The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-09
wADDELL SAYS RED BREAST.

To the Editor: Certainly you did not
realize what you were inviting when you
propounded those piscatorial conundrums.
If you are not overwhelmed with a vast
variety OF conflicting opinions on each of
them, it will be very surprising. Your
questions cover all our waters, salt and
fresh, every kind of fishing, and every To-
cality from the great Smoky Mountains to
the breezy open sea.
When I was a boy, and infested the
banks of the raging Emo, near Hills
borough, (Which, by the way, had a great
er variety of fish than any stream known
to mel, | regarded yellow belly perch
as a sweet and toothsome dish. I pursued
him by every method, including grab
bling for him under rocks and logs nm
til pulled out a water moccasin one day
when l concluded to quit that mode. The
"yaller belly was only one of dozen
kinds that swarmed in that stream. A
larger experience changed my views and
my taste on the subject of fishing, but l
have never since enjoyed so much unal-
loyed happiness in that sport as in those
early days.
Now. what is the most delicious fish in
North Carolina waters-mountain trout?
No, sir, and Sam Ashe went back on his
/ admit. are beautiful enough to be the
most delicious, and after you have waded,
and slipped and fallen over rocks and
stepped in holes for five miles, and caught
your line on thousand twigs and blades
of grass and sweated, and used bad words,
and allowed number of the slippery lit
tie beauties to get away and finally got
back to headquarters tired and hungry
with about dozen, ranging in length from
eight to eleven inches, they ought to be
delicious.
But compared with a red breast out of
the waters of Sunber river, the mountain
trout Tor any other fresh-water fish fer
that matter) is almost tasteless. The red
breast is, for flavor, for firmness of flesh,
and for its housekeeping quality, the fin
est fish in our inland waters, without a
doubt.
As to saltwater fish the range of choice
is, of course much larger The Spanish
mackerel, which feeds all along the coast
from the mouth of the Cape Fear to New
England, is, perhaps, the general favorite.
The pompasio is rare on our coast, but is
the greatest delicacy farther South. The
rock fish, as we car it, is very fine, ard
the sheep-head is good, as also are the
whiting, and black fish. and ones or two
others. But there is not one of them
equal to the pig-fish, when caught be-
tween Cape Fear and Cape Lookout.
mention these two localities because they
mark the boundaries of the true habitat
of that fish. They are found as far North
as the Virginia coast where they are
called hog fish, but the peculiar flavor of
the Cape Fear pig-fsh is lost after he
passes Cape Lookout. 1t is here that he
attains perfection, and becomes the most
delicious parrish known to our waters;
and if Sam Ashe will come back here, as
he has been promising me to do for a
long time, and get another taste of fresh
fried one. he wouldn't recognize noun
tain trout as "vittles" any more.
Now, as to the best sort of fishing The
only hand-line fishing fit to indulge in is
trolling in a good seaway, with pleasant
company. OF course rod and reel is the
best either in fresh or salt water.
AS to the best place for fresh water
fishing: l should say that; for mountain
trout, Caney River, in Yancey county,
(Murchison's preserved is the best, not
only for sport, but on account of lnc
magnificent scenery. For other fresh-wa-
ter fishing l know no better place than
the upper water of New River, in Onslcw
county, and Black River. in Fender, I'M
less it be the White Lake, in Bladen, or
Orion pond.
The best place for salt water fishing
with a rod and reel or pole and line. is
around the Understandable reminders
of the daring blockade runners-that lie
along the coast, from Wrightsville Beach
to Corncake Inlet, and again near the
mouth of the river,
The best trolling ground, perhaps is off
Beaufort, and the sharpies are the most
comfortable to fish from, especially for
ladies.
! am just about to start for Southport,
where l anticipate fine sport catching
sheephead. pig fish, etc, and of having
some tussles with the big tantog, as l did
last summer.
ALFRED MOORE WADDELL