Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-09-18
KING OF THE MACKEREL.
Newspaper Correspondent ToWed
by "A Runaway Fish in the Ray OF
Chaleur.

long rope into his boat on the beach
near New Carlyle.
mo, " was the reply, in broad Yam
kee dialect, that sounded strange
where French is mostly spoken. Tn
goin' a boss mackerelin', an eff you
wanter put in a good solid days work,
ship afore the mast, I'd be glad to hev
your company. Jist clear that line
while | coil, will ye?' said the fisher
N II, as soon as had verbally signed
~ pers and shipped. The rope, which
was about two hundred feet long, was
coiled in the bottom of the boat, the
cable was slipped, and the Grampas
bore away before the wind, churnlng
and putting like her namesake
Ct ats delicate ookin' hook, " said
the skipper, as he took up giant iron
hook that might have passed for an
textbook; but tell ye they want a
hook that'll hang on. They're the
strongest fish that swim, an I amt
exceptin' sharks. Sharks is good at
a steaoy pull, but a boss mackerel
will go q mile while sharks MAXIM
up his mind whether he's hooked or
not. reckon we might as well hev
over here" continued the skipper,
IAN eff you'll take the tiller minute,
mate, I'll fix the fly. Hoss mackerels
amt very particular" he said, as he
forced a large oight- pound h Ike on to
the barbed hook What they want
is somethin' solid and sweet, and hake
iist about hits the fgger. Ye see
they make shine as they tow along.
!. The fisherman slackened away on
the line until all but about twenty
feet was out, and then took a hitch in
the line.
THAT'S what [ call a telltale," he
continued, pointing to the hitch.
When that gives and slips you'll
know we're in fur business. Just
slack off yer sheet a trife. so she
won't make so much way. Ye wanter
take it kinder slow. jest to keep the
hake movin' natural like, and not
take it out of their mouths at the fust
pull. Sometimes I've fiShed all day
and never got bite, and then agin
I've been off shore here a-coddin',
and the minute I'd get a fish up to
the top of the water along would
come one of these fellers and take him
off. [ remember one day perticula"
when Jo-"
Right here came rasping sound,
and the ''telltale' disappeared with
rush.
''DOwn with the helm!" shouted the
skipper, and down it went, the little
craft rushing up into the wind, shak-
nag herself like wet dog. The line
rvac &C CfiH hon e Ino,1
fisherman seized it, but by a rapid
paying out he succeeded in passing it
forward and making it fast. The OBJ
ject of this was evident a moment
later, when the boat buried her nose
and dashed away dead In the winds
eye. towed by the powe1f full fish.
''Ye see, said the skipper, keeping
his eyes on the singing line, ''if he'd
got the strain on over the side or
astern, we'd hev to go over or cut the
rope. Now you want to keep her
right after him"
This proved no easy matter; the
fish was making frequent side rushes
from right to left, hauling the boat
here and there, and making it almost
an impo ssibility to guide her. Sud
Stand by" shouted the skipper,
hauling In on the slack with all his
might; put her head the way he
goesw
For a moment the line came in as
if nething was on, but in a second it
leaped again. The man darted hack
to get clear of 1t, while the bow of the
boat was turned IN the new direction
indicated not a moment too soon, as
with a singing sound the line taut-
ened, burying the boat to her very
deck. Time and time again did the
willy fish adopt these tactics to rid
itself of the obnoxious load, but at
every turn it caet the equal cunning
of the fisherman, who was an old
hand at such pranks.
This thing can't last all night, :"
said the skipper. There's an end to
all things. JIst clap Or here and see
eff we can't get In a little slack" The
helmsman relinquished the tiller aud
both laid hold of the line The first
pull seemed to spur the fish on 10 re-
newed eXertions. A foot of line was
soon gained, and with rush was
lost. 1t was regained and as much
more added to i, and then began a
tug of war, Slowly the line came in,
and finally, when within fifty feet of
the boat, the monster rose five feet
INTO the air and showed its shapely
length.
Its about up with him when he
does that, gasped the skipper. Nov
slack quick! Now IN with it again
Now let GO again" Thus gradually
the great fish was hauled this way
and that, and finally, half drowned IN
its own element, rolled On its back at
the bow, and after few more strug-
Ties succumbed TO the blows of the
shippers fish mallet.
That's the biggest chap I ever
tackled said the fisherman, as he
made a rope fast to the fsh's tail, and
swung is alongside the boat They're
the king, and no mistake. We can't
get him inter the boat. So list keep