The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-17
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THE JACkFISH Is GAME.
1t Is Found in Small Streams of the
south and Ready 10 Fight.


south and Ready TO Fight.
From the New York Sun.
In general the fresh water fish of
the South are not so game as those of
the Norths colder waters, and they are
not nearly of so many varieties. In sea
fish the lower waters have all the best
of 1t.
The far South has one fish, however,
which is an able fighter, requires good
| angling and is a glory to the table.
| That is the jacktish
| IT is really a small pickerel seldom
attaining a greater weight than three
pounds, with long, slender body and
several sets of handsome teeth. 1t is
shouted like the alligator, gar, and,
like that predacious ruffian, eats any
live swimmer it is big enough to whip.
1t is because of its long nose and
light draft, death on minnows, which
find 1t hard to get close enough to
bank for safety 1t also pokes it's lethal
head under stumps and roots for perch,
and, altogether, manages to have a
fat time of it, getting more to eat III
proportion to its size than any other
denizens Of the waters.
1t is never found in the waters of the
lowlands, but prefers the creeks and
larger streams of the pine woods hills.
These streams are always swift, cool
and beautifully clear, and the jackfish
is therefore clean and healthy.
1t strikes readily at any lure which
is good for bass. and fights much
harder, as well as being more difficult
to fasten because of the bony lining of
its mouth. 1t is a maxim with South
ern fishermen that the jack must be
mt M a n he oh
possible time, else it will get away,
being particularly expert in getting the
hook out.
1t possesses great power, and unless
lifted from its element by rapid tour
de force will tear itself from the barb
1t is also a good hand at diving
straight for the bottom and either rub
bling the hook against sand and peb-
bles or twisting the line about a stump.
The jack is about the only one of the
Southern game fishes which, when
tightly held and securely fastened, will
leave the water repeatedly in the at
tempt to shake out the hook This
sometimes happens with bass, but very
rarely, those fishes preferring generally
to fight II out beneath the surface. The
jack will throw it's slender body into
the air and shake its long snout in
desperate fashion, thereby adding
much to the pleasure of the angler.
1t inhabits almost incredibly small
streams-minute branches, as they are
called-which run from far up in the
hills. These are often not more than a
yard wide, sometimes less, and in pur-
suit of minnows the jack will go up
them until not more than four inches
Of water is between belly and bottom.
They have been taken in branches so
narrow that they had barely room to
turn around.
In fishing In such places it is neces-
sary, of course, that the angler should
be cautious. He must walk with a foot
Of velvet have long rod and approach
the bank gently. He must not upon
any account be seen.
When the strike is made the hook
must be reefed in violently in order to
pierce the bony tissue; and to make
assurance doubly sure the jack should
be snatched from the water. There is
not much chance for play in a rivulet
a yard wide and a foot deep with
stones and MOSES in 1t.
Sometimes, however, in a pool of the
main creek, a pool which may be thirty
yards across and thirty feet deep, roof
ed over with intermingling limbs of
giant pines, with only CLEANS of sun
shine here and there upon its surface,
a four pound Jack may be hooked from
a depth of ten feet, and then the angler
will have cause to THANK the maker
of strong tackle. If the rod be light
or the silk under weight there will be
a smash, sure.