THE DRUM FAMILY
(_Sciænidæ_)
The drumfish or croaker family is quite a large one, comprising nearly
one hundred and fifty species, inhabiting the sandy shores of the seas
or the brackish water of the bays and estuaries, sometimes ascending
tributary rivers to fresh water; the fresh-water drum, hereafter to be
described, however, is the only species permanently residing in fresh
water. The members of this family have usually an elongate body, with
rough-edged (ctenoid) scales; the dorsal fin is deeply notched, or in
some species separated into two fins, with the soft-rayed portion, or
the second dorsal, composed of many rays, while the spiny-rayed portion
has but few; some have barbels, but all have large ear-bones; the
air-bladder is usually large and complicated, and is supposed to be the
source of the drumming, croaking, or grunting sounds common to most of
the species.
_Cynoscion regalis._ The Weakfish. Body elongate, somewhat compressed;
head 3-1/8; depth 4-1/4; eye 6; D. X-I, 27; A. II, 12; scales 6-56-11;
mouth large, maxillary reaching beyond pupil; teeth sharp, in narrow
bands, canines large; soft dorsal and anal fins scaly, the scales
caducous; gill-rakers long and slender, _x_ + 11.
_Cynoscion nothus._ The Bastard Weakfish. Body elongate, slightly
compressed; head 3-1/2; depth 3-3/4; eye 4; D. X-I, 27; A. II, 9 or 10;
scales 6-60-7; mouth moderate, maxillary reaching posterior margin of
pupil; snout short; body rather deep and more compressed than above
species; back somewhat elevated; caudal fin weakly double concave;
gill-rakers long and slender, 4 + 9.
_Menticirrhus saxatilis._ The Kingfish. Body elongate, but little
compressed; head 4; depth 4-1/2; eye small 7; D. X-I, 26; A. I, 8;
scales 7-53-9; mouth large, maxillary reaching middle of eye; spinous
dorsal elevated; pectoral fins long; teeth villiform; snout long and
bluntish; scales all ctenoid.
_Micropogon undulatus._ The Croaker. Body rather robust, the back
somewhat elevated and compressed; head 3; depth 3-1/3; eye 5; D. X-I,
28; A. II, 7; scales 9-54-12; mouth rather large, maxillary reaching
front of eye; profile rounded; snout convex, prominent; preopercle
strongly serrate; anal under middle of soft dorsal; caudal fin double
truncate; gill-rakers very short and slender, 7 + 16.
_Leiostomus xanthurus._ The Lafayette. Body oblong, ovate, the back
compressed; head 3-1/2; depth 3; eye 3-1/2; D. X-I, 31; A. II, 12; back
in front of dorsal high, convex and compressed to a sharp edge; profile
steep and convex, depressed over the eyes; mouth small and inferior,
maxillary reaching to below pupil; snout blunt; pharyngeals with three
series of molars posteriorly; teeth in upper jaw minute, none in lower
jaw in adult; gill-rakers short and slender, 8 + 22; caudal long and
forked.
THE WEAKFISH
(_Cynoscion regalis_)
The weakfish, or squeteague, was first described by Bloch and Schneider,
in 1801, from the vicinity of New York. They named it _regalis_, or
"royal." In the Southern states it is called gray-trout and sea-trout.
The name weakfish is doubtless derived from the Dutch, and is said to
have originally meant a soft fish. Jacob Steendam, in a poem in "Praise
of New Netherland," in 1661, has
"Weekvis, en Schol, en Carper, Bot, en Snoek,"
meaning weakfish, plaice, carp, turbot, and pike. The name squeteague is
of Indian origin.
The natural habitat of the weakfish is along the Atlantic coast south of
Cape Cod, occasionally straying to the Gulf of Mexico. It is most
abundant between Buzzards Bay and Chesapeake Bay. It is a handsome,
shapely fish, resembling somewhat the salmon in outline. It has a robust
body, with a depth of about one-fourth of its length. It has a long,
pointed head, nearly as long as the depth of the body. The mouth is
large, with projecting lower jaw. The teeth are sharp, in narrow bands,
with several fanglike canines in front of the upper jaw. The dorsal
fins are but slightly separated, and the caudal fin is almost square.
