Bass, Pike, Perch, and OthersHenshall, James A. (James Alexander)
Science
Bass, Pike, Perch, and Others
Henshall, James A. (James Alexander)
Fishes; Fishing
The saucer-eye grows to twelve or fifteen inches in length, and is
considered a good pan-fish at Key West, commanding a ready sale. It is
found in the same situations as the other porgies, grunts, and snappers,
and is equally voracious, taking the proffered bait eagerly. The tackle
for this porgy is the same as for the others, consisting of a light
rod, multiplying reel, braided linen line, size F or G, three-foot
leader, Sproat-bend hooks. No. 1 or 2, on gut snells, with sinker in
accordance with the depth of the water and the strength of the tide.
Almost any bait will answer, as sea-crawfish, cut conch, or fish.
THE LITTLE-HEAD PORGY
(_Calamus proridens_)
This species was first described by Jordan and Gilbert, in 1883, from
Key West. They named it _proridens_, meaning "prow tooth," owing to its
projecting canines. It is abundant in the West Indies, and is quite
common about Key West and the neighboring keys. It is one of the
smallest and prettiest of the porgies, and is called little-head in
contradistinction to the jolt-head or big-head porgy. It is almost
identical in shape to the saucer-eye porgy, both in head and body.
It is brighter in color than the other porgies, being quite silvery with
iridescent reflections; the scales of the upper part of the body have
violet spots, forming longitudinal streaks; those on the lower part have
pale orange spots; the sides have several dark bands; the snout and
cheeks have horizontal, wavy stripes of violet-blue; the dorsal fin is
violet, with orange border; the anal fin is blue; the caudal fin has an
orange band. It is of similar habits to the other porgies, and found
with them, but is less common. It is a good pan-fish, growing only to
six or eight inches in length.
The little-head porgy, though small in size, is equally as voracious as
the other porgies, and is well worth catching if only to admire its
beauty. The same tackle will answer as for the others, or more
especially that mentioned for the saucer-eye, and the same baits can be
employed.
My Bahama negro boatman, alluded to under the jolt-head, continued his
dissertation on the porgies somewhat in this wise: "Now, sir, the
little-'ed porgy is a cute little chap; 'e gits to vind'ard o' the
big-'ed, hevry time. 'E doesn't butt 'is 'ed aginst the rocks,
a-knockin' the shells, but 'e 'as two long teeth like gouge-chisels, and
'e jist scoops hoff the crawlin' things from the rock-patches as
'andsome as you like. Little-'ed little wit; big-'ed not a bit!"
THE GRASS PORGY
(_Calamus arctifrons_)
This pretty porgy was first described by Goode and Bean, in 1882, from
Pensacola, Florida. They named it _arctifrons_, meaning "contracted
forehead," owing to the narrow forehead. It has a more extended range in
the Gulf of Mexico than the other porgies, being common in grassy
situations from Pensacola to Key West; it is not known from the West
Indies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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