The morning call., 1893-07-22

John Gallagher, John Butler. j. j. O. 'Brien,
Dr. Dean, A. Wilson, w. Murdoch. ii.
Peckham. Captain Cummings, j. Orndorff.
81. Skinner, Horace Smith. L. Rogers and
others. who are now enjoying feastS of the
fishes at Santa Cruz.
Mr.. Peck ham has, since his return, stated
that he never enjoyed such good sport, and
should not miss the present opportunity
for the enjoyment OF pastime which may
not occur again for years.
The method adopted for the capture Of
the fish is as follows: In the first place a
boat is to be engaged. with an oarsman who
will row you around the bay at a distance
of about 400 yards from the shore.
something similar to the rod used in
Eastern waters fer striped bass fishing,
will answer best of any, for the fish arc
verv gamy and will fight to finish, never
Welding an inch until the gaff is sunk deep
into their side. and even then they will
sometimes escape. A large reel. which
will comfortably hold from $50 to 200 yards
of common line that will not give when
the angler strikes his fish. 10 decidedly
necessary.
Attached on the leader, which should be
about six feet in length. are two or three
swivels and from one to one and half
ounces of lead.
The hook is a No 8 double ought sproat.
which brings up. of course, at the tail END
of the line. Now your rig is complete.
and all that is necessary is the bait. A
bucket Of sardines, which can be caught in
short time by professional fishermen, is
placed in the boat within easy reach of the
angler. and all is In readiness for tho cap.
ture of the royal salmon.
There is quite a knack, by the way, in
fastening the sardine on the hook so as to
make the little fish appear as If it was en-
joying perfect freedom in its element. The
hook should penetrate the fish's mouth
and run down the body, coming out near
the tail. After tbs bait is properly ad-
justed small rubber band should be slid
over the sardine aud left around the lat
ter's head, so as to keen the fish's mouth
closed when it is drawn through the water.
The amount of line that is necessary to
run out when trolling all depends upon
the depth the salmon are feeding. but as
majority of fishes caught have been
fifty yards of line trailing from the stern
of the boat will be found about the right
thing.
A landing net is of no account as the
fishes are too large. A gait is the instTu-
ment that is necessary, and care must be
taken when striking at fish 10 get the
gaff well underneath the latter, otherwise
smash in tackle or good-by at the boat
NAV result from q bungle in landing
When trolling the boatman should be in
structed to row always into the center of
a school of sardines. as following in their
wake is the game that is on the watch for
a dainty mess. When your lure is spinning
within view of u whopper look out for a
strike on base, and the moment your reel
sings hit your fish hard. or otherwise it
will shake the lure from its mouth. Most
of the salmon lost at Santa Cruz by means
OF trolling is owing to the slow way some
anglers have Of striking at fish when it
grabs the bait.
The illustration which accompanies this
article represents the catch of one man in
one days fishing at Santa Cruz last week
John Butler has caught the largest fish
so far this season. Its weight was forty
pin0 pounds