Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1911-10-06

essentials of true
sport, there be-
ing no casting or other fine rod work
to be done. They maintain, and not
unjustly, that as much skill is needed
to lure some of the fresh water vari-
eties to the bait as to land them after
strike, and that one misses the keen
battle of wit against instinct and
natural wariness. All of which, while
true, does not alter the fact that sur
roundlngs play an allimportant part
In the full enjoyment OF days out
Ing with rod and reel, thing even the
most enthusiastic angler would soon
come to realize were it possible to
catch the highly priced varieties
from the unpicturesque docks along
the water fronts of our cities.
There is Unborn within all of us
keen love of the beautiful in nature
and in the appeal made to it by the
country into which we are taken
lies much of the fascination of ang-
ling. We are stirred by the swish of
the wind through the swaying trees,
the murmur of the brook the silence
OF the deep pool among the rocks, the
placid lake. the fragrance and nys-
terry of the wild woods.
And Is not the sea every snt as fas-
c1nating? Indeed, once experienced,
one never again escapes the subtle
spell it weaves about one with it's salt
laden breezes, its wonderful skies, the
great body of water sparkling in the
sunshine, the silvery beaches, rocky
Lodges and luxurian. green shores.
The blackfish inhabits localities that
show the sea at its best and he is SO
game and crafty fighter as to leave
nothing to wish for on this score.
1t Is not for nothing that he has won
for himself the name of bulldog of
the sea-" His large, powerful Jaw
Is or iron, and he will dispute every
inch OF line, resorting to all man
ner OF clever tricks in order to free
himself He Is never caught until you
have him safely in the boat and the
sklrm1sh between you will likely end
In his getting fway with the best part
| OF your tackle unless your hand ia
skilled and your attention unwaver.
ing.
| The blackfish Is to be found along
the shores of New York, Connecticut
Rhode Island and Massachusetts Old
fishermen claim that his appearance
| north OF Rhode Island is comparative
ly OF recent date. In days gone by,
when the Indians roamed the terri
tory at will, he had place among their
choicest table delicacies and we are
told that the Mohegans, who called
him .'tautog," held him in high es-
TEEN as a spring and fall food.
The name of blackfish evidently
due to the fish's color, is not par.
ticularly fortunate one. Though the
black Is of dark gray and mottled,
the sides are decidedly lighter and
| the under part almost white.
! The blackfish inhabits the vicinity
OF ROCKY Lodges. reefs and rough bot
toms and shows a decided preference
Tor places where the tide runs swift.
ly. Here he will lie in ambush be.
hind some sheltering rock and await
the passage of shrimp and small crabs
carried down by the tide When he
spies his prey he darts out with light
ming rapidly, pounces upon it and
darts back to cover. This predilec.
ton for tidal fues has won him the
name of tide runner in certain 10
callties. He is also found inside the
sandy bays along the southern shore
OF Long Island and on the ocean banks
OFF Sandy Hook. In fact, the largest
specimens are to be caught in these
localities, and this, added to slight
but noticeable difference Of color be
tween The rock and the sand catches
mas led to the belief that there are
two distinct varieties of blackfish
which is not the case. Only one ex
lists,
Wondrous tales are told in the
eastern fish market regarding the
size OF some of the blackfish brought
in from the banks and there are those
who will swear to having seen sc
| Founders weighed. Like the majority
OF extraordinary fish stories they can
not be credited. No specimen tipping
the scale even at 20 pounds is au
thentically on record. and ten pound
ers are considered wonderful rar
ity. Men who fish constantly claim
that the seasons average shows a
preponderance of two and three
Founders, with few five, six or even
seven Founders to boast of. The mum
Der to be had depends a good deal on
the locality, of course, but string
of 30 to 40 is by no means excep-
tional in the best waters.
New Workers are quite partial to
blackfshing and regular excursion
boats are frequently run to the banks
with large parties on board. They
| generally return laden with spoils.
Launches and sailboats are also used,
and along the coast skiffs carry out
many fishermen. On Saturdays and
Sundays, from April until November
there can be seen issuing from every
harbor hundreds of little Graf bound