The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-04
FIERCE, BEA UTIFUL BOSITO.
Spanish MackereI Fishing the Sport OF
These Days In Florida.

No more beautiful fish than the Spanish
mackercl swims the salt sea. II Is true IL lacks
the mighty strength and size of its only rival in
southern waters, the tarpon, but pound for
pound and inch for inch 1t is not one whit less
gamy and courageous. The long pointed head
Is set with a pair OF cleaning eyes that see for
many rods every moving thing beneath the sur
face of the sea. Each jaw is armed with scores Of
tiny teeth keen AS a razor and dszzlingly white.
When the mackerel are feeding, and shoals OF
them break the water into ripples, one can hear
the snap of those fierce jaws as they
close upon the hapless young mullet or
barracuda. II Is a beautiful sight TO
see the whole sea for hundreds OF feet grow
dark as II rufied by a squall when an army OF
maokerel suddenly bursts into sight. They are
handsome and graceful in form, with long dor
sal and lateral fins and a broad fuked tail.
which give them the power to outswim any fish
OF their size and weight. They are as cratic as
they are fierce. A great school after feeding for
hours in one locality may all at once sink out
of sight, and not another may be caught for
hours or perhaps days. An enemy, unseen by
fishermen. has alarmed the sharp-eyed fellows,
for tho sharks and dolphins are ever prowlIng
on their trail.
In these autumn days about every one who is
big enough to hold a rod and bait a hook is
mackerel fishing on the Florida Keys. The Gulf
of Mexico Is the real habitat OF these fish. DC
casionally they drift northward in scattered
shoals, following the Gulf Stream. and
some are caught in the warm months all
along the Atlantic coast TO the Canada line.
Quarantine, on the extreme south end of Mullet
Key, is the centre Of the excitement in the Gulf
now. Strings of mackerel that number In the
hundreds are being made every day when the
weather Il good. Unlike most saltwater fish
ing, u stormy day is better for this work than a
fair one.
Take a day when the clouds sink down upon
the sea, sehoT," says old Pedro Menendez, the
veteran, Spanish pilot and angler. between the
gg rnP t 81 ms sdn long black hss PIPE, When The sind
along the shoals, and the sea birds hug the
shore, then senior, you will have the heart Of
"A stout boat, you shall kill and bring home such
a harvest Of bonita as your northern eyes have
And true it Is that on the widest days that
little stulnpy boat OF his. with Its patched yell
out into the gale, and that At night he brings in
big catches. When the wind drives dead on
the piers and catch many and big mackerel.
3ld hands use a long. springy rod q big reel
Limerick hooks sSslled in wire Simp. "HAtah o;a an &
a necessity, aud rorks are The popular kind.
About four feet above the hook the float should
he liked, and ton much attention cannot be paid
TO this detail. On the same per or In the same
boat with men who cstch seventy or more
other fishermen using the same bait WIN get
only four or five fish; The reason is that they
Alh llnhlnE Ao hilhllON As AOl ucfD. anu the I
whole shoal passes them by.
The minnOw used as bait should be firmly
hooked through his hack just above the spine
ON a line with the p%ectOral fms. There Is seldom
any trouble abnut striking. the mackere too
qniGkly,., Indeed. H. Is only the lively man Who
hooks his game, Tasir action in rushing on
the hait, grabbing and swallowing il, seems 10
b. all one ana "a require only All instant. The
cork goes down, the bubbles rise, and a sharp
tug tur, freedom answers the uplifting Of the
rod. The bonita are short;liiyed. though so
savage In their attack, and holding them 10 the
sea, mouth open, quickly tires and browns them.
The weakhsh and bluehsh haunt the Same To-
c~alities, and are caught in great numbers By the
maCkerel fishers. !
In weight the spanish mackerel run from one
pound TO four or 1--WE, and average two pounds.
NNhrn freshly caught they reflect all the hues
Of the rainbow as they nap in the sunlight. The
back T. dark blue and the belly spOtlcss white, |
The sides are gorgeous with notified amber and
bronze. Only a few moments exposure TO the
air destroys all this beauty, The countless iTi-
descent tints grow pale and fade away, the dark
hack turns a light greenish blue, aud the Won
urrful shlmmering sales. IS the Dab dteA fall
away as II by magic. |