St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-03-31
THE GREAT TARPON.
a Florida Sportsman Tells Somethin
About This Carney Fish.


About This Gamcy Fish.
As vaulter the tarpon is unequalled.
and his aerial feats must be seen 10 be
appreciated. On one occasion my
friend q. and a companion were row.
ing through Salt river "a tributary OF
the Homosassa) in sixtecn-foot White
hall boat. A tarpon was summing him.
self in the grass. and. bein. disturbed.
made for deep water. Finding the
water shallow and the boat in the way.
he cndeavored to clear it at An angle.
The head Of the fish came into contact
with the side OF G's companion. which
DETECTED him from his course. and he
passed under one Of the boat seats. A
rocket knife was used Ito settle his
hash." but it would not penetrate the
ivory-l;ke armor Of the fish. Oars were
used to dispatch the prisoner. but it
was found that il he were interfcred
with the boat would suffer from the
vigorous blows Of his head aud tail. q.
seated himself in the stern and his CONF
panion in the bow, and for the time the
fish was awarded the post Of homer un-
molested. When peace was declared
the gentlemen 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. q. rowed the
boat to Jones' Landing. on the Homo
sassa. and the tarpon was weighed.
timing the scales at l53 pounds. The
above statement is not in the least cx-
aggeratcd.
Anon. other instances cited. one in
which the captain Of the Water Lily
suffered is remarkable. The captain
was seated on a chair in the center o!
the forward deck with his back to the
pilot house on the steamer while en-
route from jacksonville 70 Maysport.
As the boat was passing St. Johns
bluff a frisky tarpon leaped from the
water, cleared the guards. and Landed
in the captains lap. The captain was
knocked over by the shock. but the
briny vaulter was secured. weighing
sixty-eight pounds.
The capture Of a :arpon with hook
and line is a difficult undertaking.
Every summer may are hooked. but
few are landed. Il have had on many
occasions writes DR.. Kenworthy,
..these fish seize my bait and run with
liyhtning-like rapidity for twenty or a
hundred yards, then leap into the air
and shake their heads. like = terrier
shaking rat. and expcl the bait. The
colored gentry have learned by ex
nerience never to interfere with a tar.
non while in his playful moods. for one
Of their number. while fishing in Trout
creek few years ago. had the sinkcl
thrown at his head by frisky member
of the family. The fish had taken the
halt and rushed OF only a few rods,
when he vaultcd into the air and threw
the bait sinker, and all clear into TIN
the boat, striking the man on his head
He never attempted the experimen
again.
The able writer continues in thi
strain to give his experiences. and final
| " gives : complete description of
barbarous and unsportsmanlike rig 70
the capture Of this noble fish. He use
niano wire, and makes three joints 81,
inches long and three o. four inches il
length. He soldiers the joints. tins then
to prevent rust. and attaches a bras
swivel two and half inches in length
Two hooks are soldered in each link
and two lines Of hooks are presentet
when completed. Plenty Of fine coppe
wire is used in wrapping the hooks an
! links together. and with solder tn
union is perfect The bait used is
mullet cut from head to tail. Each lin
. is attached to the bait by fine twine
and an attractive bait is offered wit
hooks partially concealed and an invi:
; ible snood. This tackling possesse
great strength. for sharks nine feet i
} length have been captured with the rig
J s-Jocksosrille. (Fa.) NeUs-Herd'd.