The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-18
THE LITTLE BLUEFISH.

Blueflshing is now again great pas time hereabouts, the little blues" hay ing begun to run In earnest. Catches of from twenty to one hundred are fre- quently reported. The fish are small yet, especially those caught in the riv- ers-at Lewis Bridge, for instance. Those caught off shore in Long Island Sound are considerably larger On this subject of blueAshing the Norwich Rec ord has the following:
 The little bluefish are running now. That means sport for men and boys, for there is no gamier fish in the water hereabouts in proportion to their size. Where you find the tide running there you'll find the little blues, and at this season you will find fishermen all along the water front on the Thames river some ways below the city.
 The best point nearest the city to catch the little blues is at Fort Point. where either from the wharf or the breakwater baskets are quickly filled with the toothsome fish. They are also caught at Allyn's Point, Kitemaug, Gales Ferry and Montville, but the best places the fishermen find are at Harvard Point and the navy yard, Here the fish seem to run larger and at the navy yard some quite big fellows are often caught.
 At times the water is alive with these gamey pan fish, and the fishing ground is unlimited. There is a favorite spot on the west side of the river a little be- low Gales Ferry, where past the rocks on which the fishermen stand the cur rent runs pretty swift when it gets fair ly started and draws the fish along in schools. The fishing appeals to the most timid, for it is not necessary to go out in boats to make the best catches, and there is more solid comfort anyway loafing about on a solid whart than rocking about in boat in rough water fishing with rod and reel.
 This much for the fishing ground. The river may be full of blues and you may sit on the wharf and watch them jump out of the water and get not a bite. The chances are that you haven't the right kind of bait or that the wind is against your luck. The wind must be right. When the wind is in the north
 The skilful fisherman goeth not forth; When the wind is in the east
 The fish do bite the least;
 When the wind is in the south
 It blows the hook into the fish's mouth; When the wind is in the west
 Then the fish do bite the best.
 This is a good guide for those who go out after river blues. The wind may, however, be right when you start, and shift against you, or you may sit on the wharf with the wind in the east and it J5 +@ I,,t is always a good plan to have the wind right when you start.
 As to bait that is another important point Blueish don't bite everything you put on the hook. There is varie- ty of bait-swordfsh, clans, Holsters, and sometimes kellies. and rarely salt water sinners. There are those who ad- vocate clans and Holsters for bait, but their catches are not large. You want live bait, and sinners are the best Kel- lies are dark, and the bluef1sh do not see them as easily as they do the long, slvery sinner. Kellies can be caught around the dicks with a scoop net when the tide is running In. It is well to tie in the meshes of the net soft clans. The kellies are attracted by clans, and you will find no difficulty in catching this kind of bait. Sinners are not easi- ly caught They are found along the shore in water two or three feet deep. For tackle you want light jointed pole with a good reel and line.
 It probably will never be settled which, is the better tide to fish on. Most good fishermen start out just be- fore low water and catch their bate, for that is the only time to catch chiners. Then they fish on the flood tide, and sometimes the fish bite best as the tide turns, and often the best part of your catch is made on the ebb. Bluef1sh caught now are pretty small, but in a j week or two they will run larger, and by the first of September they ought to be big enough to bend your pole consid- erably. That's the time it's sport to 4l,-o s,,,