He showed Louise how to lower the line to
the proper depth, advising:
"Remember, you'll only feel a nibble. The tautog is a shy fish. He
doesn't swallow hook, line, and sinker like a hungry cod. You must
snap him quick when he takes the hook, for his mouth is small and you
must get him instantly--or not at all."
Louise found this to be true. Her hooks were "skinned clean" several
times before she managed to get inboard her first fish.
She learned, too, why the tackle for tautog has to be so strong. Once
hooked, the fish darts straight down under rocks or into crevasses, and
sulks there. He comes out of that ambush like a chunk of lead.
The party secured a number of these dainty fish; but to lend variety to
the day's haul they got the anchor up after luncheon and ran down to
the channels there to chum for snappers. Lawford had brought along
rods; for to catch the young and gamey bluefish one must use an
entirely different rigging from that used for tautog.
Louise admired the rod Lawford himself used.
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