Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-01

or eight are satisfying to the average an
gler.
In trolling the yeIIowtail often comes
within two three feet of the stern, and
an attractive method of fishing is to drift
and chum. by which means the fish
kept about the boat. all their movements
being observed. In many years experience
| have rarely seen yellowtafl less than
twenty-five pounds in weight. and the
largest l have weighed tipped the scales at
slNty-four pounds; but specimens have been
caught which weighed eighty-four pounds.
The yellowtail is almost omnipresent. The
active season is from May until December,
but the fish has been caught every month
in the year and January and February are
the only uncertain months, though it should
be remembered that fishing seasons change
year by year.
The White Sen Bass.
Ranking with the yellowtail, and to my
mind more of delight giver, is the white
sea bass-Cynoscion nobile-the California
weak fish. In many catches l have never
taken fish under fifty pounds and they
range up to eighty or more. On May 1
year ago 1 took four five such fish in
the forenoon, and several boats in the bay
were being lowed about by these giant
fishes. The method of fishing was unique
My companion and / had light rods and
very light lines Avalon bay was filled
with sardines. so closely packed that we
cast our bare hooks into the school and
Jerking them impaled a live bait which
soon sank fifteen or twenty feet, where the
white sea bass were playing
In clear places the big bass could be seen
moving slowly about with a degree of dig
nifty and grace indescrbable. When the
struggling fish descended to their level a
strike was probable. and more than once
We had strikes at the same time. On one
occasion my companions fish rushed astern
and mine ahead. and a tug of war ensued
At one time at least thirty boats were fish
ing in the little bay, and ten would be
fastened to bass at the same time, making
the sport fast and furious. The buzz and
ZeeinS of the reels, like the cicada, was
constantly in the air. Shouts from for
tunate anglers. screams of delight, cheers
as a big fish fell before the gaff, boats
rushing hither and yon behind the mighty
game. now colliding, lines crossing, ex-
postulatory cries and laughter made up
this remarkable and exciting angling SYM
postum which occurred on the first day of
May, 1900. Few of the fish landed weighed
less than fifty pounds, and all were taken
with light rods; number by women who
handled the fish with remarkable skill.
Tackle and Bait.
The white sea. bass plays more on the
surface than the yellowtail and one indi-
vidual, which weighed about ffty-two
pounds, fought me for nearly half an hour
in a little bay, never more than 100 feet
from the beach, yet towing the boat about
in a zgzag fashion. rushing around it so
tStiiiS 'ii" IL Nfi9 olilS ny lndl
1t was saved This fish was hooked with a
flying fish as bait-a fetching and killing
lure a times for both white sea bass and
yellOwtail. The season for the former is,
unfortunately, very short. The fish is due
in Los Angeles county A pril Is, and the sea-
son ends in June or July, depending upon
the locality. The young sea bass are called
sea trout, and are excellent light-r fish
l have tried some interesting experiments
with tackle upon the yellOwtail and white
sea bass. and succeeded in taking a thirty
five pound yellOwtail on an eight-ounce
split bamboo, but it required an hour and
ruined the rod. The rod for yellowtail and
white sea bass is one that is light and pli