Smelt fishing is a very popular pastime along the East Coast in the fall and winter, as it is at a time when not many other fishes are to be caught. In the inland lakes it is, as has just been mentioned, caught with hook and line through holes cut in the ice; but this is tame sport compared with fishing in open water with very light tackle. The angler can utilize his trout fly or bait-rod, or if he prefers, a very light natural cane rod eight or ten feet long. A reel is not necessary. The line should be of the smallest size, linen or silk, though silk lines soon rot in salt water. A fine leader three or four feet long, with hooks Nos. 3 to 6, on single gut snells, are next in order. When the fish are swimming in schools near the surface, especially at night, a sinker need not be used; under other circumstances, and when the tide is strong, one of suitable weight should be added. The fishing is usually best on the flood tide, and almost any kind of bait will answer; but shrimp is best, though sandworms, very small minnows, or even earthworms are useful. Given the proper time and place, and with tackle and bait in readiness, it only remains to cast the baited hook, retrieve the fish, and so on _ad infinitum_. CHAPTER XIV THE MACKEREL FAMILY (_Scombridæ_) The fishes of this family are all pelagic, and most of them are highly valued for food. They are characterized by an elongate body, more or less compressed; pointed head; large mouth; sharp teeth; two dorsal fins; the anal and second dorsal fins are similar in shape and size, and both are followed by detached finlets; the caudal fin is widely forked or falcate, its pedicle very slender and with a sharp keel; scales small and smooth. _Scomberomorus maculatus._ The Spanish Mackerel. Body elongate, covered with rudimentary scales, which do not form a distinct corselet; head pointed, short and small; mouth wide; strong teeth in jaws, knife-shaped; sandlike teeth on vomer and palatines; gill-rakers 2 + 11; caudal peduncle with a single keel; head 4-1/2; depth 4-1/2; D. XVII-18-IX; A. II-17-IX; eye 4-3/4; soft dorsal inserted in advance of anal, somewhat; lateral line undulating, with about 175 pores; spots bronze. _Scomberomorus regalis._ The Cero. Body rather elongate, its dorsal and ventral curves about equal; mouth large, maxillary reaching to below the eye; angle of preopercle produced backward; pectorals scaly; caudal less widely forked than _maculatus_; teeth triangular, compressed, about 40 in each jaw; pectorals scaly; spots and stripes brownish; head 4-1/4; depth 4-1/2; D. XVII-I, 15-VIII; A. II, 14-VIII.