Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-22
Catching the Great Tarpon.

Catching the Great Tarpon.
As p vaulter the tarpon is upeoual-
ed, and his aerial feats must be seen 10
be appreciated. On one occasion my
friend G. and companion were row
ing through Salt river Ca tributary of
the Homosassa) in a sixteen-foot
Whitehall boat. A tarpon was sun
ming himself in the grass, and, being
disturbed. made for the water. Find
ing the water shallow, and the boat
in the way, he endeavored to clear it
ct 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 pocket-knife was
used ''to settle his HASH" but it would
not penetrate the iyory-like armor of
the fish. Oars were used to dispatch
the prisoner, but it was found that if
he were interfered with the boat would
suffer from the vigorous blows of his
head and tail. G. seated himself in
the stern and his companion in the
bow, and for the time the fish was
awarded the post of honor unmolested.
When peace was declared the gentle
men resumed their cars, but the one
who detected the silver king in his
course found that he could not pad
die his own canoe" for several of his
ribs were fractured. G. rowed the
boat to Jones's Landing, on the Homo
sassa, and the tarpon was weighed,
tipping the scales at 153 pounds. The
above statement is not in the least ex-
aggerated.
Among other instances cited, one in
which the captain Of the Water Lily
suffered is remarkable. The captain
was seated on chair in the center of
the forward deck with his back to the
pilot house on the steamer while en-
route from Jacksonville to Mayport.
AS the boat was passing St. Johns
bluff 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 yaulter was secured, weighing
siXty-eight pounds.
The capture of a tarpon with hook
and line is a difficult undertaking.
Every summer many are hooked, but
few are landed. 81 have had on many
occasions" writes DR.. Kenworthv,
''these fish seize my bait and run with
lightning-rapidity for twenty or thirty
yards, then leap into the air and shake
their heads, like terrier shaking
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, had the sinker thrown
at his head by frisky member of the
family. The fish had taken the bait
and rushed off only fed rods, when
he yaulted into the air and threw the
bait, sinker, and all clear into the
boat, striking the man on the head.
He never attempted the experiment
again.
The able writer continues in this
strain to give his experiences, and
finally gives a complete description of
a barbarous and nsportsmanlike rig
for the capture of this noble fish.
He uses piano wire, and makes three
joints six inches long and three or four
lncnes in length. He soldiers the Joints,
tins them to prevent rust, and attaches
4 brass swivel two and 4 half inches
i'll length. Two hooks are sOldered in
each link, and two lines of hooks are
presented when completed. Plenty of
fine copper wire is used in wrapping
the hooks and links together, and
with solder tie union is perfect. The
bait used is mullet cut from head to
tail Each link is attached to the bait
by fine Irvine, and an attractive bait
is offered with hooks partially con-
cealed and an invisible snood. This
tackling possesses great strength. for
sharks nine feet in length have been
captured with the rig.-JacbsOn0itte
rita. NetCS- Herald.