Cascade (AD 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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Notes on Fishing From the Fantail A PASTIME of many abuaril wliile we were at Advanced Base was fishinp over the side of the ship. Apparently, after a ship has l)epn at anchor for a while small fish gather round to feed on what the garbage-grinder sends toward the ixillom. The social life of the smaller fish in turn attracts larger ones which are not above making a meal of small fry for breakfast. In the first few days after we came to anchor, luck was poor. Perhaps this can be accounted for bv the lad that not much was known as to what kind of bait was most tantalizing, or what was the best depth of water in which to suspend bail and book for the most spectacular results. Or possibly the word just hadn ' t gotten fl ' iund that all sizes of indigent fish could expect a handout alongside that speedy-looking ship which e into the harbor. At any rate, the catching of the first few fish weighing a pound or so was n much wahooing and beating of the breast. In fact, a prize put up by the Welfare Office for the . ght weighing over five pounds went unclaimed for about a fortnight. ... after the anglers had learned a few tricks from experience scarcely a day went by that seven, ten, or pounders were not landed — or decked, ' to use a more exact word. Occasionally, big ones weighing •inds or better were caught. Which, considering the handicaps of fishing with a handline from high Htpr and among other ships and boats, is a feat not to be Catching a fish of such proportions is an event to be .n-tom circuit. for certain what the size may have been of the really jre hooked but never seen. Looking mournfully heavy-test line, however, or a straightencd-out hook, the ..d conjure up a picture of a fish weighing (|uite as much - ' nn. There was definite proof that such out-size fellows ion. The divers .say that during the blasting opera- nd,, . i.iL I., nnel a fish resembling a sea bass and weighing more than four huiu ' red pounds was brought to the surface with a large • ' ones. The big l)ov bad been stunned and was readiiv .et the picture: My informant tells me that one fisher- .( had somehow succeeded in getting a big one on top ' oard side. The fish seemed not too aware he was rtive. Hut there came a lime when he realized .jnds, and in thai i[i.- lanl his mood changed and he decided to open distance. Heading oil in the general direction of IJali he -l -j i up the water as if llic old boy with ihc pitchfork „ after him. As indeed he may have been. And when he ■ic end of the line, and that was all th e line there was. he ■it a stroke but snajiped il like you would a piece of well- iioked •• If anybody would Icll nic thai fish was slill a-lraveling. ' iformant, I ' d belie c liiin! . the specimens nio-t I ici|ncrill c ;iuglil in llic iiigoon al v-iail, boniio, lima. There were also grouper , sc;i bass, waliiHi . b. ' rracud.., sipiid. red snappers, sharks, devilfish, ' f bcautifulh r dored small fish. This lis!