The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-07
THIS rs 4 FIsH!
A Texa. Reviews the Fsseiasfisas OF the
t'hannei Cat

.,h..n.,t.s
"oh 20 way. 20 'way!" sighed an old Texan
.n,.sn on sound steamboat the other
night. waving little knot ID enthusiastic
anglers away with both hands Don't talk to
me about sktterias ior nusAAAonse. uoin'e
for black bass. and casting for trout and salmon
and every other Texan that knows good
thing when he sees IL GAN 'eii you Vi h'i ESQ.
can out-1ump and out-neasure ana ou.-hkh'
lie ~as oiie of cluster Of men gathered In
nnnsr deck. and the after dinner chat had
uppe -, .,,.'r q, a., iii rod and lin. A
young fellow who travelled for "A Providence
h.rdwars firm had lust been recalling some
.amo.s aays ON ia. Rapreleys in Maine in
times before summer hotels and railways and
,,nId.s had aestrcysd the wilderness The en-
,hn.,asn viii which he dwelt on the capture
of n seven FOUNDER. It's cst-like rush and leap
- A. ,hs strike and the fierce fight for
Ior 'he n.y. ' A., I,,e -, a..
ireedon' anu inc s"'i's ~ ' " '
end had stirred the old-time sporting blood OF
tine sriAA-eu 49, .s ., A., oou..,, ,,.o
what nsh Is tha' asAeu 'ne 'oi'ase pro
Knock OF his pipe against the canp-stool.
THE channel catfish Is the animal I'm speak
ing about" began the old man, settling down
com fortaby and fitting his chair back against
the wheel house. and in order that there shall
be no MISUNDERSTANDING whht 70 say right NJ
the beginning that this Texas chap II no reia-
ton 10 your darned slow. stupid muddy-eyed
old pond catfish here In the North; Scboolboys
cannot sit on the BANK Will thread hpes tied 10
twig poles and nsh for our cat with bent pins;
II they did they would come home wiser and
wetter II the tackle held out Tor Texan cat
could yank good sized boy into the branch and
half drown him without trouble. All the
streams and creeks that lie TO the southwest Of
the HE'D River In our state contain this game
lighter and those who have caught both fish re-
gard II as far superior In courage, quic ness and
strength TO the black bass. Certainly ITS flesh
Is far more toOthsome.
species, and many do not know any or the
strik ing differences between this and the conf
mon blue catfish. The channel cat has ms
nearly white. sides pale blue. ana "A tail very
gracefully forked. IN shape IL is more slender
and delicate than the ordinary nsh. and II Is
dotted with black all along The body IN several
taken from the water. ~ " In hearty protest
against its capture. The nesh Is firm, haky, aad
OF a 9eantiini Salmon TINT IL never weighs
The shallow. quick running brooks are its
haunts for, unlike Its cousin, the blue cat (which,
II IL never linssrs In stagaant Lakes or Issoons.
IL feeds ON the bottom, as rule. but VIII rise
freely "a minnuw, grasshopper, worm, or even
ripple of the swift water dies away In dimpled
curls YOU will take him early In the morning
and at sunset. Al noon he lies torpid ON the
bOttnm in cool. Swallowed spots.
One OF the PTrttlest ways 10 charm "A chan
mel eat l. on a silver spinner, You drift down
creek with the current late in the afternoon and
line Wherever the water twists over a rock or
wrinkles around "A sunken stump YOU send your
whirlng toy, and rrri , SLOWLY IN you VIII en-,
such little lairs they lie when the shadows grow
long and sometimes the creek for rods will be
aPssh ssG long ssndeT rod aSd sh Six
line. Tor the tackle must be delicate aud strong.
Once a cat is struck he becomes yeritable