The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-09-04
On the Black Fish Banks.

man whose veracity stands the ordi-
nary tests commonly falls down when
he undertakes to tell about his expe-
ricnce as fisherman. The game we
take from the water grows larger and
numerous In our mind, 1t seems
knowing these thirgs to be true, I
begin this story not without a mild
degree OF trepidation. cast myself
upon the mercy OF all who have the
patience to read what I have to say
"A pilot boat Is a boat in which a
man goes to sea to act as pilot for an
incoming vessel whose officers are
ignorant of the windings Of the bar
between the land waters and the
ocean. He spends a large part of his
life drifting In the open sea, waiting
TO catch sight Of a ship wishing to en-
ter the harbor. The man have In
mind is Capt. Van Harten. of the Va.
runa. craft eighty-five feet long with
beam Of twenty-nine feet--that is
her width.
On Wednesday morning. the 2sth,
party OF US boarded this worthy
craft, and set out for the open sea.
We found her to be finely fixed up
within. with hunks and beds and ta-
bles and lounges and all the seafarer
could ask for. We sought to make
our way to the Port Royal entrance,
but discovered that what wind there
was was dead against US, and it was
necessary to make half dozen tacks
before the ocean was reached. But
we had genial and. good humored
crowd, the wide spread sails protected
US from the rays Of the sun, and al
most the whole day long we beat our
way towards the southeast, In search
Of the black fish banks. which lie
down the coast. about half way be-
tween Beaufort and Savannah. At
one time. 1t really seemed that we
should never come to the coveted
place OF sport We could see our spar
buoy juttins out Of the sea several
miles away. but the contrary winds
beat us back until hope was almost
dead. However, our good captain
mastered the situation at last. and.
after much twisting and turning, we
oeheld the buoy Just at hand. and the
order was given to bait our lines and
begin to cast. We found the water
to be about eight fathoms In depth.
and we land-lubbers feared lest our
line weights would never take the
bait to the bottom. But we all got
TO work at about the same time. and
within less than three minutes the
whooping and screaming began. Ten
OF us were fishing, and each man had
from one to Ave fish hitcned to his
line, each line has several hooks
on it) The cries were various. "I've
whale!" There's an OK pulling at
my llne!' Some fellow run here
and help me pull!'' 'T,m pulling In
the biggest fish that ever came from
the water!" And thus the welkin
runs with the gladsome cry of the
hshers who mad come at last to the
place Of sport. The deck began to be
covered with fishes. The dozens grew
into twenties and then ran up into the
hundreds. 1t was like drawing water
from well or from dozen wells.
After We had drifted two hundred
yards or more. we came into the
realm OF the sea trout, and 1t was
then that the real sport began. With
five hooks on line. 1t was not uneom-
mon To land three trout at one time,
| Weighing from a pound and a half to
| three pounds. A drift of q few yards
further brought US to the department
set apart for black fish, and then it
vas their turn to be landed on deck
Up they came In great numbers, ex-
cept that now and then for a few min
utes angel fish and horse cavaihe
seemed TO monopolize things ana
| great multitudes OF them were strewn
upon the deck. These were not choice
fish for eating. and 1t panied some Of
| US. lfetle later, to see the captain Of
our craft throwing back into the sea
dozens of fish weighing from one to
four pounds each.
Having reached the fishing place
at a late hour, our sport lasted but
an hour and quarter. At the end OF
that time. the deck was literally car
Peted with trout and black fish. the
| former weighing about two pounds
| each and the latter, of course, weigh
| Ing much less. Our fingers had
grown sore from handling the lines and
pulling the fish. and when l suggested
that We end the sport. heard no
dissent. The thing had passed out Of
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