New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-28
FISHING IN THE SOUTH.
THE SPORT is A PASSION WITH WHITES
AND BLACKS ALIKE.
HOW THE GENTLE ART OF 'GlG"lN" %
PRACT1sED BY THE NEGRoEs-FAMlL1

ANGLING PARTIES AND FESTIVITIES
The lacoons that wind through the swamps OK
the South and the creeks that run throus' vac
uplands are well stocked with fish, ana a' ''is
season the plantation negro has his nshns-p o'o
for a constant companion. He gets a rise or
two ont of the pond daybreak before ne goes 10
work in his cotton patch at noon. when MS rest
hour comes round, he steals off for another p't
OF angling, and al sunset. after he mas leu anu
housed his mule for the night. he repairs 10 tne
waterside again, spending hours In pursu'i'e MS
fascinating pastime Men and women ish haf the
rigbt after laboring in the fields all day. The
country negro's capacity for physical endurance
and zest for sport unbounded particularly II
the latter be shared by others OF his Nno' anu an
element of sociability contributed his WINTER
hunting is something OF an expense 10 hi''' AZ
though he fights the possum with the axe anu
,ho torch he must invest in a certain amount of
powder and shot for the bagging OF other ga'ne'
His fishing however. costs him nothlng save 'ne
trivial price Of a hook and line Inc caHep' aho
furnishes as many poles OF all sizes ana "eisi''s
as he desires and after he has put weight on
them and hung them from a tree for couple %
dovs ~ 90, the kinks out ne is provided with rous
for the entire season. OF bait he can get fresh
and seductive supply each day from the MN oi
earth of the swamp, from beneath 1he paih u
the dead and diving trees around him. when DE
fish begin 10 head upstream de sawyer iaIr van
20 , follow from out de dead pine" asserts an en-
thusiastic fisherman, referring to the puzAns
sound made by these little cutworms as they IaOor
beneath the bark The banks along the water
courses and mill ponds fnnged with cypress
and sweet gums. and innumerable sombre pineS'
r,s,ng N q great height and shutting out the sun
uvbt On Saturdays, which are holidays on the
plantation every one Of these dark tree trunks mas
a dusky figure leaning against 1t, holding a hshihs
mole and often the protruding canes are so thicA
,bot could the fish realize the wholesale crusade
made against them they would congregate IN the
,riddla If the Dond and decline TO move. Even
there however, they would not be safe. Tor an
sorts of leaky and perilous-looking craft OF inc
batteau type, padded out into the current
and dark forms sit silently there and fish from that
mint of vantage The negro does not in the IedsI
mind a boats leaking. He would not know what
~ do with n waterproof boat. A recognized part
OF the expedition him is the constant baiilng out
involved.
What is called "gigging'' is sport often INDUCED
in by those negroes living near mill when mas Il
level sheetng Of boards in front Of H. The water Is
either shut off, permitted to run so 'eepY
through the mill gates that the FISH swimming up
stream are caught in the shadows Inc udIhIeS
proyide themselves with gigs" and walking ABOUT
in the water stab the FISH with their sharp-po''i'e'
prongs At night. when boniires fash at intervals
along the creek a party of negroes engaged IN
"sigsng" make striking picture Inc women an
have their skirts tucked up TO the knees the"
dark arms are barred to the shoulder. Each peIS"i
engaged in the sport carries a blazing hghtwood
torch in order TO detect the fish that are hldlhg IN
odd corners Fishing is usually silent pastiine'
the angler must be quiet. as voices VIII warn 'he
FISH away. No such restrictions are necessary
when "gigging' is in progress. however ana t"e
marty is both merry and noisy Besides an '''"b
with the rod and line, the negroes put out many
,a,s from, dav 70 dav and visit them al night 10
see what luck they have had. The owners OF me
FISH ponds seldom object TO this practice oeoauSe
the most desirable fish are rarely caught III NV
nets The ebon fisherman. however likes these
,,.,ff. fh6
make an agreeable chanse in the rations at the
cabin Eols are partaken OF literally as well as
the innumerable "cooters' that ABOUND IN 'ho
ponds and SIT stumps and fallen !ogs az Ao,'e
the edges OF the water. In the sunshine their oachS
as green as the moss and marsh by which they are
surrounded The white Southerners are as en-
tbusastic fishermen as their black friends. Ere
ouertly five or six families agree to meet AT a
noted fishing place on a stated day ana tS ."e''
luck al ANGLING. Even the little chIdreh nave
canes proportoned 10 their strength, and ENJOY 'he
sport along with their elders.
