The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-15
ONE TARPoN's FIGHT FOR LIFE.
The Story Of the Taking of Perhaps
the Biggest Silver King Yet Caught.
From the ST. Louis Republic

the Biggest SILVER King ct Caught,
From the st. Louis Republic
There Is on exhibition In au Olive street
store window one Of the finest specimens Of
the tsrpon fish ever caught In southern
waters. 1t is the property Of the St. Louis
University, and il was presented to that
institution by 500 Newman, who caught it
with hook and line in the bay Off Naples.
Fla, in April last 1t lacks but couple of
inches OF being seven feet long and weighs
nearly no pounds.
Mr. Newman gave a reporter the follow
ing account Of how he captured the mon
ster tarpon: 'It was a lovely April morn
ing when | proposed TO Mr.. Wilkins, a
friend from Rochester, N. Y, that we take
a trip down the bay for tarpon. We had
separate boats and a man to row us. 1t
was understood that in the event either of
us got bite the other was to tune the
catch. as we wanted TO make q new record,
the best then being about two hours from
the time Of bite to that of landing a tar
pom. I was fishing with about eighty feet
Of No. Is line aud one of the best rods and
reels made in the country. l had my line
out but short while when suddenly there
was a click, click, at the reel, and almost
simultaneously up shot seven feet Of the
prettiesE silver fish that ever glittered in
the sunlight. You know the tarpon always
Jumps clear OF the water the moment he
strikes a baited hook. As soon as he struck
the water again there was a report as sharp
as pistol shot, and my pole snapped right
in the center. l was chagrined and disap-
pointed, for felt then that my chances of
ever landing that fish were very remote.
Nevertheless grabbed the pole where it
was broken, and, with my right hand on
the reel, waited for his majesty to slacken
up after his first, run. He jumped four
times clear of the watsr while running
away, my man, in the mean time follow
ing him up in the boat as fast as possible
Then began TO reel In the line, and after
what seemed TO be an hour had him near
enough to the boat to be gated.
"But here was another difficulty to be
met. My man was alarmed at the size and
strength of athe tarpon aud declared that
he was afraid to gaf him with his hook, as
he was certain he would be pulled over board.
After persuading him that / could rescue
him in case Of such an accident he was in
duced to make the attempt OF landing
the monster with the gaf hook. No
sooner did the tarpon feel the steel than he
made sudden dive, swapping the hook and
pulling Robert almost into the bay. Off he
went again, jumping eight or nine times
more, until he carried out nearly my entire
800 feet Of line. Then began reeling him
in again, my man at the same time getting
another gaf hook and fastened line to the
handle so as to avoid another accident
~ knew my only chance of getting that
tarpon was in gaffiug him as soon as posi-
BILE, for with my broken pole the strain on
me was terrible. and felt / could not play
him much longer. When had reeled him
TO the side of the boat the second time Rob
ert took good aim and with a powerful
lunge drove the hook right into his gill just
as be was about TO make another Jump He
then lifted him bodily from the water into
the boat, and in a twinkling had thrown
himself on him and nailed the struggling
giant on the bottom in genuine Gr9co-
Roman style.
II sank to the seat exhausted, thinking l
must have been several hours at work when
heard Mr.. Wilkins exclaiming: You're
the luckiest man l have ever seen. With a
broken pole you have landed that tarpon In
Just fifty-six minutes IL was true, 1 had
broken the record, but, let me tell you,
had to remain in my cottage for three whole
days afterward in consequence of the
SPORT