The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29
4 SEA CROP JHIT PAYS HELL
Cape May County Fishermen Hauling in q
Golden Harvest These Days.


Golden Harvest These Days.
SEA ISLE CITY, n. j., Oct 2S-It is mony
year since the fishing has been good az il IS
Just now off the Cape May county coast Tho
swapping mackerel have never been so plentiful;
schools containing millions Of fish have been
feeding four or five miles from shore for the past
three weeks, and each day the handlne fl her
men have been coming ashore with their boats
loaded almost TO the gunwales
month ago not a mackere was in sight and
the hundreds Of fishermen in this section who
depend on the catch OF these fish for a livelihood
had almost given up hope of a sucCefsful season.
when one morning word went around that tho
mackerel were coming down the coast in schools
preying on the acres OF mossbunkcrs that pro
coded them.
In an hour all was hurry and excitement in tho
little fishing colonies that dot the island beaches
OF the county: hundred fishing skiHs were
soon manned by their crews Of Swedes Norvc-
Rians and Jerscymcn, and dashing through the
surf TO the fishing banks far out at sea An
hours sail and the boats are in the very midst
OF the school ON all SIDES can Lc the 81 ssh-
ing maCkercl as they pursue Their prey, the bunk
crs Catching mackcrcl rs sport for tine but
before long II becomes the hardest Kind of work.
The fish are heavy, and for fighting have few
10 the hook, vii contest every inch Of the way
to the boat Besides being game, }he fish is =
with ightning-like rapidly in an endeayor to
loosen ihe sharp pointed barb; then he will dash
70 Nc Rlt ana 10 tc lett, OF leap lar out oil water,
then dive lar under the surface In these swift
tactics, the line becomes slack, and the ineSpe-
rlenCcd angler will for a moment think he has
lost his fish Not so with those who have learned
the tricks Of the mackerel. These continue pulling
upon the line, which soon tig hens with the weight
OF the hsh, which in its desperate attempt TO gain
freedom again leaps far out Of water twisting and
sqmrmlng, only 10 land at last in the bottom of
the hsherman's skiH. For two or three hours
this sport goes on almost continuously, and then,
with skltts loaded down with maCkcTcl the anglers
hoist sails and start for home
n nHl vii ~, h Ia,- a Il
Five Mile Beach, Is well known 10 wholesale Ash
dealers IN New York, Philadelphia and other large
cities. While II has some pretensions as a seaside
resort, II is distinctly fishing village It's resi-.
dents are principally Swedes Danes and Nor
wegians, many Of them adopted citizens of tho
United States, who firing Of sailors life, hays
turned TO fishing for livelihood. The little
homes these men have built among the sand dunes
and trees are most picturesque. These hardy
Fishermen are awabiding and prosperous, bun
never, since they came 10 the Jersey shore has
their prosperity been such as il is this fall This
great run OF mackerel has brought thousands of
dollars TO them. and the hard days they We spent
at sea In their little skihs will not be regretted
Never more than two men fish from skif. and
there have been many days in the last hrcr weeks
when every boat landing at Holly Beach has 10
ceVed $50 for Its catch Of mackereL