St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1891-07-25

CATCHING A TARpoM.

CATCHING 4 TARPoN.
Hew the Heavy-Welghs Angler Resehel
the Prosdest Moment of llis Life.
One bright day, on the broad veranda.
OF the hotel at Punta Gorda, . bcauti
full one hundred and twenty y-five-pount
tarpon was placed before the gaze o
the guests and the capturcr Of thi
great beauty gave . dissertation OF
tarpon fishing that may be of use t.
others contemplating angling for thil
fish. He had been at it day after day
for two weeks, had gotten three bite.
and one fish, but was perfectly satisfies
in the rccompense for his time, money
journey and patience.
'Gentlemen," says he, 81 am proudel
Of this than any event of my life"
''IIow did You catch him?'
"well," says he, II secured a boat
and a man and had him row three
miles up toward the mouth of Pease
river. The equipments were y good
stout rod and reel, six hundred feet oi
line, strong hook baited with mullet,
and to the hook silk leader, one foot
long. about as large around as your lit.
tie finger. SO soft and pliablc that the
6sh's jaws can not sever it. Dropping
your bait to the bottom, you have your
boatman row one hundred feet away,
then anchor and unrecl one hundred
feet of line. which is carefully coiled in
the bottom of the boat in such way
that 1t may run ont rapidly when the
fish starts This much done. take from
your pocket a flask of that which all
good fishermen are provided with, and
imbibe your drink. fill your pipe. smoke
it, and while the blue wrcaths float on
the gentle gulf breeze landward
peruse your novel, and when
the sun sinks in gorgeous crimson across
the gulf into the western world, reel
in your line, and proceed to the hotel.
This is your first day you have caught
nothing. This same performance may
be repeated for a succession of days
with rs unpronOunccd success.
ION the fifth day you go again, and
after having waited some hours the
boatsman tells You that the line is NOV
ing out slowly-a tarpOn is on it. Don't
get excited. There is plenty of time.
Mark the page Of your novel, lay it
aside, knock the ashes from your pipe.
place it in the case, examine your
rod and reel, and, finding it in good
working order, wait. Now the fish
starts more rapidly; he has swallowed
the hook and it makes an uncomfort-
able feeling in his stomach; that is
where it should be. When he has car
ried ont your one hundred feet of loose
line, brace yourself and strike him
strong and heavy. The fun begins. the
effect is like an electric shock. the fish
gives one grand leap from the water,
and as the sun strikes his scales as he
proceeds on his parabola he CLEANS as
Il studded with million diamonds.
''Hc proceeds ut . break-neck pace
for shallow water, and . dozen times
Hoes he leap with renewed energy, his
fin cutting the water like cleaning
blade. Keep the line gently taut. and
If he goes directly from you you will be
unable to guide him in a circle, which
should be your cndeavor. Have your
boatman row directly after him. You
may have miles to go, but you have the
that he and the boatman
will become exhausted about the same
time. but the fish proceeds not far be-
fore he concludes that this is the fight
for mastership; he changes his tactics.
back on you, and when he does
this you have that tired, gone feeling,
IS if the fish were lost. He leaps again
in the air and shakes himself in a wild
endeav0r to throw the hook, like y ser
pent springs from its coils. He is again
in shallow water; you have rapidly
reeled your line aad found him still
there; he crosses your bows at hum
1red feet distance, and II you keep .
gentle pressure you guide him in cir
lie which becomes narrower and mar
rover rs the fish's struggles weaken.
Now you have him within . few feet of
The boat; handle him gently, for if you
10 not it is likely that the silver king
will make some grand struggle for lib
,rty. which may prove your sad defeat:
but you have guided him slowly to the
side of the boat, your boatman gently
slips his hands in his gills, and with one
dexterous movement lands
him in your boat.
You cut out the hook, reel in your
Inc, store it away in its case, relight
vour pipe and proceed homeward. You
ire victor in the grandest fight of man
against 6sh.-Florida Times-Union.