tony n2 chiefly nePA, wNY
= stone catfish n 1.
1895 Forest & Stream 45.74/3 PA, The bait used commonly is helgramites and stone bullheads, known by the Pennsylvanians as clippers and tonies. I floated on one occasion with a party from Towanda to Wyalusing, and we caught some seventy-five large ones. 1942 Field & Stream June 57 PA, [Letter:] Can you advise a way of getting “tonies” or stone catfish other than feeling them out from under rocks? I got severely stung by a couple of these bait fish last year, and it’s no fun. . . P. E. L. (Pennsylvania). 1984 Star–Gaz. (Elmira NY) 9 Sept sec B 1/3, Live bait, such as Tonies, night crawlers, minnows and an ugly centipede-looking creature called a Hellgramite could be found on the business end of most of the fishing poles. 2011 in 2020 DARE File—Internet cwNY, If you are a bait guy you can really put a hurtin’ on them this time of the year with dobson (hellgramites) or stone catfish (tonies). 2012 Ibid NY, I like using stone cats (tonies) but they are ornary and they will sting your fingers til you can’t feel anything.