New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-28
RACK BASS AND HELL GRUMMETS"
THE FISH ARE BEGINNING TO BlIE-A ID"
BUSINESS IN SHIPPING THE BAIT.

III SlNr.'o ~ i+'' 1890
Norwich, Aug. % (speclaD.-The black bass season
though unusually late hls opened in Lively way IN ea
eyn Connecticut All fishermen unite declaring that the
back 1. the capricous OF fish, Ihey aDou" III
all the POND, in this REGION and frequently spor1'in'"
have schools OF them swimming about III inc sho"
water In this but tnoy turned up tneir
fa.tdiou. all kinds OF bait and In July the hh-
ornen often returned with empty cre's after ~uiou'
days fishing In the last ten days the bass have become
bew naturcd. Now they are taking crlcKets 'ross'
helgamts live bait. The best fishing has been zone
at xnder Coventry and GARDENERS lakes, ana the ohu
with the almost Unreasonable at webster Mass
The DISQUALIFICATION called "hcll grummet-has been the
most effective bait up 10 date this year the common
name in this part OF the State Is " dobson" lie y
said be the spawn OF 1.-THE dcyls dnrnin2 heeulc
look. like an enormous "thousndegs" with bony collar
about his neck beneath which the fishermen iher' Wv
hook and ia gathered under nas stones IN swiftly ruhhn
Of trout brooks and shallow rivers IL Is n"r'
task to gather them and boys paid one cent Tor eeh
dobson In collecting them the boys wade the streams
s the stones and the dobsons arc Heated against oroau
wire which IL held on the bottom OF the broo
often four five dobsons taken at once ana so rpuy
do they run they be dumped into trap at once Inc
boys are employed by city dealer in helgrames, who sells
them 10 the fishermen for two cents head lie do's
lucrative business In the dob.on-huDung vocation one
ships Invoices of them all sumner to towns In Mas
Connecticut and Rhode Island lie frequently
send from 900 to 5000 IN batch To Boston, and II
IS fair TO presume that the hell summets shipped from
Bos ton to Grover Cleveland at Duuards Bay came from
Mr.. Pamers wired dobson cages.
His cages large wooden boxes heavily wird across
the top. In bottom he ha. shallow bed OF river
sand with few stones and long pieces OF rotten wood
which Is the peculiar diet q the dObson In captivity En-
under the slabs Of rotten wood, dobsons live
couple OF months In confinement. They must have plenty
~ room I'm the cages else they VIII devour each other and
oce onay the bottom Of tho box must be sprnkled with
a little water In handling them one must operate
swiftly expcrtly catching them about the collar since tho
dobson f. maryellously quick to turn on his keeper and
sten the stccike npper. In his head deeply into his
finger Tho nippers sharp and slender as needle
and penetrate the bone INSTANTLY but the bite OF he'll
granite is quite harmless.
Tho following are best black bass reported
within few day; Nelson webster
and Horace Allen OF Colchester took ten bass In Horse
Pond the largest one Weighing four pounds; Edwin NJ
DAY q, the same town. baggcd a nye-pounder In Gard
ncrs Lake; Milton AID Henry Kyser, OF Boston,
got two fish in Roscland Lake. Fast Woodstock, that
weighed four and quarter pounds each; SelecWah F~ti
and w A. Sibley OF Stafford Springs took two bass IN
Lke Mashapaug that weighed four and nYe pounds Tho
Alber, Dikcman took and quarter pound hSh In
,sardners Lake a day or two ago.
Mrs E1gcrtOn widow Of Constable EcRefton, eeIe-
bstd nnetythd anniversary Of her birthday at hef
cottage in Norwich Town this week Her health Is en-
ceen all faculties sound and she IL a. alert anu
energetic In attending her household duties as are most
women Of forty.