The sun., 1902-01-26
WHITE FISH OF CADDO LAKE.
ALOUISIANA FISH GOOD TO CATCH
AND GOOD TO EAT.
As Game as the Bass. strong and Swift
The Usual Way OF Catching
Them Simply TO Yank Them Out
or the water sport for the Arts
ito Angler Also - Market Fishing.

NloORINGsPORr, La, Jan. 29.-Agalnst
the heaviness OF the Southern climate
and the malaria always present in II must
be set the fact that the man fond OF fishing
has twelve months year in which to IN
dulge his passion
There are certain fishes OF this region
which refuse TO take the bait at all In the
winter months or bite only at certain times.
The white perch on the other hand may
always be taken by the person who knows
how and the white perch is one Of the noblest
swimmers that ever wet a fin.
It is to he doubted in fact, II this fish
is perch at all. 1t has a mouth as large
as that Of the red-eyed bass, and 1t has
much of the bass shape. though II Is more
stumpy and is fatter.
Perch" in Southern nomenclature, is
'sunfsh" or "crappio- at the North. IL
is applied TO a dozen varieties OF small
thin pan-fsh, with large back-fins and
comparatively small mouths. Between
these species and the white perch there
is nothing in common-size, build, color
or habit
The white perch is 20 be taken most
freely with the live minnow. II is fond
of small frogs, brown OF green. II may
be captured with n No. or No. spoon,
II despises tho earthworm, though II will
take a bait of this kind when il IL excep-
tionally hungry.
As a general thing, anything good for
bass in gamy waters is good for the white
perch. which tends TO show that 1t should
be classed with the bass family. 1t has
even been known 10 rise TO the fly, some
thing never yet done by crappies or sunfish.
The white perch lies in wait for its vic
tim and darts at IL from the shadow OF
some stump. or dead treetop. or cypress
knee much as il it were an understood
muskallonge. II is exceedingly strong
and swift as it must need TO be To capture
the red-sided minnows on which IL lives.
These little chaps are not the surface
minnow They dwell some distance down
and they are as quick as flash. II is not
an unusual thing upon the stu bosom OF
n Louisiana lake 70 see small school OF
them going two feet into the AR IN efforts
TO escape the pursuer below, like a flock
Of fiying- fish ravaged by n tuna.
The white perch travel In groups which |
may number not more than three or may |
number 800 Scattered Individuals are |
rarely found band Of them selects a |
part of the lake which offers cover for them |
and there they stay so long as the hunting |
is good When il gets bad, or when all |
Of the neighborhood minnows are killed,
they move on.
lneSR RdtItllnRS are t'SNN Nv illt
local fishermen. The man who strikes
fair-sized nest at s O'Clock in the morning !
Is reasonably certain OF an hour OF capti-
waiting sport.
Another Characteristic Is shown in the
fact that where one Of great size Is taken
another of equal or greater size II sure to
be. Thus when a man makes a capture OF
a white perch Weighing S1a or possibly
four pounds lac sits IN his boat and fishes
hard for an hour in the hope OF taking It's
mate IL nothing untoward occurs he Il
generally successful.
The record white perch OF Caddo Lake
was taken last Summer. II weighed an
even AZ pounds. Ii was sent 20 an ice
factory and frozen into the centre OF
block four feet square. II was then shipped
TO some members Of the New Orleans Cot
ton Exchange and put on exhibition In that
city. SO far a knowledge eNtends, II
was the largest individual OF It's species
ever taken In Louisiana waters and for size
and beauty would have compared favor
ably with almost any bass Of the small lakes
Of the Northern woods.
Tho white perch Is 80 called because II
l. white All over, except for narrow
space on each -l1c Of the black I'm, Il l.
silver lts prominent eye has
a yellow ring like that Of the green bass,
aud II j. darker on top Oi the head.
Ia favor Il J. not surpassed 10y any mesh
water fish. The meat H. firm, white, of
fnc texture and plentiful. nor H. the gJur-
mand bothered by the presence Of the fine
bones which make the -had - difficult,
A. b,t Nccu the Southern has and the white
perch there b no comparison - Tar ~ the
table l. concerned Ffi'i III C"Ihineal,
broilcd on the Goals, wrapped Ia green
leave- and thrust into bot a-h"- enclosed
in rel clay With hra hraps. upon r. pre-
pared a court b1uitioH, or slowed steamboat
fashion Do ha- fe,. cuuals and hu .up"iior-.
Tie ordinary Louisiana "utlt ior catch
NIX whit" p"Ich j. q rpilhbf cane l'"l"
length. au ordinary ha-s hook ~ tiu'in-
uau Iattoru. iiglt baden riLkcr 'igm
iuchsr above t and liy" mlurua With
THE tire fish. Whsu fastened. l- J,rk'd
-ifatgItWay from tIv water. np urpuriuni-
lity ~ nl lsiup given II to nglt
" b. "a uafftf ~ +trihr Hud riat,l tho
la fdrT the Of lkr tur harder thr snatch
bad ti" murr p.ra-'d tiir t.iriIpu li"
rrhn,mri'- "i . iau.n." "a, 80. "nd -ilA
lice have IH fuutd UlrIr NaN i'r,
To EuuN ts.uIrlarnl.u i-..r lr lis
sf.ai -gfaud.afOrt trIsl. p.iI tlr tarrI.
'luu ti|at lr la- ui- af.,t % ti.r f,at ur r.fk
.-sd tS tis uld gentleman ,l.H i.' 'igI.
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