The color of the back and top of the head is bluish or bluish gray, with
silvery sides and white belly, and with purple and golden iridescence. A
series of dark, diffused spots or blotches form transverse or oblique
streaks, more pronounced on the upper part of the body, from whence they
run downward and forward. The cheeks and gill-covers are silvery and
chin yellowish; the ventral and anal fins are orange; dorsal fin dusky;
pectoral fins yellowish; caudal fin with upper part dark and lower part
yellowish.
The weakfish is a warm-water fish, visiting the coast and bays during
the spring, summer, and fall, though more abundant in the summer. They
are surface feeders, and swim in large schools in quest of menhaden,
scup, and other small fishes. They are more numerous some seasons than
others, probably owing to certain conditions affecting their food,
temperature of water, and the abundance or scarcity of their enemy, the
bluefish. They seldom, if ever, ascend the streams to fresh water, but
remain about the outer beaches, entering the inlets and estuaries on the
flood tide in pursuit of their prey, and go out again with the ebb; at
least this is the habit of the largest fish, known as "tide-runners."
Smaller fish probably remain in the bays and bayous, resorting to deep
holes at low water.
Its breeding habits are not well understood, though it spawns in the
bays in early summer, about May or June. The eggs are quite small, about
thirty to the inch, are buoyant or floating, and hatch in a few days,
usually in two. I have taken many hundreds in Chesapeake Bay in August,
but do not remember ever catching one containing roe during that month.
It is an excellent food-fish if perfectly fresh, but soon deteriorates,
becoming quite soft and losing its characteristic flavor when out of the
water a few hours. It is quite an important commercial fish during
summer in the eastern markets. Small ones, below a pound in weight, are
delicious pan-fish; larger ones should be baked. Its usual weight is two
or three pounds, and its maximum ten or twelve; occasionally they are
taken still heavier--twenty or twenty-five pounds.
Being a surface feeder it is a good game-fish on light tackle, taking
bait or an artificial fly with a rush and snap that reminds one of a
trout, and for a short time it resists capture bravely. Its first
spurt, when hooked, is a grand one, and when checked darts in various
directions, making for the weeds if any are near, or toward the bottom,
or rushing to the surface leaps out, shaking itself madly to dislodge
the hook. It must be handled carefully and gingerly, for it has a tender
mouth from which the hook is apt to be torn if too much strain is
exerted at first.
A very light striped-bass rod may be utilized, but the most suitable is
the "Little Giant" rod of seven and one-half feet and eight ounces in
ash and lancewood. A good multiplying reel with fifty yards of braided
linen line, size G, a three-foot leader, and snelled hooks, Sproat the
best. Nos. 1-0 to 3-0 for the tide-runners, and Nos. 1 or 2 for school
fish, together with a landing-net, constitute the rest of the tackle.
The most satisfactory mode of fishing for weakfish is from a boat
anchored near the channel, or tied to a pier or wharf in a tideway. The
time for fishing is on the flood tide, from half flood to half ebb, as
the tide-runners are going in or out in large schools. As little noise
as possible should be made by any necessary movements in the boat, as
the fish are easily frightened. Long casts should be made toward the
advancing or retreating fish, and the bait kept in motion by being
reeled in. No sinker or float is required, as the bait must be kept near
the surface. Menhaden or minnows, shedder-crab, lobster, bloodworms,
clam, and shrimp are all good natural baits. A small spinner, or a small
mother-of-pearl squid, if reeled in rapidly, often proves very taking;
also a large, gaudy fly, as the red ibis, soldier, silver doctor, Jock
Scott, royal coachman, etc., can be used with good effect when the fish
are running strongly and in goodly numbers.
Still-fishing, with a float, and a sinker adapted to the strength of the
tidal current, can be practised in the eddies of the tide, or at slack
water near deep holes, using the natural baits mentioned. Another method
is casting with heavy hand-line in the surf from the outside beaches,
using block tin or bone squids, and hauling the fish in, when hooked, by
main strength. The largest fish are taken in this way; but while it is
in a degree exciting, it can only be said to be fishing, not angling.
Many anglers, however, prefer it to any other mode of fishing. Another
favorite method, but a tame one, is drifting with the wind and tide,
following a school of fish and taking them by trolling with hand-line.
If suitable rods and tackle were used, it would not be objectionable.
