Bait Angling for Common Fishes – Chapter XVII

Bait Angling for Common Fishes

CHAPTER XVII

PORGY

This is another plentiful and common sea fish known by many names. In New England It is generally called “scup,” while about New York it is paugy or porgy – both being abbreviated from the Narragansett Indian name, scuppaug. On the Virginia coast it is called the “fair maid.” The porgy is found along our coasts at all seasons of the year, but it is more numerous in June and July. The first run takes place about the beginning of May, and consists of large breeding fish weighing from two to four pounds, measuring up to eighteen inches In length. On first coming near the shores they do not take the hook readily, being too much occupied in spawning, and two weeks elapse before they can be caught on the hook. They present themselves in large schools of immense extent, numbering many millions, moving very slowly at about the rate of three miles an hour. Yet In some years they appear only in small numbers. The porgy is mostly a bottom fish, and depends very much upon mollusks and shell fish for subsistence, Its especial food being small crabs, shell fish, shrimps and small minnows, but for bait the clam is by far the best, they also like the claws and legs of shedder crabs, each leg when split open will make two or three baits just the right size for this fish. Generally they take the bait eagerly, following it up from the bottom, biting after a quick short run with a sharp nip. They will also go for small sand-worms and bloodworms when they will not touch other bait. They are gamey and plucky little fish; if fine tackle is used they will give play for their size as good as the fresh-water perch. Sometimes the larger fish just nibble, and the angler will hardly feel a bite, yet the hook will be stripped clean. For that reason small hooks are much the best for porgy fishing, and they should always be kept as sharp as a needle. No.5 to No. 7 are the size hooks, the larger size should only be used when the big fish are running. Although porgies are mostly bottom feeders, they often do at times swim half-way up to the surface; In such instances they follow the bait as it goes to the bottom, then go for it when still. The sinker should be heavy, to keep the bait In one place; a light sinker Is driven by the force of the tide, sometimes a distance up from the bottom. Place the first hook six inches above the sinker, the second hook another six inches above, and It may be of a larger size than the lower hook. Some anglers use three hooks to entice those fish swimming above the bottom. The bait must be small, only just large enough to cover the hook; In that case even the smallest nip will catch him. The porgy has a large head and hard mouth, so that when even a touch Is felt on the line give a sharp quick strike to firmly embed the hook. They seem to bite much better on bright, sunny days, when the wind gently ripples the water, and the first part of the flood tide is always best to strike a good school.

For tackle use a light springy rod, and though a reel Is unnecessary. It Is sometimes convenient to give out longer line at varying depths. Use a very fine line, with hooks small, strong and extra sharp. From the first of August to the last of October many anglers enjoy catching this gamey little fish; outside the sport of landing them they are much coveted as a pan-fish. In flavor the porgy is surpassed by few other fish on the coast, although Its super-abundance causes it to be undervalued, the smaller ones especially being sweet and nutritious. Of their abundance In former times almost Incredible accounts are given; they swarmed to such a degree that their capture ceased to be a matter of sport. When the line was thrown overboard it could be Immediately withdrawn with the assurance of having a fish on both hooks. Any number of fishermen from boats could take five hundred to one thousand pounds of fish a day without the slightest difficulty, the limit of the catch being simply the ability to find a sale.

But now such numbers are rare, yet from one to two hundred is not an uncommon day’s catch. The younger fish are devoured In Immense numbers by blue fish, halibut, cod, shark and other ground feeders. Yet this seems to make little difference to the enormous shoals that appear at times during the summer months.