The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-22
FISHING FOR III YING FISH.
Method OF Taking This Strange Bertzen o
the Deep On Bnrbadoes.

the Deep or Barbadoes.
1.-THE familiar old saw. Don't swear or you
won't catch any fish, may not have any real
Significance when 1t Is applied to ordinary
everyday fishing" said a New Yorker whose
means and inclinations ave enabled him to
enjoy much piscatorial sport Of odd and curious
kinds, but it would come true every time il
you were fishing for flying fish. For that
matter, though, the saying might just as well be.
Don't pray or you won't catch any fish, IL 1t
referred to flying fish, In that case. in fact, it
might almost as we'll be, Don't breathe for tho
slightest sound and frequently even the most
cautious movement Is sufficient to send
you homo without a flying fish on
your string. l have seen the sea black
with flying fish as far as the eye could reach,
%crowding upward toward the waiting sweep of
the fshcrman's net, and the next second seen all
that surrounding water as clear as though it
were a field of glass, not q spot nor a speck any
where in sight to remind me of the dense life
that filed It an instant before. The shadow of
a passing sea birds wing upon the water had
been sufficient to alarm that great school and
send 1t somewhere away or into the depths to
return no more. No creature of the ocean Is 80
shy and so lightning-like In its movements In
the water as the flying nsh. And yet. strange as
It may seem. q skilful and discreet fisherman
manipulates his net among them until he has
iiiicu hin DOdI " Iho bCuOOl "llnOut giving
them alarm. I have known one boat to take
10000 flying fish from one school. and fishing
only ceased because the boat would hold no more.
In the deep blue sea off Barbados is where
! used to go flying fish fishing. and | never
heard OF any other place where that sport can
be found. 1t isn't n matter OF sport. though,
with the native fishermen. 1t is business. and a
very serious business, for the principal food
supply. as well as the chief mainstay CONNER
cially, OF a large portion Of tho people is flying
fish. The boats you go fishing in are painted as
near tho color of the water as can be, even to
the sails. Their keels are oiled. to make them
more noiseless in the water. The simple and
single garment the fisherman wears is dyed sea
color. The only unpleasant thing about
oily fish that frequents the steep shores
or BnrPeaoes; Its name according, TO
"a pound in weight, and huif OF that weight Is
oil. The fish are not used FOR bait until ,!ecoin-
position is well advanced. Forty or nifty of
them are taken along in the boat, ana II ever
there was II floating Barren Island a flying fish
Not much in the way of tackle is used in catch
Ing lying f.h. The eau,pment Is a shallow
three feet or so in diameter
THE fishing grounds are from Ave 10 twelve
clear. When the boat has reached a spot where
the fish are likely TO DO found sails are taken in
and IsnHdn the preii M a begin gha II. The ), fisherman
In one hand he holds the light net by the hoop.
so that II touches the water, and can be pushed
down slanungly beneath the water and toward
the boat when the time comes, In the other
hand he has one OF the loud-smelling bait hsh.
into the water In IA nOiseless stream. The fish IL
reduced TO fragments at the same time and
as clear as crystal. IL has the effect OF making
the depths Visible for fathoms down.
hsh,, for Il there are Al any in the Vicinity When
this bait 10 turned into, and upon the sea they
will not be long in making their presence known.
Not a word Is spoken nor a sound of any kind
made after the boat reaches the fishing ground.
The native went out with on my lrst "trip OBJ
TO the manner in which my heart heat, and |
must say that 1t did beat rather loud. The
novelty and expectancy OF tho occasion excited
mo. lay with my face over the gunwale. and
forgot even the malodorous exhalation OF tho
face, | sn~ myriads OF black spots moving. They
rose swiftly growing larger and more numeronr,
until tho sheen OF thousands OF dying FISH,
their long back fins, or wings, bristlinR like "a
moving column Of lancers. gllstened close 10 the
surface. a bunch OF the advance guard came
within reach, and the fisherman buried his not
In the water with a swift ana noiseless sweep
that brought Z toward the boat. lie drew II 10
side of the boat, apparently with ease, although
II contained as many flying fish as n man would
the boat, but with scarcely a sound, he was
ready with his net again, squeezing the oil out
pulp, Tho captured fying nah seemed not 10
deserve thor name, for they lay IN the boat
win scarcely a movement, and soon died. In
two hours that one fisherman filled his boat. and
We sailed back home.
That is AL there Is 10 flying FISH fishing. but
u Is exciting and enjoyable, ia spite OF the halt
fish. You soon get used % that, and don't notice
II, l got so ! could handle tho net abOut as well
as tho natives, and | landed many "A thousand II
those queer tsh. have no doubt dying dsh is.
Bat they must go far away from the Bnrbadue-
water 20 do their hSing. never saw one ~
them fy, but II | had | don't believe / would
have thought half so wonderful e. thing as the
way ten thousand or more OF those hsh can dis
AnDpaF utterly IrDm aiUhI aa In Nha supfpLtfnV. 90
an eye. IN water clear almost A. crystal To the
CsDth OF mAnY fRthOmA"