The creeks or mill-streams flow through Iafus
owned bv different proprietors. Occasionally
land owner of unusually graspins turn Oh W''n
constructs a rude trap across the stream u"'a.n-
Ing all the FISH that place, ana preventing Ms
neighbors farther up from getting any OF the'
norton Selnshness Ike this II persisted In Oxen
loads 70 bitter feuds between families, and some
times involves them in lawsuits which last Tor
wears and depleic the family e&chequer that was
none too full the start
In April and May "fshfries" are the order OF 'he
dav or rather Of the night. the men In the interior
towns who attend them, being engaged during Dust
moss hon. finding il more convenient 10 get OH
after n!ghtfan. Every owner OF a good hsh-poh1
fees il incumbent him to give Two Or t'fee Oh
these FISH festivals during the spring ana MS
friends and neighbors particularly If they De young
and on the lookout FOR a good time are not $40"
to avail themselves OF his hospitality. As every
hodv knows fish deter!orate in flavor according 10
the length of time they have been out Of the SO
the epcurcs VINO WISH 10 'astg Inn r -. as nossi.
bic after they are caught Inc ioie ru" al s ,,o
open air sharpens the appeute, ,n@ p' nA some
Zines the occasion IS intended 70 be uhuSuaaS
cornwall. artificial spirits are resorted TO- me
the scene lie is usually very Big. very black ana no
important functions. He Is generally the miller at
the special ond where the Try sVsn . ano ' fo1
years Long before dark he has had ne ntos
The varoUs servtors and attendants TO sit around
He mas irnproviscd rude seats ior the expected
P c6srre Of the newly caught sh and that
they are properly cleaned, arranged ior huinD'r
/ 0sh II the appetltes threaten to demoish ne
/ supply. and endeavored by every means IN ~
has grown gray in the service ana goes about hes
DUNE DUNE ~, S'6 oce AL 5no axS just the KIND
to FRY hard or soft. just the proper degree OF ne
iates the blazing brands with his tough black I'm
gers as Il they ordinary sticks OF "ood ne
/ FISH fresh caught that afternoon are strung Oh On
/ forked sticks and allowed 10 bon up ana DOWN IN
The water near the bank. As fast as they are
cleaned they carried up the mn 10 inc coohI
and as fast as they are cooked they are plunped
into the plate of "A guest who realizes now deIiclous
a fresh water fish be when transferred ainost
| out of the water TO the table. No one troubles 70
| note how many Ash eaten. The frying pan Is
always being filed, always being depleted. new
SUNNY Of nah is always coming up from the water
and the capacity for dsposng OF them Is appar-
entity unlimited. The negroes stand ABOUT lstelins
open -mouthed to the conversation retiring into the
background occasionally to give vent 70 iaushter
I which they cannot control as some guest MAKES
/ some witty remark which the negro Is quick
enough TO understand. A hshfry Is signal OF
general rejoicing with the darkics because IL means
a harvest OF quarters and ten-cent pieces. iiorees
are TO be held. DuggIes turned about, PIuhuC
/ slowed away and IT, as sometimes happens, the
hest that the appe,ites outrank the proportion
] OF fish, experienced anglers are fuihlshed VITA
/ superior equipments and dispatched up INTO the
/ quiet reaches of the pond away from the care
/ and noise, TO entice wary Dream ana perch 10 tHe
/ sacrifice. $780,, . -,