This is one of the very best of salt water fish, and like many others, only visits shore in summer. The time for fishing him is from the first of June until the middle of September. The Sheepshead is a squatt shaped fish of a dull silvery color, and with dark bands running from his back to his belly. His weight is usually two or three pounds - sometimes four and a half. The form of his face, which is somewhat smutty, is supposed to resemble the physiognomy of a sheep, though for the life of us we never could see the resemblance. The teeth, however, do look like sheep's teeth, and this may be the more rational cause of its name. These teeth enables a fish of good size to crunch the shell of a crab with ease. They are usually found on reefs, or about large rocks, where they feed on the soft clam, and the small rock crab, which articles are used for bait in fishing the sheepshead. The tackle wanted is a stout hemp or cotton line, 100 to 150 feet long, with a black-fish hook of the largest size. The clam must be put on whole, without breaking the shell. Insert your hook through its stem, and bury it entirely in the body of the clam. He takes the whole clam in at a mouthful, and chews it, shell and all. If you use crabs, take the same precaution as with clams. Sometimes opened clams (soft or hard) are used, but they should be of very large size, to attract the fish's attention. He will also bite at the worm, the minnow, the chub, and the lobster. When you have struck a sheepshead, you must be exceedingly cautious while playing him, or you may lose your game. He makes the most desperate efforts to get free, frequently bunting his head against a rock so as to break the hook.

Of late years this fish has become scarce in the Long Island waters, and experienced fishermen are in the habit of tolling them to certain haunts by throwing in soft clams. In this way they are brought bo near to shore as to be taken with a stout rod, and strong tackle, though the usual mode of fishing them is from a boat with a hand line. When using the rod, you should have a landing net, or you may lose all your fish. They generally go in schools, and if you catch one you may get a good string of them. They are considered by some people the best eating sea fish that is caught, though their meat is a little tough. If cooked properly, they do make an excellent dish. They should be split in slices and broiled on the gridiron. The sheepshead is caught in nearly all the rocky places round Long Island. Regular fishermen use nets and spears with good success. Spearing them by torchlight is a favorite amusement with some sportsmen.