Next to the striped-bass the weakfish is the most important game-fish of
the East Coast, and to judge from the greater number of anglers who
pursue "weakfishing," it is far and away the favorite with the majority.
The estuaries and bays of the Jersey coast, Long Island, and Staten
Island, and along the Sound, afford good fishing in the season and at
favorable stages of the tide. These localities are more frequented by
anglers than any other section of the East Coast. While ideal angling
can only be found on inland waters in casting the fly for salmon,
black-bass, or trout, amidst the rural and pastoral scenes of hill and
hollow, with the birds and sweet-scented blossoms ever near the rippling
streams--a full measure of enjoyment is vouchsafed to the salt-water
angler in the exhilarating sail to the fishing-banks, the sunlit crests
of the incoming tide, and the health-giving ozone of the chlorinated
breeze. Then follows the ready response of the gamy weakfish to the
angler's lure, the brave fight and happy landing of the prize. This is
surely sport galore, and not to be gainsaid by the most prejudiced.
THE BASTARD WEAKFISH
(_Cynoscion nothus_)
The bastard weakfish was first described by Dr. Holbrook, in 1860, from
the coast of South Carolina. He named it _nothus_, meaning "bastard," in
contradistinction to the well-known weakfish just described. It is a
rare fish of the South Atlantic coast, preferring deep water, but
otherwise of similar habits, and of the same general form as the
weakfish of the northern waters. It differs from it in coloration, and
has somewhat smaller scales, a smaller mouth, and more compressed body,
which is also a little deeper and more elevated. Its color is
grayish-silvery, thickly sprinkled with small, dark specks on the upper
half of the body, and silvery below, a row of dark spots marking the
division. There is another species inhabiting the Gulf coast which will
be noticed later. Whenever met with they can be taken by the same
methods and with the same tackle as recommended for the northern
weakfish.
THE KINGFISH
(_Menticirrhus saxatilis_)
The kingfish is also known as barb and sea mink in the North, and in the
South as whiting. It was first described by Bloch and Schneider, in
1801, from the vicinity of New York. They named it _saxatilis_, meaning
"living among rocks," which by the way it does not do, as it prefers
hard, sandy shoals. Its range extends along the Atlantic coast south of
Buzzards Bay, occasionally straying to the Gulf of Mexico. It is most
abundant, however, between Montauk Point and Cape Hatteras.
It has a long, rather round body, not much compressed, its depth being
nearly a fourth of its length. The head is long, with a blunt snout
projecting beyond the mouth, which is small, with tough, leathery lips,
and with a single barbel on the chin. Both jaws have bands of small,
brushlike teeth, the outer ones in the upper jaw somewhat longer. The
upper angle of the caudal fin is sharp, the lower angle rounded.
Its color is gray with steely lustre on the back, fading gradually to
the belly, which is bluish white. There are several dark, oblique bands,
running from the back downward and forward, and one extending from the
nape downward, forming a broad "V" with the one next to it; along the
border of the belly is a horizontal dark streak running from the middle
of the body to the tail.
The kingfish is a bottom feeder, and as might be inferred from the
character of the teeth is partial to crabs, shrimps, young lobsters, and
mussels, but does not object to the sand-lance and other small fishes,
and sandworms, and is found on the hard, sandy shoals where such
organisms abound. It visits the shores from spring until November, but
is more abundant in the summer, when it enters the bays and rivers. It
is usually found in deep water, feeding along the channels. Although it
seems to consort a good deal with the weakfish, its habits of feeding
are quite different from that fish. It spawns in the summer, earlier or
later, according to the temperature of the water, though but little is
known of its breeding habits.
Its flesh is flaky, of firm texture, and has a delicious flavor when
perfectly fresh, which, however, is lost when out of the water a short
time. It is of small size, usually weighing from a half pound to two
pounds, though occasionally reaching five or six pounds. But although so
small it is justly esteemed and in great demand, the smaller ones as
pan-fishes, for breakfast, and the larger ones for chowders, for which
it is unexcelled by any other fish.
For its size, the kingfish is considered the gamest of all salt-water
fishes. It bites savagely, suddenly, and with a vim and purpose that are
sometimes startling to the unwary angler. And when he takes the
proffered bait he stands not upon the order of going, but goes at once,
and with a dash that is remarkable for its length in so small a fish.
