The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-04-13
TIE GREAT rARPon.
A Florida Sportsman Tells. somethI
About This Gamey Fish.


A Florida Sportsman Tells somethlns
About This Gamey Fish.
As q vaulter the tarpon is uneaualled
and his aerial feats must be seen to be
appreciated. On one occasion my
friend q. and copfanion were row
ing through Salt river Ga tributary Of
the Honosassa) in sixteen-foot White
hall boat a tarpon was summing him
self in the grass and. being disturbed.
made for deep water. Finding the
water shallow and the boat in the way,
he endeayored 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
pocket knife was used ito settle his
hash." but it would not penetrate the
iyory-like armor of the fish. Oars were
used to dispatch the prisoner. but il
was found that il 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 COM
panion in the bow. and for the time the
fish was awarded the post of honor 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 oi
his ribs were fractured. G. rowed the
boat TO Jones 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 LiIy
suffered is remarkable. The captain
was seated on chair in the center o.
the forward deck with his back TO the
pilot house on the steamer while en-
route from jacksonville 10 Maysport.
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 wa.
knocked over BY the shock. but the
briny vaulter was secured. weighing
sixty-eight pounds.
The capture of :arpon with hooE
and line is difficult undertaking.
livery SutuikcI tld 3Lc AOOAEds Ou
few are landed Il have had on manI
occasions writes DIR. Eenworthy,
'.these fish seize my bait and run with
lightning-like rapidity for twenty or 4
hundred yards, then leap into the air
and shake their heads, like q terrier
shaking a rat. and expel the bait. The
colored gentry have learned by ex
-. int <a,-
pom while in his playful moods. for ont
of their number, while fishing in Trout
creek few years ago. had the sinker
thrown at his head BY a frisky member
of the family The fish had taken the
bait and rushed off only few rods.
when he vaulted into fhe air and threw
the bait, sinker. and all clear into the
the boat. striking the man on his head
He never attempted the experiment
again.
The able writer continues in thii
strain to give his experiences. aud final
ly gives q complete description of :
barbarous and unsportsmanlike rig fol
the capture of this noble fish He use
piano wire. and makes three joints 81,
inches long and three or four inches il
length. He soldiers the joints. tins then
to prevent rust, and attaches bras:
swivel two and a half inches in length
Two hooks are soldered in each link.
and two lines of hooks are presented
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 linl
is attached to the bait by fine twine
/ and an attractive bait is offered wit
/ hooks partially concealed and an invis
ible snood. This tackling possesse
great strength. for sharks nine feet il
length have been captured with the rig
| -LackSonriLks. FIn. } Nens- Herald