Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-03
HOOKING BLUE FISH.
A Day Of the Grandest Sport Sea or
Lake or Land Affords.
MURRAY TELLS ALL THE SECRETS
The Inspiring Sail Out Into Old Ocean in
the Early Morning.
EXCITEMENT OF THE FIRST CATCH

EAClTEMENT UF The FlhcT CAIVu
CORRESPONDENTS OF THE pIsPATcH.1
NEW YORK, August 2.-Did you ever 60
blue-fshing? If you never did then you
have yet to enjoy some of the finest sport
ever offered the lover of the rod and reel.
Only you will need no rod and reel to make
it interesting. To be sure, there are some
fishermen who decline to take fish in any
other manner, just as there are field sports
men who delight only IN the wing shot and
will never kill a bird in any other way.
When Grover Cleveland goes fishing he
uses rod, the same on the trisky ocean as
in the Adirondacks. But in blue-hshlng
you not only need no such accessories, out
will probably fall behind the record, II you
use them, of those who do not.
Blue fish are caught this season in abun-
dance on the Atlantic coast from FIRE
Island to Barnagat light-in such abun-
dance by professional fishermen, in fact, that
they have been thrown away by the ton as
| unmarketable. To the amateur, blue hsh-
| ing presents the additional charm OF
Yachting, the sailing alone lending ample
excitement to the chase. The fisherman
must be of good stomach and foud OF
stiff breeze. For the last three years have
never failed in at least one day on the
coast during the season. Having wooed
the finny tribe in all the principal inland
waters of the United States l will risk my
rerutation on the statement that good
day of Far Rockaway yields more solid
piscatorial enjoyment than the same time
anywhere else in the country. The ro-
mantle difficulties and hardships OF the
mountain waters of West Virginia, the
pleasures OF Petoskey Bay, the more quiet
charms of the inland lakes of the Michigan
peninsula, really shave little in common
with the sport at sea.
ALWAYS AVOID A CROWD.
In this comparison do not class the So
called sport derived from the decks of big,
crowded boats that leave New York daily
for the fishing banks. The true fisherman
avoids crowds as he would yellow fever.
| The pleasure decreases in proportion to the
increase of your fishing society, when that
exceeds 200 or 300 spirits. This is especially
the case with sea-fshing. where you cannot
get away from disagreeable people, from sea-
sick ladies or drunken loafers. Am lack
| ing in sympathetic chivalry in mentioning
the latter together? Well, no; it is because
woman suffering from NAL de mer is as dis
agreeable as that of o noisy rowdy who is
simply out on spree.
One unlucky day Joined such party of
Long Branch. - The boat was crowded, the
| sea was lovely and the fishing fair. But
oh. heavensl We had both Objectionable
elements on board; between them I never
passed more miserable day in search of
| pleasure. 1t was only an every day scene
among those who 60 down to the sea in ships
to fish. After that sat on the sands daily
at Asbury Park and watched the wretched
| victims lugged through the surf, and
laughed sardonio laugh and thanked
NV stars that I should Dever sigh to join
such a gang again. If you are a busy man
| and want days genuine sport come down
with me the evening before to Sheepshead
| Bay. Come In your old clothes and with
| $40 note in those same old clothes, or don't
come at all. Not that it will necessarily
cost you that much money, but as a provi-
sion against unforeseen emergency. People
about Sheepshead Bay will overlook your
old clothes, but they will never forgive your
lapse of cash. That is a popularity at fish
ing stations everywhere.
HIRING THE RIG.
Just across the bay we will meet dozen
shippers in oilsklns and ou'western and
faces of unpublished bronze on the lookout
for a Job. They scent US from afar of, but
unlike the bronzed skipper of the city hack
stands, edge up to us one at time with a
respectful pull at the sou'wester They
point out their particular "her," lying
under bare poles in the little bay, and with
much plainness of speech give the usual
programme. This coldness rapidly disap-
pears under the influence of a bargain
sealed by stiff tumbler of 10 cent grog.
&c e ~,
neat, substantial, seaworthy sloop with
cockpi of five hunks which would hold ten
! persons on pinch-four of US, the skipper
| and a crew of one man, have ample room
below and above. There is stove below in
case the weather should require its services.
| The lines, hook and bait are furnished by
! the skipper without extra charge. Having
| learned that the earlier we turn out in the
morning the better it will be for all hands,
we leave the skipper to get everything
ready. When early morning comes, the
| people, and includes a small tub with big
| lump of ice, around which nestles sundry
bottles of cheerful appearance. There are
various small packages of cigars, lemons,
etc., peeping out of every fellows pocket.
OFF IN THE MORNING.
A light haze hangs over the water, hiding
and the low, heavy swash of the combers
breaking on the beach send the blood quick
ening through the veins. The skipper him.
self lugs tine tub of valuables toward the lit
tie sloop, now shaking out her jib in the
gentle breeze coming in from the sea, and
talks cheerfully OF the happy prospects of a
good days sport, while the Iprettiest dining
room girl from the hotel EZza waves nap
| kin tor luck. Tumble upon deck! Look
sharpi Cast off Haul at the sheet-that's
it-up at the peak! The white jib fills, and
we swing round and careen lazily, then
catching the spirit of the marshes move
slowly up the smooth lagoon.
The banks are low and muddy and tide
washed and irregular of outline. Lu1uri-
ant salt grass stretches everywhere and un-
duIates in silent sympathy with the heaving
billows far beyond. In places the channel is
so narrow that it would be difficult to navigate
but for the favoring breeze. And it SO hap
pens sometimes that you cannot get out; or,
being out, you cannot get in-but not often.
All, but this morning it was lovely sail
Beyond the subdued, musical ripple under
our bow not an earthly sound-all is still as
death itself. Even the sea cannot be
heard, except at long intervals The
human voice seems harsh and falls on the
ear gratingly. So, after one or two attempts,
we lapse into an understanding OF mutual
| silence The most garrulous lies on his
back with teeth set nonchalantlv over a dy-
ing cigar and gazes at the scudd;ng clouds.
II is not a state OF indifference, of medlta-
ton, of boredom. It is the sense of abso-
lutte rest from all thought memory, expec-
tation, human speech. You scarcely feel