The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1911-09-14

for the haunts OF the blacknsh. Here
they anchor and remain all day. sell
dom failing to land 4 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 hshed ouD and because their
shallow draft permits of their run
ming safely into the rocky places in
habited by the dsh. Sailboats are
rather dangerous In this respect and
1t 10 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 II Is fact that
he 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 hibernation. 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
heat, when he will only be tempted by
the daintiest of delicacies BY Sep
tember he Is feeding voraciously
again, however so the slack season
only lasts few weeks.
The bait commonly used for black
fsh is the soft-shell clam and the nd.
dler crab. Knowing anglers swear va
riously 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 a soft-shell clam on
the hook is a task that requires con.
summate skill. Wherever lives the
black1sh is to be found also in great
! abundance the small nsh called the
bergalt or Gunner. and the bergalt
has particular fondness for clans
and fendish 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 bite you decide to inspect
the bait and find to your surprise that
it is-gone. The hook is picked as
clean as whistle. A motionless line,
free from nibbles has come to Indicate
a baitless hook to the seeker of the
blackfish
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 1t around until it is
firmly imbedded Into the hard mas
Gle OF the bivalve and then crack.
ing the shell 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 vsinly to break
through.
The vast majority of blackfish
anglers being fishermen rather than
sportsmen. and counting the days en-
ioyment 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 fish 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,
1t is necessary to anchor the line.
This is done by securing a small sink.
er to the end. Above It are spliced two
leaders a foot or 80 apart, each bear.
ing a hook, the size Of which depends
on tho individuals idea Of what ID
proper. These ideas evidently vary
greatly. for a wide range Is seen. To
the writer 20 has seemed to best AL
requirements. Tho double leader has
been universally adopted owing to the
chanseable moods of the blackfish
They will often refuse absolutely to
even look at fddlers and pounce