The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-17
OCEAN WEAKFISH IN
BARNEGAFWATE
Range Up to Ten Pounds and
Tackle Smashing Is Their
Hobby. y,
CR0AKERS IN SCHOOLS
No Skinner or Sea CLANS on
Beach and Cold Winter Of
1918 Blamed.
CRoAKERs IN SCHOOLS
BY w. III. BAILou.

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FoRKED RIVER, N. J., Aug. 1s.--Rsr.
negst Bay is full OF weakfish and croaE..
ers Of all sizes from school fish 10 ana
largest ocean types. Sunday was the
day for the big fellows to exhibit them
selves. Thirty-hve WnglinR partIea
went out from Eno's wharf ana GOT
them. They ranged from three 20 ten
pounds each. As usual n large amount
OF tackle was smashed. everybody los
ing some.
In some sections OF the bay are many
net poles broken on by storms near
the base. On these stubs, the big fellows
find ready means of escape They tanrie
up the lines both on the broken or poles
and the stout wire grass on the bottom.
Rather than be caught they smash their
, jaws on boat bottoms, Hedges and cable
ropes-anything to escape capture.
To get them at all, anglers are forced
to use heavy tackle. 30 many have
escaped in the use of landing nets that
the rule now is to drop the fish pole and
yank them swiftly aboard, allowing them
as little play and running as possible 1t
Is practically fatal to let them run One
must hang on and steadily reel in as
fast as possible to get them
Those who play the big fellows in true
sportsmanlike manner have only a tale
TO tell Of the fish lost, but no fish. 1
GOT skunked for two days until dropped
the highbrow business and became
lowbrow. 1t Is positively siclSening to
como into the wharf without any big
weaks, when they may be had for yank-
tnG them aboard.
No Skinner CLANS on Beach.
Bait is the vital thing for angling in
the bay or outside, and shedder crab is
the king Fortunately Frank Penn. the
public baitman, has a large family of
boys, expert at netting them without
putting salt on their tails. These kids
comprise Frank, Jr., Burnie, Ralph and
two smaller sizes. No matter how great
the rush for bait they always have just
enough to go around TO a crab
This reminds me that the family have
at least $1,000 invested in war bonds,
not q bond for sale, and bound to stay
invested until due. which shows that the
bait industry. supplemented by earnings
from winter net fishing. IL not such
bad industry. 1t requires. however, that
the bait baiters must go out every day,
no matter what the conditions, and get
so many shedders, soft crabs and buck
lers, and wade around in the water all
day, working hand nets and hauling
each crate fastened to their waists.
There are no skinner or sea CLAIMS
on the ocean beach this summer and have
been none since the bold winter of 1917
IS. As the beds from which they are
rolled into the beach are far out at sea
II Is dhfcult-to believe that the floor of
the ocean froze. Yet, what other ex-
PLANTATION Is there
Swimmers have always been the public
bait for surf fishing, to say nothing of
commercial handline fishing. Anderson.
the fisherman at the inlet+-the 30
called Barnegat "City", who employs a
dozen or more handliners, sends weekly
TO Rockaway for twenty-five bushels of
skinner clans for bait As these are
rot enough, his men must spend so much
time daily netting sinners to be cut
up for bait for founders In bay, inlet
and out a ways on the ocean.
Women Manage Angling Hotel.
There has not been a hot day on the
bay SO far this season, although you
could often roast nicely q mile or two
inland from the shore. Formerly there
were plenty of green files to torment you
on the water This season. however. the
tormentor As the little dog fly, the bite
Of which Is quito enough to make up
for greeN flies. In consequence. II you
think of It, you carry along some fly
swatters on the boat. II you forget
them you fold up q newspaper and swat
with them.
Mosquitoes are lessening In numbers
on shore as the State ditchers increase
their length of trenches daily. The
hotels sidestep them with verandas wire
screened.
The Riverside House, the largest
angling hotel on the coast. by the way.
Is run by three women this season
the Emo sisters. who look after every
detail.
These women comprise Miss Bertha
Emo. Mrs. Mamie Penn and Mrs. Gather
ina Emo, In addition. they manage
large farm which supplies the hotel,
small city Of garages, house and motor
boats. It's woman's era. all right
started TO say woman's age, but hap
pened to think In time how little 1
have ever heard about their age.