The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-03
ALaban1a's Game Salt Water Fishes Offer Great Sport to LoUerS Of Rod and Reel
Wallace Describes Some of Them and Tells of Best Fish ing Spots-Story of Birmingham Mans Catch
 of Greatest Tarpon on Record
By JOHN H. WALLACE, JR. Commissioner. of Conservation

| the late summer and fall come in l large schools into our bays. | The blue fish is migratory and they have been likened to a pack of l hungry wolves. 1t appearing to be their chief aim In life to cut to pieces | and destroy all small fish of every l species with which they come in con tact. In the wake of a school of blue | fish is usually trail of blood. They attack and kill fish which are too i large for them to swallow, and after biting off the tails of such fishes, they leave the remaining portion un- eaten.
 | It has been estimated that blue fish will consume many times their own weight In fish during a day, and 1t | has been insisted that whom their stomachs become filled, they disgorgo the food which they have taken in. only to fill them again. It is esti mated that the blue fish. although re- maining on our coast only 120 days, destroy twelve hundred million mill lions of fish.
 | The blue fish attains a weight of twenty pounds though the average is from three to five pounds, fish weighing more than 15 pounds being rare.
 
 great avidity, and when hooked puts up wicked fight. One of the best methods of concentrating the blue fish is to saturate jute sack with gasoline, then tow it behind a launch for a couple of miles, then take it out of the water. and go back to the place of beginning and troll over the slick" thus made, which will be found to be fairly alive with such fish.
 As a food fish, the blue fish ranks next to the pompano and Spanish mackerel.
 Black Fish
 (Centropristes Striatus)
 One of the most excellent game fish found in our salt waters during the summer is the, black fish which in shape resembles a bream of most pro- digeous size. It's color is black with yellow splotches underneath. It is usually found near stakes, or bouys, where it is to be seen lying upon it's side, apparently summing. When 8 haited hook is cast to it, the black fish sezes it eagerly and puts up a game and vigorous fight Its mouth being tough, when once hook ed a black fish Is usually landed
 The black fish attains weight of
 
 age weight is under 10 pounds. The flesh of this fish is very fine, the meat being white and flalSey and of excellent flavor.
 Cavailia; Crevaiies Cavally, (Caranx Hippos) | One of the gamest fish which l have ever encountered is the cavallia. This fish is olive green on tLe back and golden on the sides; 1t has two strong canine teeth on the lower jaw; it's tail is forked; it is swift of move ment, and when hooked will fight vigorously for freedom l The cavallia Is a blood fish, the average weight being from five to ten pounds, though specimens have been taken weighing S5 pounds, While the meat of the cavallia is dark yet 1t is firm and will keep 1 longer than the meat of any other known fish.
 Cavallias are found in large schools. and take the spoon more eagerly than any salt water fish of my acquaintance.
 | When hooked. the cavallia makes l terrific lunges, causing the line to fairly sing in the water. Pound for pound. believe that the cavallia is the strongest fish in our salt waters.
  l (Albula Velpus)
 The lady fish, or skip jack, as 1t l is commonly called, is one of the most beautiful and likewise one of l the gamest of our salt water fishes. The lady fish undoubtedly derives it's name not only from It's very beauti- full and graceful appearance, but frcm its eyes, which are large and 1 lustrous. The moment the lady fish | is hooked, it comes to the top or the water, then the fun commences. This fish very much resembles an cleo 1 tric jumping jack. It will fight to finish, and they have been known to tear their heads literally from their bodies in their frantic rushes | for liberty.
 | The lady fish will take the spoon and also cut mullet and shrimp on baited hook. Spotted squcteaguei Speckled Sea | Trout | (Cynoscion Nebulosus) | No fish found in the salt waters of l Alabama affords greater sport and | pleasure than the speckled, or sea trout It swims in schools and dep redates upon all varieties of small fish; 1t is. in turn. itself destroyed | by blue fish, drum cavallia. tarpon y While the average weight of the speckled. or sea trout. is under four | pounds, yet the weight of 10 pounds | Is not infrequently reached. This fish is most susceptible to cold, ana | in the autumn when the first norther comes, they come inside Tn great numbers and find protection in the lagoons and rivers emptylng into the salt waters. When it Is extremeiy cold, they appear to be numo ana quite inanimate.
 have taken speckled, or sea trout, casting with wooden minnows. trolling with wooden minnows ana spoons, and also on a hook bafttd with cut mullet and shrimp Dur ing the summer and early autumn. they are found in large numbers III the bays, and when once scnoot is located anglers can take them until they become literally weary or hauling them in
 The meat of the speckled. or sea trout, is excellent.
 TurponI Silver Fish
 (Tarpon Atlanticus)
 The tarpon is frequently called the "Silyer King" and undoubtedly IS the greatest. the most beautiful and the most wonderful of all game fish. During the months of July, August and September, tarpon appear py the thousands in the salt waters or Ala bama I have seen hundred acres of water in Grants pass literally alive with these. beautiful and eno-- nous fish.
 The tarpon is migratory in It's nab it's. After leaving Alabama it moves westward, appearing off the coast of Louisiana, Texas. in the Champeches bay, then off the coast of Brazl. then about Porto Rico. where 1t un- dotbtedly breeds. reaching the ex-