When checked, he darts from side to side with amazing quickness, or
makes straight for the surface, when the angler is surprised to find him
of so small a size. He is _multum in parvo_,--a large soul in a small
body.
In sheltered estuaries and bays where the tide does not run strongly or
swiftly, or during the stages of slack water, the most suitable tackle
consists of a black-bass bait-rod and reel, one hundred yards of fine
braided linen line, a three-foot leader, and Sproat hooks, Nos. 1 or
1-0, on stout gut snells, the leader being connected with the line by a
brass box-swivel or swivel-sinker of small size. Where the rush of the
tide is greater, a natural bamboo chum rod or the Little Giant rod is
appropriate, as a heavy sinker must be used to keep the bait near the
bottom. To meet the varying conditions of the tide, sinkers of different
weights are needed, and a landing-net should not be forgotten when the
rod is a light one.
The fishing is done from a boat anchored near the edge of the channels
or in the vicinity of hard shoals of sand, ledges of rocks, or near
oyster bars, in water of pretty good depth. The bait may be
shedder-crab, clam, blood-worm, or shrimp. All are good, but crab is,
perhaps, the best, and should be kept in motion.
The northern kingfish must not be confounded with the kingfish of the
Florida Keys, which is a fish of the mackerel tribe, akin to the Spanish
mackerel, a game-fish of high order, growing to a weight of forty
pounds. I was amused several years ago when a correspondent applied to
the angling editor of one of the sportsman's journals for information
concerning the kingfish of Florida. The editor, not knowing any better,
confounded it with the northern kingfish, and recommended the usual
means of capture for that fish. I wondered, at the time, how the
inquiring angler succeeded with the nimble acrobat of the coral reefs,
still-fishing, with such tackle.
There are two closely allied species--the Carolina whiting
(_Menticirrhus americanus_) and the surf or silver whiting
(_Menticirrhus littoralis_), which differ somewhat in coloration and
in some unimportant structural differences; otherwise they are very
similar to the kingfish. The former inhabits the deeper water, while the
latter frequents the shallow sandy shores of the southern coast from
Carolina to Texas. Their feeding habits are similar to those of the
kingfish, and in their season they can be captured in the same way.
THE CROAKER
(_Micropogon undulatus_)
The croaker was described by Linnæus, in 1766, from South Carolina. He
named it _undulatus_, "undulating or wavy," owing to the undulating
character of the markings on the body and fins. Its range extends along
the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico from the Middle states to Texas,
though it is more abundant from the Chesapeake Bay to Florida. The
outline of the body is somewhat elliptical and compressed, not much
elevated on the back, but with rather a regular curve from the snout to
the tail; its depth is less than a third of its length. The head is
about as long as the depth of the body, with a prominent, somewhat blunt
snout, and a rather large mouth, with small barbels beneath the lower jaw.
[Illustration THE WEAKFISH]
[_Cynoscion regalis_]
[Illustration THE KINGFISH]
[_Menticirrhus saxatilis_]
[Illustration THE GERMAN CARP]
[_Cyprinus carpio_]
The border of the cheek-bones is strongly toothed. The teeth of the
jaws are in brushlike bands, with somewhat longer ones in the upper jaw.
There are two dorsal fins, slightly connected; the caudal fin is double
concave or trifurcate. The back is dusky gray with silvery lustre, sides
silvery or brassy, belly white and iridescent. There are a number of
dusky or cloudy vertical or oblique bands, and the upper part of the
body is profusely sprinkled with numerous dark spots, irregularly
placed, in undulating lines. A dusky spot is at the base of the pectoral
fin; the dorsal fins are marked with dark spots, which form lines along
the soft dorsal fin.
The croaker frequents grassy situations in the brackish water of bays
and bayous, feeding on crabs, shrimps, and other crustaceans, and small
fishes. It grows to a length of ten or twelve inches, and is a good
pan-fish when perfectly fresh. It spawns in the autumn.
On the grassy flats of the Patapsco and other tributaries of the
Chesapeake Bay I have caught countless numbers of the "crocus," as we
boys called it. Just under the gill-cover, nearly always, we found a
parasitic crustacean or sea-louse, a half inch in length, resembling the
land crustacean known as the wood-louse, or sow-bug,--probably an
isopod.
