him and throwing him overheard.
While that is being done, we've a chance
to look about a hundred lines are out
along the boats side, and the queercst as
sortment of big sea fish are constantly
coming up through the transparent waves
and Hopping around on the decks.
Great yellow conger eels,with immense,
ugly and dangerous mouths-beautiful,
silvery two pound porgies, lings, Goldfish,
blackhsh, skates as big as your coat with
sharp tails, like a whip-lash they stick in
you, great hump backed green sea. bass,
dogtish four feet long, big sea robins, hake,
hack!e-heads, funny toadfish and blow
fish, now and then q grand bluetish or an
Old grandfather of q lobster--and the ami
nation and excitement of the fishers, tho
grandeur of the ocean with its deliciously
refreshing sea breezc, make up a scene
always to be remembered with exquisite
delight
Now we've fished for four hours, our ba q
is filled, our arms ache from reeling in the
| monsters, aud we're ready to go home
and show our catch. Bnt first we must
| sail around the rival fishing boat near
by aud paralyze them with the exhibi-
tiou of our luck. With bells rim ging,
whistles blowing, AMI shouts from all
hands holding up immense strings OF
fish we are ready to do so. But they are
ready for US, and with as much noise and
as many fish return the compliment.
Now comes the three and a half hours
sail for home. We've put our tackle in
shape, eaten our lunch, got our "red hot
| NbilNc, anu puIllHo
we lay up against life raft on the be-
loved hurricane deck, enjoy the scene,
talk, fish and go to sleep.
When we arrive at the dock il takes two
! of us TO carry our fish TO the train, filling
the admiring crowd that follow US with
| wonder.
These ocean fishing trips arc always
most exciting, though seldom dangerous
| for Commodore Hancoxe is ever on the
watch for the safety of his boat and pas
! sengers. Oftentimes great man-eating
sharks are hooked and brought on deck, to
4 the terror of the ladies aboard. Sometimes
| we are caught in blow and have TO run
/ for 1t. Once in awhile tho cry is heard
"Man overheard" !" and then a thrilling
rescue or a sad drowning occurs. One day
off Long Branch fisher fell in the waite,
and Immediately sank. After an hour an
other fisherman brought him up on his lin,
dead, of course-and after the BODY wa,
laid in the cabin the fishing went right or
| as usual.
!
lSre eDvilie Is. c. Scwsl
Goldsmith Long, of the lower section q