Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-04
Can't Fool
Names Champion
Fish Fee|er

~ Maine and deserves it Gilly has lived in a fishy
atmosphere all his 60 years and say that when he
they weighed him fish scales. At any rate
he has amazing knowledge of the creatures of the
Frequently, during the Summer months, ne takes
parties deep fishing On such occasions Ghy makes
standing offer If fisherman has hooked fish and viii
Gilly line Just 'heft' the catch he will
wager that he tell the kind of fish and how
much ii weighs within half pound before II is hauled
up within seeing distance.
And he wins a surprising number of times That's
pound haddock or Feels like 1lpound goldfish
My, how did this hree-pound chicken habu ever get
the hook 'Crckety! Now you have got something
Keep him coming slow for its 25pound barn door skate
Anyway Gy invariably carries home several dollars IN
addition to his fee for the boat and his services
But it was not until a days ago Mike Flahertys
fish shop Commercial Street Portland that Gny dem
the real masters touch He had disposed of 300
pounds haddock and cusk cashed his slip the
office window and about to return to his boat when
a Portland lawyer who had once fished with him and
watched clever stunt of fish identification stopped
him and introduced himself
Hello Gilly" he greeted the fisherman Still
familiar with the fishes you last Summer
oh. guess So" Gilly grinned back
The lawyer glanced around the shop. II great
fish day The show windows had many varieties, while
floor piled high. He said; "Gily if you
bndfolded many of the fishes here could identify
simply by taking them in your hands,
All of them" Gilly answered promptly with great
confidence
For how much-$1o?"
Gilly went into a little side where the money
was put up he securely blindfoded by two
who agreed judges. Then Gily led out to
the show window where he began operations Word
bet spread and quite a audience gathered
ones easy, boys" he declared he his
hands big sturgeon. Happened to know one Of
Italian gneters got sturgeon and of course they'd
bring Mike. Amt feat to tell him. Couldn't mis-
take long body and sharp snout. Next"
Passing he stretched his sensitive hands toward
pile small flat fishes
Butter fish and pretty good ones too for this early
in the season nickel they from Olesens fish
pound Rchmonds Island Well well here's nice lot
of early mackerel probably from Cape May Smells. No
trick tell ipDinR hem BaV
Just now Fresh alewves knew they running up the
River and Mike always gets the first
Bet they'll sell fast"
The lawyer looked worried for not did Gly falter
He named fish sticks scalops oysters, clans. smoked
herring and shrimps by barely touching them with his
remarkable fngertips.
wait till he gets to the big floor boxes" whispered
bystanders "Hows he going to tell cod from
a haddock, and when he reaches those founder boxes
he's done"
He wasn't so sure as Peterson his triumpha
march around the fish house.
No trick at all to place that of cusk" he grinned
under his blindfod alus did hate the feel of their Shiny
carcasses fun of cod and this one paddock
Suppose you feel the black stripe on the haddocks
side" remarked joker
NO not exactly, but their little fins are different
and-wel other ways" he added mysterousy.
Guess there are all right" ruefuly conceded the
lawyer who could feel his hold that ten spot getting
weaker
At the founder boxes Gilly hestated moment he
picked up two three different fish.
Here's where you win whispered one of the fish
surgeons the lawyer. There's catch to this
HIM Let me see" unused Gilly. This is founder
all right and this like is too but isn't quite
the same a sand dab Belongs to the founder family
but got picked and its are close
together they nearly each other That right boys?"
ITS right Gnly" laughed the lawyer. Give him the
ten bucks boys earned them You are the champion
fish Maine. don't know how it's done If it's
trick it's darned good and I'd like to know just how
you do it"
Gilly says isn't trick He just knows his fish He
may not know the scientific for the cusk is
"Brosmius Brosme" does know that there isn't
fish anywhere compare with the cusk for making
fish sticks Anyway puts a mighty good act If it is
one hard explain