Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-22
the fish. The longer nets are drawn through
the water by bearers stationed two fatho ms
apart in the ordinary way.

the hsh. The longer nets are drawn through
the water by bearers stationed two fatho ms
apart in the ordinary way.
THE FIERY RED SNAPPER.
Drop line fishing from canoe will bring
good returns. Among the coral patches
Turks the red snapper ready to gorge the bait
and then lie so motionless that no jerk upon
the line gives hint that fish is below.
But when the fisherman begins to haul In
his line he will find surprise in the vigor,
Gus pull which will come upon 1t and
perhaps jerk it out of his hands. The snap
per tactics are peculiar and battling. When
the first pull comes upon the line the fish
makes dash directly along the bottom, and,
keeping the line always taut, thus comes to
the surface and leaps into the air. Then 1t
swims in a circle about the canoe, always in
one direction. 1t is impossible to haul the
fish in and the usual plan is to allow the
fish to wind the line about two paddles, and
thus haul himself within striking distance,
where well-directed blow will break his
neck.
The grouper,' another bottom-feeling fish,
takes the hook very lightly, and the moment
ne feels the prick makes dash straight up
ward to the surface, and darts quickly to
one side just before breaking water. This
makes it very hard fish to strike, and one
may we'll feel proud Of catching even one in
a dozen bites
Among many strange fish to becaught up
on the same feeding grounds, fish of odd
shapes and gorgeous colors, quite unknown
in colder waters, occurs an oddity which
makes no count in the fsherman's take.
The reason for his abstinence is tradition
of dreadful fate which should smite the
man who should dare to even taste the fish
reserved by taboo for his womankind. So it
TnA A,<- Il l. IL. 4 = n.
women overhaul the fish and take them for
their own dainties
THE KING OF GAME FISH.
The finest sport comes in trolling for
funny. The swift canoe flies over the sea,
the long line trails out astern and 30
fathoms away the shining hook of glistening
pearl she'll leaps from wave to wave and
catches the light upon its irridescent surfaces
and flashes the gay colors from its bunch of
bright feathers. The sea seems empty as
that glittering bauble tows over the stern,
yet the sport will come to the one who has
patience. Far astern the watchful eye takes
note of a sleek back cleaving the surface; it
might be dolphin were it not so sharp.
The canoe, with q fair wind, is paying off
a good IL knots, yet that object overhauls
her hand over hand, as though she were at
anchor. Thus thetunny first shows himself.
He has come alongside the fishing hook and
slackens pace that he may look; he darts
now on this side and now on that forges
ahead and drops astern, and all this while
the men on the canoe stand in anxious ex-
pectation to see if the fish will bite. Sud-
denly he leaps through the water in great
bounds and seizes the cleaning hook and
stops short. Then comes another anxious
moment; but all is safe, the line is stout,
the hook bites deep into the jaws, the fight
begins of man against the most agile fish of
the seas.
To play such fish as this means seaman
ship of the highest order. He darts about
the canoe in circle, he leaps high out OF
the water, he dives toward the distant bot
tom, he comes to the surface as though shot
from a mighty submarine bow. Every
movement he makes must be anticipated bv
the canoe, the strain must be taken from
the line which stands clear out of the
water like rod of steel, 300 feet without
sag.
A DASH FOR LIBERTY.
At last the fish finds himself mastered. BE
knows that he is caught, but he seems re-
solved on One desperate stroke to release
himself At the top of his speed he rushes
upon the canoe; sometimes he strikes it SO
tsir blow that he breaks in its sides; some
times he comes aboard to be beaten to death
with clubs. Whoever brings a funny to
shore does it only after experiencing the
novel sensation of being himself hunted by
the fish he went out to catch. But for sport
and for food it is royal fish.
One other scene shows the South Sea fish
ing in milder light. In the gentle breath
OF the evening wind two canoes glide softly
side by side over the waters, gemmed with
the twinkling reflection OF the stars gleam-
ing warmly overhead, waters strangely lit by
glowing effulgence at the bottom. Between
the two canoes hang broad strip of CLOTH
whose clews and foot are held up to form
bag, Suddenly torches CLEAN and throw
Pickering flashes OF light upon the white
screen, strange whirring noises fill the air,
flying objects strike the screen and fall help
less into the bag at the bottom. Thus dainty
morsels, the flying fish, catch themselves
while the fishers sail the quiet waters of the
South Sea, where the charm of the summer
night is the charm OF every night
WILLIAM CAMPBELL.