The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-06-09
THE RED SNAPPER.
Tow the Fish Is Caught, It's Haunts and
It's Pecuiiarities.

Tow the Fish Is Caught, Its Haunts ana
It's Pecuiiaritics.
What is a "red-snapperp" Agassiz
nay have given this handsome inhabi-
;ant Of Southern waters its proper pis-
,atorial classification. and doubtless he
lid, but tho text books are, for the
most part, silent as to its edible virtues.
and certainly no encyclopedia could
aver have eaten one and have failed,
indcr tho influence of the grateful emo
lions thereby excited, to render just
tribute to this royal fisli's magnificent
qualities.
What is red snapperP Why, red
snapper Is fish of n beautiful, deep
carmine tint, averaging from one and
half TO two and half feet in length.
II 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
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, cx-
tending as far cast as Mobile and Pen
sacola. where, indeed. large numbers
of them are caught. Its food consists
of small fry, such as mullcts, etc., and
that species of barnacle which is found
by the acre attached to the coral for.
nations, rocks and sand in the Gulf.
The sport is very exciting. If the
fish bite freely one line ut u 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 reel, hope
to land his snapper with the same
graceful case with which he conquered
his speckled two-pounder. You cast
in your baited line over the rail, and
with plunge the heavy sinkcr takes it
down. down, down. whizzing through
your fingers till it burns them. Then
perchance an under current catches it
and you feel it ebbing steadily aft.
Suddenly you feel Il thrill, a shock, a
plunge and q 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 waterlikc 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, strug-
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, strong
arm, 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 OF five feet of line still "out. 4"
The snapper now beats and churns
the surface. The critical moment has
come. Youlean forward little, slacken
line ever so slightly, then with II quick,
powerful jerk you dsengage your
game from his native element and land
him tapping. furious and gasping on
the deck..-St. Louis Globe Democrat.
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