The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-19
is the king Of the fnny tribe in his neigh

Is the king OF the tinny tribe in his neigh
borhood.
The sport of taking tarpon is a compare
lively recent one, and it is not many years
ago that the man who had caught tarpon
was as big fellow among the angling fra
ternlty as the tarpon is among fishes. Now
adays the tarpon anglers are so abundant
that reputation depends simply upon the
size OF the fish taken. There is considerable
discussion as to who is entitled to the honor
of having landed the biggest tarpon.
Florida is a good way distant. and there is
ample opportunity for the fish to increase
in size as the news works northward.
John G. Heckscher is believed to have
secured the la gest with rod and reel, his
fish having been veritable silver king of
1S4 pounds and landed after two hours
struggle, in which Mr.. Heckscher became
very tired. Senator Matt Quay, before
coming north to wrestle with politics,
claimed to have caught one weighing 1877
pounds. 1t stopped Mr.. Heckscher's of
course, but there arose a discussion over the
fish as to whether Mr.. Quay caught it him
self or his boatman caught it for him; or
whether he merely saw one in the water
that looked as if it weighed that much. 1t
was finally settled by anglers that the
senator re lily caught a tarpon, but wheth-
er it weighed 1877 or only 81 pounds made
no difference, as he secured it with a hand
line and without rod. 1t was also init
mated that he used an immense shark hook
with q telegraph cable attached and wound
HIM in by means of wndlass until his
bOatman could beat the fish into submits
sion with club. The laurels therefore were
bestowed upon Mr. Heckscher, who has all
summer received congratulations IN a mod
est manner He has been admonished,
however, to look out for Matt Quay this
winter
The tarpon fishing does not start in much
before February, though some are taken
earlier: February and March are the best
months. There are quite q number of old
fishermen going down this winter to have a
bout with the big fish. The yellow fever
hanging on so late in the fall, however, has
caused many to change their plans about
Florida tarpon fishing. OF course there Is
no danger from the fever in the
winter, but the talk of it has
made a difference among the fishermen.
Mr.. Heckscher is going down /. and Pierre
Lorillard, Jr.. will accompany him. DR..
Grymes, VINO has caught many tarpon, is
intending to try the sport again. Edward
Prime, another well-known angler in this
city, has already started for Florida, and
William Fl. Wood, who did so well last
winter, will undoubtedly try his success
again. Several men, new at the sport will
also try to add the tarpon to their piScato-
rial victories this winter.
The fishing tackle dealers have been i'm
proving on the tarpon outfit, till this year
they offer a very pretty equipment. The
old bass rods, it was found, would not do
The tarpon anglers brought them back in
the spring in pieces, and three or four were
otteu shattered bv one fisherman. The
proper tarpon rod is a short one of al out
seven feet, made i'll two pieces. The butt is
foot and a half long, of hard rubber, aud
the remaining joints is Of noib wood The
noib wood comes from Africa, aud is of
similar grain to theB ethabara and green
heart wo d, which belongs to the same fam
lily as our hickory The rod is made with
guides on both sides, so that the strain will
not be always in one direction. The rod is
not as heavy as it looks, but is pretty stIh
for all that, a necessary qualification in
dealing with tarpOns You can buy a nice
rod for $35. The reel is of course large and
able to wind up 800 or more yards of line,
for the big fish when hooked, sometimes
makes very long excursions, and it does not
do to attempt to check him too soon. Tn =
reels are about inches in diameter, either
of rubber or German silver They are
beautifully made, tie mechanism being of
the best tempered steel and very carefully
adjusted. A very highly polished and well
finished reel costs $50, but there are cheaper
ones.
The tarpon line is specially manufactured
of linen, and is made very strong. At first
they use small chain or piano wire for a
leader, but it was found thai the king Ter
ring would snap these very easily and cut
through them. So nowadays they use a
sort of cotton material or thick cord. When
the tooth of tarpon strikes it, it mashes
and softenS and Is pulpv, but the tisl can
not cut through it, Thick worsted gut,
which will become soft in the water, is also
sometimes used. This completes the outfit,
except a net or gait for the boatman and a
pair of thumbstalls.
Tie tarpon hugs the bottom pretty close,
so when the strong steel hook is baited with
piece of mullet, it is dropped to the bot
tom. The fish is bit wary, and whom he
suspects the bait ne is cautious. He is apt
to take it up giugerly and travel few feet.
Then he will dropit. He is fond Of mullet
however, and if his inspection does not
alarm him he will take the food up again and
rather slowly swallow it. So 1t behOOyes the
angler not TO hurry the fish. Wait till he
has swallowed it and started off on a long
run. When the line is frightened on the
fish he will be hooked. Some anglers say
they can tell by the draw of the fish whether
it is tarpon cr a shark, but many are
often disappointed to find tueir supposed
tarpOn nothing but measly shark.
T o sharks are great nuisance. 1t is O
singular thing that shark will cut through
the cotton leader, while the tarpon cannot,
but the chain or piano wire holds shark
fast. 1t is owing to their different kind Of
teeth. If shark is on the line the best
plan is 10 let him work of by himself.
The tarpon has long spiny projection at
the dorsal fin, which is often seen scoOtng
along the top of the water. while the fish is
almost out Of sight beneath. The fish is a
beauty TO look upon. The scales are regu-
lar and bright in color. When the tlTpon
is taken out of the water he looks as though
he was silver-plated. Once in while one
wanders northward, and they have even
been taken in nets off Long Island 1t is
expected that the size record will be broken
this winter.