The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-10-07
FISHING FOR SHARKS.
Terrific Struggle with a Ferocious
Man-Eater. ~A'

little sloop A mild breeze came nip
from the southwark and stirred into
lazy life the vagrant patches of mist
that hung here and there on the sur
face of Great South bay. Away out in
she solitude OF water the Lighthouse on
Fire island loomed family against the
rosrSky. - @
.'ride's on the change now," said the
old man, as he let the sloop's head pay
off. @"We're mebbc little late for
the frst run, but we'll get 'em further
slone, and mcbbe one or two on the
turn. Never can tell about sharks
ways, though. Mebbe won't get a bite
oil day" ~ ~ - Isl - 90 ~
s.Don't croals, Cap'n Joel" said I, as
1trihlmed in the jib sheet, with, that
elaborate attention to detail which
so plainly suggests that time is bur-
den on ones hands. ''We may get a
whale before night" ~: ~ a.
.Mebbe so, mebbc so," admitted the
old man, "but the chances are agin it.
Idon't believe in raisin' no hopes, AM
sharks is mighty uncertain. remcms
Der one day last summer had city
man out after sharks, and we sailed
and sailed and never bite did we get. :"
"Had you hired by the hour. l sup.
pose"
Capn Joel looked hurt. l always
manage to hurt the old mans feelings
early in the morning, so that he will be
tractable for the rest of the day.
When fish for sharks want skipper
who will obey like a Chinaman. In
return for hurting the old mans
feelings invariably make it up to
him in some other way at the close Of
the trip.
"Man-catcrs plenty this year, Cap'n
Joel?" asked, cheerfully and brisk
ly So
"Not so darncd plenty" the old fell
low grumbled, making a pretense of
squirting carefully under the boom, as
though he was calculating the danger
to be. feared from two other sloops
about six miles off. @gfH g -
Anybody caught any?" $50. ..r
Not as know on. He was still
grumbling. "'Taint many folks as
fish for sharks. Most peoples got
something better to do" For Cap'n
Joel this was very severe, butt had
bit him in avery tender spot. "Where'll
head for?" he asked, almost sullen-
B.
For the inlet, to be sure. Seems to
me that you forget things very quick
ly." | was still brisk and cheerful.
The old man muttered to himself. He
knew well enough where to 60, but his
feelings were hurt, and when the old.
fellows feelings are hurt he acts like
boy.
As we went along close hauled for
the Fire island inlet made ready my
new shark tackle. Cap'n Joel had
never seen it before, and in ordinary.
circumstances he would have been as
curious and as eager about it as a
child, but he said never word. When
had last fshed with the old man, |
bad used heavy trolling line, one end
Of which was made fast to the boat.
When | hooked a shark simply hauled
in hand over hand by main force. This
year decided to put little more skill
into shark fishing, and for that pur-
pose prepared an extra strong bass
rod and reel, and fitted to it as stouta
line as could find that would run
readily on the reel INTENDED to play
the shark as would play bass Old
Capt Joel shifted contemptuously, but
silently, as he took note of the new,
tangled shark tackle. but I let him
alone in his shell. y.si
1t was my purpose to meet the in
coming food tide at the inlet, and to
reach back and forth across it until /
was satisfied with the days sport.
Sharks follow the smaller fish into the
treat South bay with each tide, and
sometimes big one will come along
and stir up the bathers on the beach
Fire island. The fun that a shark
can have with lot of women and
children along a bathing beach is
something out of the ordinary run of
American humor. The shark probably
enjoys it, and it never does the bathers
sny physical harm. ia
The wind came in little fresher
with the flood, SO that the sloop had
good working headway. She would
Joe quickly, and not too hard, while at
me same time she could be luffed up in
aWnkling, ] baited the large hook
win plump mossbunker, which the
Ola man had provided the day before,
and threw 1t overheard. f'tfl
slack away and stand off and on
across the food" said I. The sloop
alied away with lifted sheets. The
,ons line trailed astern with constantly
~ ,lueFeasing pressure. Away off on the
M ,te quarter there was a slight commo-
y, s'Vn on the surface of the water, and
minute or two fancied that
ashark.
10 You see any sign of gamer"
0a'a TO Capt. Joel, as he came about
lau stood back toward Fire island
ihere's one or two sharks about"
y, answered, but he did not explain
,,as ae,e they might be found. Then we
wv t,oVu on and on again without catch
'as slght of the triangular fin.
;o.,. ,auueniy there came tremendous
,sas ,s,s On the stout line, the reel gave a
,u scream and began to revolve like
nassA'saw, ms. and the stiff rod bent like
on mp ,h l had struck big game. put
,o,oa,. ~'a cnec'' very quickly, and as the
Of f,,lty m OF the line lessened thought
e,rs; a,e pam that the big hook was
a. s,ne IN the mouth of the ferocious