Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1911-10-04

for the haunts OF the BLACKLIST. Hero
they anchor and remain all day. sol
dom failing to land good catch.
Small launches make the best
means OF conveyance, because they
enable ono to- reach tho likeliest
lodges Chose nea- shore are pretty
well fished OUT and because their
shallow draft permits OF their rum
ming safely Into the rocky places In
habited by the fish. Sailboats are
rather dangerous in this respect and
II 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 a 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 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
heat, when he will only be tempted by
the daintiest OF delicacies. BY Sep
tember he is feeding yoraciously
again, however. so the slack season
only lasts few weeks.
The bait commonly used for black.
fsh is the soft-shell clam and the I'D
dler crab. Knowing anglers swear va.
riously by shrimp, hermit crab sand.
worm. hard clam and the tailend 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 task that requires con.
summate skill Wherever lives the
blackflsh is to be found also in great
abundance the small fish called the
bergalt or Gunner, and the bergalt
has particular fondness for CLANS
and fiendish cleverness In separating
them from hook While he is about
II 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
1t Is gone. The hook is picked as
clean as a whistle. A motionless line
free from nibbles has come to Indicate
baitless hook to the seeker OF tho
blackfish.
The most effective way of checking
the predatory instinct OF the bergait
Is 10 bait with the entire clam. shell
and all. This is done by inserting the
hook into the protruding neck OF the
clam, twisting II around until II is
firmly imbedded into the hard mus.
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 blackfsh. 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 az
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 n be.
comes merely matter OF hauling II
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 stir poles.
preferably Of split bamboo. and bass
lines.
The blackhsh, being bottom fish.
IL Is necessary TO anchor the line.
This is done by securing a small sink.
er to the end. Above 81 are spllced two
leaders foot OF so apart. each bear
Ing hook, the size OF which depends
on the individuals idea OF what r.
proper. These ideas evidently vary
greatly, Cor a wide range is seen. To
the writer a 20 has seemed to best nil
requirements. The double leader has
been universally adopted owing TO the
changeable moods OF the blackAsh.
They will often refuse absolutely to
even look at fddlers and pounce