A very light rod, a fine linen line, snelled hooks Nos. 1 to 3, and a
small sinker or brass swivel for connecting line and snell are all that
are needed for the croaker, as a reel is not necessary. The boat is
anchored on grassy flats in water from six to twelve feet in depth.
Shrimp is the best bait, though cut-bait of clam or fish is good. A
float may be used to keep the bait from the bottom in still water. While
this fish and the next, the spot or Lafayette, are usually classed as
small fry, and particularly suited to boy anglers, they are such good
pan-fish that many "grown-ups" are quite enthusiastic in their capture.
They hold about the same relation to the more important game-fishes of
the coast that the sunfishes do to the black-bass, trout, pike, etc., of
inland waters. When no better fishing offers they will fill the void
very satisfactorily when light and suitable tackle is employed.
THE LAFAYETTE
(_Leiostomus xanthurus_)
The Lafayette, spot, or goody, as it is variously called, was described
by Lacépéde, in 1802, from South Carolina. He named it _xanthurus_,
meaning "yellow tail," under the impression that its caudal fin was
yellow,--which, however, it is not. Its range extends from Cape Cod to
Texas, though it is most abundant from New Jersey to Florida. It is
found throughout its range in brackish-water bays and bayous, and is
somewhat similar in appearance to the croaker. It has a short, deep
body; the back in front of the dorsal fin is compressed to a sharp edge
or "razor-back"; the outline of the back is arched, highest over the
shoulder, with a steep profile from thence to the snout; the depth of
the body is more than a third of its length. The head is not so long as
the depth of the body; the snout is blunt and prominent; the mouth is
small. There are few or no teeth in the lower jaw, while those in the
upper jaw are quite small. The throat is well armed with molars and
brushlike teeth. There are two dorsal fins, slightly connected; the
caudal fin is forked. It is bluish or dusky above, with silvery sides
and white belly; when fresh from the water it is very iridescent. It has
about fifteen narrow, dark, wavy bands extending obliquely downward and
forward, from the back to below the lateral line; the fins are
olivaceous and plain; it has a very prominent and distinct round black
spot just above the base of the pectoral fin, which has given rise to
the name spot in some localities.
Like the croaker, the Lafayette resorts to grassy and weedy situations
in the brackish-water bays, estuaries, and tributaries. In Florida it is
present all the year, but does not enter northern waters until summer
and autumn, when it is often found in company with the croaker or
white-perch. It feeds on shrimps and other small crustaceans and small
mollusks. It spawns in southern waters in the fall. Although but a small
fish, growing to eight or ten inches in length, and usually to but six
inches, it is a great favorite as a pan-fish, as when perfectly fresh it
is a delicious tidbit or _bonne-bouche_ of most excellent flavor.
The same tackle recommended for the croaker is well adapted for the
spot, though the hooks should be smaller, Nos. 4 to 6. It is found in
the same situations as the croaker, and often in shallow water, or about
the piling of bridges and wharves, wherever shrimps abound. My method,
many years ago, was to use a light cane rod, ten or twelve feet in
length, and a fine line of about the same length, very small hooks,
about No. 8, with bait of shrimp, cut clam, oyster, sandworm, or
earthworm. I used no float, but held the rod elevated sufficiently to
keep the bait from touching the bottom, thus maintaining a taut line, so
that the slightest nibble of the fish could be felt, when I would
endeavor to hook it at once, for it is as well versed in bait-stealing
as the cunner.
It is only necessary to refer to the many names by which this little
fish is known in various sections of the country to prove its
popularity. Some of these are the spot, goody, Cape May goody, and
Lafayette of northern waters, the roach and chub of Carolina, and the
chopa blanca (white bream) and besugo (sea-bream) of the Portuguese and
Spanish fishermen of Florida. It appeared in unusually large numbers in
northern waters about the time that Lafayette visited this country in
1834, hence one of its numerous names.
Years ago I have seen crowds of men, women, and boys occupying front
seats on the wood-wharves of Baltimore harbor engaged in fishing for
spots and croakers, on Saturday afternoons, and many a boy was tardy at
Sunday-school the next morning through picking out the bones from his
Sunday breakfast.