The sun., 1916-08-20
WHAT CONSTITUTES
EXACTLY GAME FISH
Kit Clarke's Query to "Thc
Sun" Discussed by Joseph
Baron.
FIGHTING is A FACTOR

What IL a game fish, asks J6scph
Baron Of sos Ridgewood avenue, Brook.
Ign. and then MFR. Baron answers his
own question as follows:
1t is decidedly difficult to define on.
actly what constitutes a game fish and
to decide which are the ga me fish AMI.
which are not.
A game fish. according to the bes, Al.
thorities. Is Judged by its fighting in.
stincts, A trout will leap and struggle
| when hooked and endeavor to rid itself
OF the hook by diving among rocks and
snags. fighting foul undoubtedly, bu,
nevertheless fighting.
a salt water blackfsh, another foul
fighter. attempts the same manruvres
without the lesping. and 1t Is not a game
fish.
The eel Ia notorious for It's struggle.
especially when landed. but 1t is doubt.
full if any one could consider the eel A
game fish.
The bluefish. the most vicious OF cal,
water fighters, fights fair and in the
open. but with a piano wire leader and
a hand line is easily landed.
All fish struggle to the best Of Their
ability. The little half pound sea porg,
will struggle harder than "A three pound
iiuNN, bul uIlueT tne prevalent rOncers
tion Of "A game fish would the porgy be
considered game?
The tuna. tarpon. barracuda and
other large fish Of Southern waters ar.
undoubtedly game. but in proportion To
their size are they any gamer than IN,
six pound bass or bluensh?
From the little tomcod to the largss,
fish caught on rod and line there is pro.
p~ortionately the same struggle for H..
erty. each species en~deavoring to r.,
itself with "A gameness that can only b.
Judged by the 'size OF the fish and the
tackle used.
In a recent article by Kit Clark. IN
THE SrN he interestingly described the
gameness OF the ~onananische and com.
pared the brook trout and grayiing and
muscailonge with the o~nananische ami
awarded the prize for gameness 70 the
latter. but he reaches the conclusioD
that when taken In swift water with
artifcial fly and a light rod Of four ~
hre ounces the o~nananische is the great.
EST hghter and strategist that, ploughs
fresh water.
= While handing the palm TO this Ash
Mr.. Clarke stipulates ligh, tackle. W,
a good heavy rod and Il thread line ~.
hshting qualities Of this fish would t-
iost. II would develop into a matter ~
strength " maj and fsh with the
fsh heavily handicapped. How mucl
harder would the same size trout seem
ingly fight II hooked on a two ounce 10
with a . cent spool OF ordinary sewn.
cotton for a line?
Every movement of the fish can he T.,
io"ed by the elasticity OF the tip, az,
with the reel lightly held ready To- o.,
or take line as the bending or straight,
ing OF the rod indicates. every tn,
ana leap anticipated. knowing FUN ".
tHat a single second Of careiessuess -
shap IN" cohweb thread. hos mn
"'nuer VIII the fish secmi, rly Strugg'.
There Will be the same actual fight
on a waxed silken line that will star
three or four tines the dead weiek
the nsh. but each move Is aCcen,ua,,
more. Knowing the thread will sr
easily with the dead weight OF IN. H..
without any struggle.
IN" gamenesS of auy fish will NJ. nee,
ruIled when caught on tho lire OF ,
cotton Thread Fishing club of Amo
ca standard No. "a Clark's - y q"
'S'ool cotton. purchased at a notion s'o,.
Tor D cents. II has been sucressfuII
used in salt and fresh water t.ni,g l,.
hsh up To !? pounds have beer success,
iuiiE landed. and even this weigh, q
#. undoubtedly he be beaten by msmhe
Of tho club.
But the question as to VIA, r,.s,
tutes a gam" fish is still uranswcr,
rush protected by tho gam. laws A..
not necessarily game fish. and .tr, pro.
'e'ted Tor conservation PURPOSES W..
CLUBS may specify what they cor,ido
game hsh and engross in their b,,ou
a list OF fish ordinarily considered gam
y" stlil have no definite method Of al,
tlhguishing the species. and as TO W.
nsh are the rafnest every ore has \ ,
~i"VoFite ana 1t all depends on the ,acNls
used.
\ pair OF ice tongs attached 20 a s,,,,
cable ana assisted by a donkey errn.
VIII l!ft' the gamcst Of game n n ON,
the water ana the onlooker could nor -,
whether 1t vas game or not.