The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-22
CATCHING A MONSTER BASS.
IT rs A CHANNEL BASS. AND MEASURES
FIFTY INCHES.
Mr.. Charles 9. Higgins OF Brooklyn Labors
Forty Minutes mt the Upper End or .
Tarpoa Line, hut Lands His Game.

Forty Minutes Mt the Upper End OF .
Tarpon Line, hut Lands His Game.
Everybody who casts a line in Great South
Bay and adjacent waters knows those two en-
thusiastic sportsmen. Charles g. Higgins OF
Brooklyn and Henry A. Tappin OF New York.
They both have cottages at Babylon and spend
a great deal Of time on the water Last Satur-
day they took Capt Prices sloop and went
outside of Fire Island to chum for bluensh
The start was made from Babylon at o o'clock
in the morning. The sloop was headed for the
whistling buoy three or moro miles out Be-
sides Messrs. Higgins and Tappin. Capt. Price
and Capt Norman White were the only per-
sons on the soop.
1t took about three hours to reach the fishing
bnnks in the open sea. A good stiH breeze
was blowing. and tho current was swift.
Mcssrs. Higgins and Tappin dropped their
lines overheard and were quickly rewarded.
The bluefish were running we'll The two
fishermen were kept hustling to land their
catches until tho current ceased to set. When
this happened. about noon. twenty weight nice
big bluensh had been captured. Capt. Price
dropped anchor then to wait for the turn Of tho
tide. Capt Price dropped line over the sido
OF the sloop to pass away the time. He had
barely thrown il into the water when he got
nibbe and a minute later he landed II big
weakilsh Mr.. Higgins got out the tarpon rod
md reel which he won in fishing contest
last summer attached light sinker. and was
Mr. Tappin did likewise. After twenty-five had
been caught there was lul
sny aH no NJ nsaSs it"Y M @
his h tSn Mr. Tr t%"F n hoa 81 tn" rGd to
gins had fastened shark. The two fishermen
were in the stern ii the sl"op. and til" strain
chains. The strain, however. was not IA steady
Is Is usual the ;gse when shark has NV, swaI |;
he ela It could not be- ba
fish. because it displayed too much strength.
Mr.. Tanpin say at once that there was going
Higgins eyer, .rrortnnity. Mr.. Higgins stood
Keeping the Inc taut. The iis h W was ' dead
game I, worked of from tho bont several
the sloop toward the bow. Mr.. Higgins. did his
best to prevent tn" ,Sh from doing this fear,
and he would thereby lose his prize. The fish.
and ~ 12 t Mr conf" @"
CAPTAINS stood by fairly sweating from seeing
Inch 81 intI the fish pulled Mr.. Higgins to
the sl2op and it was perfectly nnrarns,nt TINT t
Cart Nts nt% sers fSss PIN hes rt I'D
and when Mr.. Higgins had virtually been
dragged as far into tho bow us was possible
without t%m51s into the water he rsn
passed passed it over t" Cart. White. o'' ' ~ wi
:, The flsh continued its circle. 1t had cleared
n:HI5 sh ana a Ha sa%s s%d
chance Of landing the big catch. Mr.; Higgins
and cat Witt hs ten
HivyiDS that thp fish bprpmipu firal Mr.
and he nov "a to wind i 3w Wy n whsR
it's q channel bass" shouted Mr, Tappin:,
dar a 'ss any % Mna 's spare a9hssnsh
Ecared and disappeared several times rolling
D The last time hssE to the
drowned, Mr. Higgins wound Up his line:
hauling the big flsh to the side Of the boat. It
water, into tho sloor. Exactly forty minutes
had elapsed from the time the ash was hooked
about used nr: His clothing was ringing wet
with persplration.
q. Anchor war raised S at once and the soor with
Wawayanda Club to consult a book Of author
fish was. 1t was found to answer the do
sccrirtion Of channel bass exactly 1t was
bass is distinguished.
From here the sloop wns headed for tho
landing Of tn" Watson House at Babylon.
which was reached about Z o'clock. whom
everybody was at dinner. Two men carried
the big fish into the kitchen: where it was
four feet and two inches long. and to tin tho
scales at 81 pounds. The fish was then carried
through the dining ROOM where It caused a
| sensation. Yesterday it was brought to town
| to he mounted by Fred Sauter. Of William
| street.
This is the first channel bass ever taken off
| that place with rod and reel. old fisher
men s9id. few have been caught In nets.
Higgins and Tappin started every one out on
| sunday. More than % boats went out from
| Babylon alone. but none of them returned with
| more than nvo ordinary bluetlsh on its string.
RzTDED 4 SyryDaY THE1rRE