The Jersey City news., 1906-01-02
/ WINTER FISHING
Spsrs in Cold Wealth er is AL
most As Good Fun As It
e In the Summer
HOW IT Is CONDUCTED
IN cANAlsA THE PASTIME is
wnGULARLY SCHEDULED FOR
rHH GOLD sEAsoN--OUR LAWS
ACr As A DETERRENT.

AAs closed. and that all species of fish
sssare the same alternating habits as the
bear and snakes have during the freezin.
ssss~n In this they are mistaken.
Whilo there are some that do hibernate
there are others that continue to seek food
the entire year, but are not as active
during the winter period as in the sum
mer time. Those that do not hibernate
are the sucker, club. dace, reach, yellow
perch. bass and pickerel. OF these the
sucker, roach and pickerel ase the most
active and win taxa the bait readily when
! placed anywhere near thesl. Winter hsh-
ing il getting TO be quite a sport in this
state, especially when tried through the
ice. On this account the Legislature OF
this state has passed bill making the
month of January an open date for the
1aking Of piekerel by the use of hook and
line. While winter fishing is not new
sport in this section. it has never had the
following that it receives in the more
northern localities. In Canada it is class
ed as one of the winters pastimes, and
is very popular with the people who look
forward to it annually.
Many can recall the experience OF
winters ice fishing upon the Delaware
river north of this city during the year
1880. That year the ice had formed
early. the freeze continuing through the
entire winter and making the river soid
from bank to bank. During that season
tiit-ups were used, some days having as
many as 20 set in a radius of quarter
of a mile In reaching the favorite spot
where fishing was to be done holes were
cut in the ice about six inches in dame
ter and a foot from this two smaller holes
were made with a chisel just large enough
to hold a crotched saphng, the length OF
which was about two feet. After this
came the rigging of the lines. consisting
of a piece of stout line. Upon the end OF
this was placed single hook No. 3, sneli-
ed upon wire. and a small piece OF lead
twisted around the line to keep the bait
at the required depth. This was attached
to the end of a straight piece OF saping
about FIVE feet long. which was then laid
across the crotched stick. The longest
end of the pole rested upon the surface
of the ice with small piece of white rag
attached to it. After the lines were all
rigged and the proper depths made the
bait was attached to the hook. The bait
was the small bullhead or mud minnoW,
ho.ked through the back. After the lines
ere all baited it was but short time
before some of them started bobbing Wig
cro- y. showing that something was at
tached to the BUSINESS end. In attending
rfesa lines skates were always used in
going from one to the other. Ssnle days
the fishing would be better than others,
but hardly trip was made without sue
cess. January was considered the best
month for this sport, the fish caught be-
ing pike, suckers and club, with an occa-
siolAsi bass.
The law in New Jersey and Pennsyl-
vania as well prohibits the use Of any set
line or set lines, or any other contriyance
having more than three single or one
burt Of three hooks upon it. This is d
coed law. for when the tlt-ups were law
FIJI il enabled one man to catch more fish
in one day than a single fisherman could
catch In week by using rod and line.
9t;s nor necessary to have ice for winter
+ fishing One is always certaln Of finding
suckers yellow perch and pickerel at the
hsa diva ters Of any stream that contains
4 thsm during the summer months. Nearly
F.eyery flood gate hole contains great numr
bers o. these 6sh on account of the water
Hsver fraezlng over, wsste sthe flow is
serong enough. During the winter time
ths largest kind of fish are taken, and it
t. surprising tho difference there is in the
Easss. The suoker and roach are hardly
e. to be called fcc6 fish during the SUM
ner msDths. but as soor as tie wster
FKaHgss iIs ftQmperatslre theye fish change