Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-07
THE RED SNAPPER.
How the Fish Is Caught, Its Bsunts and
ItS Peculiarities.

How the Fish Is Caught, Its Bsunts and
Its Peculiarities.
What is ''red-snapper?" kgassiz
may have given this handsome inhabi-
tant of Southern waters its proper pis-
catorial classification. and doubtless he
did. but the text books are. for the
most part, silent rs to its edible virtues,
and certainly no encyclopedias could
ever have eaten one and have failed,
under the influence of the grateful emo
tons thereby excited. 10 render a just
tribute to this royal tish's magnificent
qualities.
What is red snapper? Why. red
snapper is a fish of 3 beautiful, deep
carmine tint, averaging from one anu
half to two and half feet in length.
1t is not game fish. No genuine salt
water fish is. But it can put up" a
very pretty contest when provoked to
the extent of wrestling with its captor
for life in the ocean waves and liberty
to feed on the succulent barnaclcs
which cover the coral beds on what are
known among fishermen as the SNAP
per Banks" 1t will weigh from eight
to twelve pounds, very rarely more,
and possesses most delicious, white
firm meat. Its habitat embraces al
most any portion of the Gulf coast, e1-
tending as far east as Mobile and Pen
sacola, where. indeed. large numbers
of them are caught Its food consists
of small fry, such as mullets, etc.. and
that species of barnacle which is found
by the acre attached to the coral for
nations, rocks and sand in the Gull.
The sport is very exciting. II the
fish bite freely one line at time is as
much as any fisherman can manage
successfully. Nor can any tyro who
has played with his trout in some noun
tain brook to the music of a reel, hope
to land his snapper with the same
graceful ease with which he conquered
his speckled two-pounder. You cast
in your baited line over the rail, and
with plunge the heavy sinker takes it
down, down, down, whizzing through
your fingers till it burns them. Then
perchance an under current catches ii
and you feel it ebbing steadily aft.
Suddenly you feel thrill. shock, a
plunge and a jerk, and Your line is
torn out of Your hand and would have
vanished had you not wisely knotted it
fast to the rail. As it is, it stretches
taut and stiff away from you. at its full
length, cutting the water like knife as
it goes. Now, your pulses thrill and
your heart beats fast. You know that
! a voracious snapper" has in his jump
ing greed sunk your big haddock hook
fast in his upper jaw, whence only you,
on deck, can loosen it. You watch
your chance till your line slackens,
and presently that chance comes; It's
then you need all your skill and
strength. You are engaged in no mere
pastime now, it is contest of endur-
ance and muscle: it is business like
brick-laying or dray-driving. You can
lose no time playing" your fish.
Hand over hand, hand over hand, with
dilated eye and moistened brow, dry
lips. humping heart and straining,
aching muscles, you haul in your line,
until the last fathom is reached and
something dimly red beneath the
ashen waters is seen fighting, struc-
Cling. gasping for life and liberty.
Now comes science or you lose your
fish. There must be no clumsy work
here; you need quick eye, a strong
arm, a cool judgment. These are what
the snapper" fishermen must have
when at length he has wrapped his
wet line around his left hand and takes
a couple of turns around his right to
give him his grip, and leaving only
four or FIVE feet of line still ''out. y
The snapper" now beats and churns
the surface. The critical moment has
come. You lean forward a little. slacken
line ever so slightly, then with quick,
powerful jerk You disengage your
game from his native element and land
him tapping. furious and gasping on
the deck.-St Louis Globe Democrat.