Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-05-16
THE GREAT TARPoN.
a Florida Sportsman Chats Pleasantly
About q Carney Fish. ital

a Florida sportsman CHATS Pleasantly
About q Gamey Fish. 5ga
AS vaulter the tarpon is qua led,
and his serial feats must 30 soon to DO
|appreciated. 3 On one occasion my
friend G. aud a COMPANION wero row.
ling through Salt river (a|tributary Of
the Ho,nos assa) in Isixteen-foot'
whitehall boat. la tarpon was q un.
lining himself In the grass. and, being
disturbed. made for deep water: Find .
ing the water shallow and the boat In
the way. he endeavored TO clear It at
an angle. The head of the fish ca me
IN contact with the sido of G.'s COM
panion. which dedected: him from his
course. and he past under ono Of the
boat seats. A pocket-knife was used
ITO settle his hash, but it would not
penetrate tho ivory-like armor Of the
fish. Oars wero used to dispatch! tho
prisoner. but 1t was found that if he
were interfered with the boat wo uld
suffer from the vigorous blows of his
head and tail G: seated himsolfI in
the stern and his companion in the
bow. and for the time the fish was
awarded the post of honor unm oles ted.
When peace was declared the gontle-
men resumed their oars, but the one
who detected the silver king in his
course found that he could not ''paddle
his own canoe" for several of his ribs
were fractured G. rowed the boat tc
Jones' Landing on. the Homosa ssa.
and the tarpon was weighed. tipping
the scales at 1913 pounds. The above
statement is not in the least exagger-
ated.
Among other instances cited, on in
which the captain Of the Water Lily
suffered is remarkable. The captain
was seated on n chair in the center of
the forward dock with his back to the
pilo-house of the steamer while en-
route from jacksonville to Mays
port AS the boat was passing ST.
Johns bluff frisky tarpon leaped
from the water. clearing the guards
and landed in the captain Lap. The
captain was knocked over by the
shock. but tho briny vaulter was Sc
cured, weighing sixty-cight pounds.
The capture of a tarp0n with hook
and line. is difficult undertaking.
Every summer many are hooked, but
few are landed. Il have had on many
occasions" writes DR.. Kcnworthy.
'rhese fish seize my Lait and run with
lighthing-like rapidity for twenty or a
hundred yards. then leap into the air
and shake their heads. like a terrier
shaking u rat, and expel the bait.
The colored gentry have learned by
experience never to interfere with a
tarpon while in his playful moods,
for one of their number, while fishing
in Trout creek. few years ago. ha6
the sinker thrown at his head by q
frisky member of tho family. The fish
had taken tho bait ard rushed off Ionl,
a few rods when he vaulted off into
the air. and threw the bait, sinker and
all clear into the boat, striking the
man on the head. II, never attic mpt-
ed the experiment again."
The able writer continues in this
strain to give his experience. and
finally gives complete description OF
|
for the capture of this noble fish. He
uses piano wire and makes three jpints
six inches long and three or four
inches in width. He soldiers the joints,
tins them to prevent rust and att aches
brass swivel two and half in chcs
in length. Two hooks are soldere ed in
each link, and two lines of hooks are
presented when completed. Pien ty Of
fine copper wire is used in wrapping
the hooks and links together: and with
solder the union is perfect. The bait
used is 4 m,llet cut from head to tail.
Each link is attached; to the bait by
fine Irvine, AMI an attractive bait is
offered with hooks partially concd aled
and an invisible snood. This 1ackline
possesses great strength. for sh arke
nine feet in length have been capt red
with the rig. -Jackso,lville (Fla.
NesOs- Herald.