The New York herald., 1922-09-24
PLENTY BLACKFISH
IN NEARBY WATERS
A Stiff Rod Useful to Give
Battle to Sheep Of the
Ocean.
BY WILL WILDWOOD.

At the present time no branch of sea
fishing In nearby waters will give the
angler more dependable snort than that
of catching blacktish. During the latter
part of September and the month of Oc-
tober the season for blackfish is at its
best, and many excellent catches have
been made recently at the Fishing Banks
off the Long Island and New Jersey
coasts The favorite resorts in the bays
have also yielded good results to fisher
men, but as rule the larger specimens
are taken off shore, where three-pound-
ers are considered about the average,
and fish of six to eight pounds no rarity.
There Is a record of a 25-pound black
fish having been caught near New York
city, but that is OF the past, and the
taking OF a 10-pounder is now some
thing of an angling achievement
Although the blackfish does not rank
with the blues and the "stripers' as
bold biting. fierce fighting game fish,
they put up a very creditable resistance,
and fair degree of skill Is required In
hooking and boating one of the nsh pop
ularly known as tautog. They are bot
tom feeders. usually found in 10 to is
feet of water In the inner bays. and
deeper at the outside fishing banks
Resembling the sea bass In form and
habitat, the blackfish is not so active or
so wide ranger, but moves about
usually In small schools--rather slowly
near barnacle covered rocks. spiles and
wrecks, so that still fishing is the best
method to adopt.
The Sheep of the Ocean.
Sea fishers regard the blackfish as the
sheep of the ocean--regardless OF the
real sheepshead of the salt water--as II
is almost invariably found in 'flocks.
grazing or feeding together In masses
and scattered individuals are scarce.
When found, careful fishing brings the
best of results and as several other
species of fish frequent similar haunts
the angler casts his line with consider
able confidence near rocks and wrecks
in deep waters.
A stiff rod should be used as the fish
has hard though small mouth, and the
strike must be with force to hook the
fish firmly. The hook used Is small. the
line such as adapted to other sea fishes
of similar size and to ounce
sinker Is required to hold the bait at
bottom in deeper sea fishing, 10
ounce sinller may be NECESSARY. For
bait a stone crab or common blue crab,
cut into six or eight pieces, will serve
hook through the shell into the leg part.
In the bays sandworms are killing bait.
and either hard, or soft skinner CLAIMS
are often used successfully. Shrimp are
sometimes used. but a bit of hard clam
should be put on the point Of the hook.
When the weather is favorable the
sea fisher may find good sport, es-
pecially within the bays, with a small
fishing boat. anchoring near some spot
known to be well supplied with barn
acle covered rocks. but at this season
the large blackfsh are nearly all found
in the off shore haunts, and larger fish
wrecks and fishing banks are most
popular.
Good Fishing Close By.
For small boats, one of the best
places within easy reach Is the Stone
Pile" situated short distance off
Coney Island beach, and readily reached
from Sheepshead Bay. Jamaica Bay has
several good points for blackhshing.
along the railfoad trestle. and in Fish
kill, Beach and Steamboat Channels.
Hampstead Bay affords good sport
along the Long Beach Railroad trestle-
work, and the wreck at Bell Buoy off
Coney Island, east Of the Iron Piers. is
another fine spot for blackflsh.
The off shore fishing grounds for
blaclSNsh are now attracting most at
tentlon. and yielding the largest fish to
be found. The coast all the way from
Long Island TO the famous New Jersey
resorts affords many excellent places,
but the angling New Workers need go
no further than Black Warrior Wreck
off Rockaway Beach. Iberia Wreck off
Long Beach. or the mussel beds be-
tween Sandy Hook and Long Beach, to
find big blackhsh-with the aid of a
sea wise pilot--and the chance to catch