The sun., 1919-09-28
TACKLE SMASHING
FISH IN BARNEGAT
Weaks and Stripers Refuse to
Consider Approach of
Cold Weather.
PORGIES OUTSIDE INLET
observations of Great Marine
Leather Back Turtle PuZ-
zles Scientist.
PORGIES OUTSIDE INLET
BY w. II. BALLOU.

and show their heels to anglers.
They remain right on the job OF tackl6
srnashing-provided you can find where
they hang out for the day. Apropos of
fnding them Il Is like this: The other
day l settled over ore combined school
Of all known bay fish. pulling them In al
day long on both tides.
The next day, with conditions pre-
cisely the san1o in every respect. l didn''
get a bite on the identical spot, deep
water fiat in front of Waretown and
rather close TO the shore. Not even a
blowfish took hold
Late in the afternooA l put the row
boat in line with wind and tide and
drifted three miles over the best fishing
grounds, dragging several baited hooks
from surface TO bottom. At last large
lafayette took hold and then a large
wsalfsh. Over went the kedge instanter
and I returned to Eno's at the usual
tirns Of about 6 o'clock with the usual
boz Of beauties.
Local superstition shattered.
The bayman's idea that where you
catch fish to-day they may be caught
again tomorrow at the same place one
hour later, to correspond with the tide
conditions. was thus shattered. Never
again will bank on local superstltions.
When fish do not bite at Il given point
the best way is to drag for them, fact
which / have demonstrated time and
again.
An amusing story circulated here was
TO the effect that the lafayette invasion
in salt waters was due to the opening OF
the gates of the great lakes canal locks
for repairs, releasing swarms of lafay
cites, which on reaching salt water bred
in vast numbers This tale is almost too
amusing to deny--the origin of lafayettes
In fresh waters.
Goode states in american Fishes"
that 'the spot, or lafayette, is found
along our coast from New York to the
Gulf Of Mexico. The name lafayette was
given Il by New York fishermen In con-
sequence of its temperance in large
numbers in waters around the metropo-
liz having been coincident with the
arrival of Lafayette I'm this country in
1894. 1t had been known before that
dme, but only in scattering numbers
It's name spot" was given ii because
oe q dark splash behind the fore fms,
% strongly raarked that no one can
mistake the species, although II Is hard
TO convince some persons that large
spots are not croakers and that small
croakers (two pounds) are not spots
Big PorEies Source of wonder.
About eighteen miles outside the inlet
at the lighthouse Is what is called the
Southeastern Wreck. On this wreck of
late hundreds of hive pound porgles have
been taken by ardent anglers. These big.
fat porgies also bring choice sum either
at the wharf or any fish market To one
who has not caught or seen a porgy
weighing over a pound and half. these
huge fellows are source Nof wonder
and delight
anglers who come here, go out for a
day and at evening come in with either
few or only small fish Instead Of look
ing on at the bags brought in by others,
they make a rush for me and land on
my poor bones $50, those fish yarns
you write are fairy tales, Ell? Sort of
limciight to catch suckers Ior boalmen,
baymen and hotel grafters!" Patiently,
l. take the kickers down to the wharf
and pass them along to boat after boat
whore are boxes of big fellows in large
numbers that anglers who know how
have captured. Then the kicker, con-
vinccd that no fairy ,ale business works.
attacks the captain he went out with.
saying. hes piece of punk, q CRATER,
Q saver of gasolene," SC.
Again ] steer the kicker to the ma
hgned captain and request of him to
know why his party got left
why" answers the captain bluntly
these people don't know how to fish
ana won't DO as | tell them. They in
eist on fishing as they do In fresh water,
which don't go hero at all would
have caught somo big weaks for them
myself IL they had been polite instead OF
. kicking at everything
So / turn to my tormentor and grin
as dismiss tho case with the remark /:
10 he 4ha Il
Some Of the people who come here
not only have never fished before but
have never even seen salt water pre-
viously. Othors get seasick at the
slightest motion Of the boat. Whatever
their troubles they lay II to the belief
that the place Is a gold brick mine,
saIted with stuffed fsh brought from
the markets. touted by paid hirslIngs,
with a general conspiracy OF boatmen.
baitmen and hotelkeepers to do the un-
wary.
Habits of Marine Turtle.
Fortunately have been able to meet
these grumblers with daily catches Of
great FISH. pointing out TO them the best
captains eXtant, who take pride In their
days work, and hotels that give the
very best, the most Immaculate service.
The big hotel. the Riverside House, how
ever, will close on october l. although
gunners from all over the country are
striving to arrange to have It kept open
until December l. because II has steam
heat. hot and cold water. The Grey
hound Inn and the Forked River House,
AZ usual will keep open as commercial
hotels all the year around.
apr puzzled as man of science at
the habits Of the great marine leather
back turtle, which have observed con-
tinuously for some time at intimate dis
tances.
had supposed. and such is the sup
position OF biologists. that il came to
the surface to renew the air in it's
lungs. On the contrary, it projects its
head out OF water every minute and
q half to two minutes and enpties the
contents of its lungs with a loud. roar
ing sound, the head disappearing In
stantly.
There Is apparently no inhalation OF
air, as is said TO be the case with the
whale. q mammal. The question arises,
then. does the leatherback inhale its
oxygen from water. rising to the sur
race at short intervals to expel It? II
a man goes overheard he retains the abr
In his lungs as long as he can to keep
from drowning. The marine turtle il
would seem. can't get below with air in
lts lungs. So. too, man sinks with air
less lungs. Ditmars mentions the loud,
roaring exhalatlons whsn the leather
pack goes ashore to lay eggs. lie saws
nothing OF CORRESPONDING inhalations
Ahorews, discussing whales refers 10
0XUulHl0n al FRO.