The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-02-25
Fishing for
Striped Bass

The striped bass is the salmon Of
salt water, and by all odds the gami-
est fish on the Atlantic coast. He
fights with the activity of the tiger
and the tenacity of the bulldog. 1t
may be minutes or it may be hours
before he succumbs, but only when he
is safe in the landing net or sGuarely
held by the gait, it is certain he won't
escape
He is the embodiment Of piscatorial
strength, from his powerful sharply
forled tail to his squarely-hung jaws
and voracious mouth. His body is
like the salmon's long and oval
but much more compact and stout.
His gigantic, bristling fms are admir-
ably adapted to his congenial home In
the surf He has a large, wicked
looking eye, big, silver-colored scales
He runs in size anywhere from six
inches to FIVE feet, and in weight from
half pound to hundred pounds.
The striped bass frequents the coast
the year round, but does not appear
in the bays, creeks and rivers before
the middle of August, nor remain
much later than the first of October.
The methods of fishing for him are
as various as the places in which he
is found along the rocky shores OF
New England and Long Island and the
sandy beaches of New Jersey, chum-
ming or squidding is practiced. In the
bays you can still.fish or troll, while
in the creeks and rivers you can cast
the fly with certain success. The
methods most in vogue, however, are
cumming and still-fishing.
A suitable outfit should consist OF
stout two-joint rod; reel, holding
about two hundred yards of line, lot
of sproat hooks, and landing net, a
number of sinkers and some wire T.
swivels.
For surf fishing the angler should
have a twenty-one-thread line, three
inch O'Shaughnessy hooks, landing
gaff. some stout wooden clothes or oil
skin and a delt with a socket ia which
to rest the butt of his rod.
The best place for fly fishing Is
where some small brook empties into
the river. A "red ibis" and white
miller are the best flies. Cast them
gently. so they will sink few inches
below the surface of the water, ana
YOU will have great sport landing
two or three-pound bass, especially it
the tide is flood.
in the creeks and under the banks
of a saltwater bay it is better to stick
to bait. Attach to one end of the wire
r heavy sinker and to the other end
the line. After fastening the leader
and hooks to the horizontal projec-
ton of the wire T, you are ready to
fish.
Shedder-crabs, squids, red and white
worms are equally good as bait. The
bait should be well put on the hooks,
for the striped bass punces upon it
with the voracity of bluefish and is
apt to tear, it off without hooking him.
self.
Striped bass can also be caught by
trolling with metal squid, but "chum-
ming" is the most killing method OF
all.
A lot of menhaden is chopped up
and thrown overheard, making an oily
slack which drifts to leeward and at
tracts the bass in the neighborhood.
A slice of flesh from the back of a
menhaden is baited on the hook, and
the line, weighted by the hook and
bait only, is thrown overheard 10 drift
away with tho tide.
The very finest bass-fishing, however
is found in the surf. On the New
Jersey coast you cast from the beach;
elsewhere the fisherman stands on a
strong warf that juts a hundred feet
or more into the breakers.
The more favorable conditions for
fishing are an overcast sky and brisk
wind from the eastward, and then the
monarch of the surf is in his glory.
The bait flies forward and settles
upon the water hundred feet or more
distant. 1t sinks to the bottom and
remains there few minutes. It is
reeled in and again sent flying over
the water.
Hardly has it fallen on the water
when the rod bends like reed and
the line whirs as the bass takes it
from the reel. The line is almost out
when the bass, wearied of the strain
which the anglers thumb pressed on