Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-09-14

for the haunts of the blackfish Here
they anchor and remain all day, sell
dom failing to land good catch
Small launches make the best
means of conveyance, because they
enable one to reach the likeliest
ledges (those near shore are pretty
we'll fished ouD and because their
shallow draft permits of their run
ming safely into the rocky places in
habited by the fish. Sailboats are
rather dangerous in this respect and
1t is no rare occurrence to see one
hung up high and dry by the falling
tide. Rowboats are very convenient
FOR near-shore. fishing, but rather
risky. Squalls are likely to come up
at any moment and make matters
more than interesting for the fish
ers.
The blackfish is said never to desert
his home waters and it is fact that
ne never visits the rivers like do the
salmon and the sturgeon to lay his
spawn. AT the advent of the cold
weather he becomes torpid and goes
into Information, not emerging again
into life until spring. April makes
the return Of his appetite and fisher
men time the period of his reappear-
ance with the Towering of the dog
wood. From then until November he
can be caught though there is a time
In midsummer, during the excessive
neat, When he will only be tempted by
the daintiest of deicacies. BY Sep
tember he is feeding voraciously
again, however, so the slack season
only lasts few weeks.
The bait commonly used for black
hsh is the soft-sheii clam and the fid.
dler crab. knowing anglers swear va
rlously by shrimp, hermit crab. sand
worm, hard clam and the tail-end of a
chicken lobster as irresistible NOR
sells when the fish are not biting we'll.
but as rule, there is no necessity
for special bait
The securing of soft-shell clam on
the hook is task that requires con-
summate skill. Wherever lives the
blackfish is to be found also in great
abundance the small fish called the
bergalt or Gunner, and the bergalt
has part4-.ar fondness for clans
and fiendish cleverness in separating
them from hook. While he is about
it you feel few gentle nibbles and
then motion ceases. You pay no at
tention, of course, but after waiting
vainly for a bite you decide to inspect
the bait and find to your surprise that
it is gone. The hook is picked as
clean as whistle. motionless line.
free from nibbles has come to indicate
baitless hook to the seeker of the
blackfsh.
The most effective way of checking
the predatory instinct of the bergait
is to bait with the entire clam, shell
and all. This is done by inserting the
hook into the protruding neck of the
clam, twisting it around until 1t is
firmly imbedded into the hard mus
Gle of the bivalve and then crack
ing the she'll lightly. Prepared this
way the clam is easily taken into the
big mouth of the blackfish, but pre-.
sents an armored surface to the begalt
,, which he attempts vainly to break
through.
The vast majority of blackfish
anglers being fishermen rather than
sportsmen. and counting the days en-
joyment only from the standpoint of
the catch, scruple not to minimize as
much as possible the fish's chances Of
escape. They use heavy hand lines
provided with two or three good
hooks, and when a flsh strikes it be-
comes merely matter of hauling it
| in, hand over hand.
There are others, though, who have
the right sporting blood and believe in
equalizing matters so that skill will
have to be brought into play. They
use light rather than stiff poles.
preferably of split bamboo, and bass
| lines.
The blackfish, being bottom fish.
| it is necessary to anchor the line.
i This is done by securing small sink
er to the end. Above it are spliced two
leaders a foot or so apart, each bear
ing hook, the size of which depends
on the individuals idea of what is
proper. These ideas evidently vary
greatly, for a wide range is seen. To
the writer 20 has seemed to best fill
requirements The double leader has
| been universally adopted owing to the
changeable moods of the blackfish.
They viii cften refuse absolutely to
| even look at fidders and b..unce