The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-03
Winding Up the Lines.

A few anglers still cast and troll for bass;
but the fishing season is rapidly drawing
to a close. The squeteague, those bediz-
ened beauties of the sea, are gone; the
blues have left the chummers in the blues;
the bass, following the example of the
swallows, are assembled in convention be.
fore leaving for parts unknown; the winds
are already wintry, and even the woods are
throwing off their gorgeous costumes, Dor
rowed from summer sunsets for their
grand transformation scene before the ap-
pearance of the beautiful snow"
The boats are hauled out, the lines are
nearly all wound up, and fish stories are
now in order while
1.-THE harbor bar Is moaning"
We'll, it was 4 queer fishing season, full
of agreeable surprises, disheartening disap-
pointments and double-recf dangers that
seem to have a peculiar charm for the
knights of the hook and line. There was
an ample supply of fierce squalls, sharp
seas, fiat calms, and gentle breezes, while
on shore there were swarms of bloodthirsty
mosquitoes. Weakfish came in early and
gave splendid sport in Jamaica Bay and the
Raritan Bay but their movements were
uncertain. Nobody knew where or when
to place them, and most of the big catches
were set down by the talent us dumb luck.
Old and experienced fishermen frequently
failed to get n bite on the very days when
green hands returned with full baskets and
great strings.
Blueish did not put in an appearance in
the Raritan Bay at any time during the sum-
mer, although they were anxiously expected
by the chummers and the sharks. The latter,
by the way, were SO large and numerous
during the warm weather that small boys
were advised TO keep away from deep
water. The sharks that visit these waters
are said to be harmless and even good ma
tured, but their appearance is against
them, and their relatives have a bad repu.
tation. Probably that is the reason why
few people care to trust them.
To some salt. water sports 1t is surpris.
ing that shark fishing is not carried on
more extensively in New York and New
Jersey waters. Blu n coil of ffteen.thread
manila for a line, a barrel for a"dauber," q
chain for 4 leader, and a monstrous hook
with a dogfsh for bait nave little attrac
ton for the lovers of the gentle art. New
ertheless, shark fishing can perhaps best
be described in the words of the young
lady who played football: at is piles upon
piles of fun"
At the old Romer beacon, that once far
famed fishing ground, there was little or NJ
sport last summer The days when tide
runners were taken there during the pas
season were few and far between. The sam,
report had to he made n year ago, and man!
fishermen hercabouts are beginning to fee
sad at the thought that the washed
Romer is now perhaps only a Monument
to old associations and to regretted com
panions whose lines are wound up forever.
The gradual fading out of the fishin!
grounds in New York waters Is remarkable
1t began in the upper bay, passed through
the Narrows, reached the upper quarantin
island, stretched out to the lower quaran
tine crib" crept around the Lindsay, an
swept over the mussel beds In the insid
channel which Staten Islanders call tn
Swash. The RomeT, or Monument" az |
is Familiarity called, made the last stan,
against IL and held out for years. Now |
looks as If that, too, were about to capitu