Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 October 1882 — Fishing for Rats. [ARTICLE]

Fishing for Rats.

A novel mode of catching rats is thus described in the American Angler. The writer says that a person having the patience of most fishermen can have much sport iu hooking the vermin. The warehouse adjoining his place of business is infested by these “file-tails,” and our friend may be seen in the early spring and late fall, on an occasional evening just after dusk, seated at the back window of his counting-room (overlooking the yard of the warehouse), with an ordinary rod in hand, strong linen line, and a spring hook, commonly called a “sockdolager,” baited with a lump of fresh -beef, patiently waiting for a bite. It does not tarry long nor does it consume itself in nibbles, but with a hungry snap the bait is seized and the hooks of the sockdolager impale the rat, when the excitement commences. A lusty rat is no moan antagonist at the end of a pliant pole and ten feet of line, and his plunges, twistings and straightaway dashes are more perplexing to the angler than the leaps, surges and sulkings of the gamy trout or bass. The rat is generally landed after seasonable sport and killed by a blow from a bludgeon. In this connection wc may state that thousands of small hooks are bought by sugar refiners for ratting purposes. The hooks are baited with small pieces of beef on each, and then distributed about the building. The rats swallow beef and hook. The first is digested, the latter is not —death of course results. The remedy is said to be infallible. The result of my use of St. Jacobs Oil for rheumatism is; I have been recommending it ever 6ince, says the Mayor of Chicago, Hon. Carter H. Harrison, in the Chicago Times.