The morning call., 1893-04-23
A STRIKE BY A TARPoN.
Fishing That Is a Supreme Test of
the Anglers Art.
Florida Corr. New York Times.

Florida Corr. New York Times.
l do not know any subject that as much
Information can be gathered upon in the
tarpon country as tarpOn-fshing, and l
learned enough of the business theoretically
while steamng up the Caloosahatchee
River 10 give some idea Of it. 1t must be
understood at the start that the tarpon to
be caught may weigh from 100 to 200
pounds, perhaps even Dds pounds, and that
he will fight as long as there is any breath
left in bis body. With half a chance such a
fish will readily snap any available line,
and the fSherman's business is to manipu-
late the line in such a way that the fish
cannot exert his strength upon it. The line
is a very small one for such work, no
larger than boys use for taking catfish, and
may readily be broken by man with a
sudden jerk. The hook is about three
inches long, wired to a swivel, so that no
matter how often the fish revolves he can
not twis. the line. Immediately above the
swivel Is section of line about TWO feet longE
made OF such soft cotton stuff that tile tar
pom cannot bite through it, He would bite
the line short of, or would even bite wire
But he cannot cut the soft cotton stuff
Any ordinary rod with a good reel Will
answer, and several hundred yards Of line
must be wound upon the reel. The bait Is
the hall of mulIet securely wired to the
hook IN such way that the hook is entirely
concealed. The tarpon does not nibble.
but takes the whole thing at a gulp il be
takes 1t at all.
With this outfit and bottle of snake
bite antldote in the locker the tarpou- fisher
is ready for work. 1t is well for him to be-
gin on Monday morning, to have the whole
week before him. On Monday he hardly
more than gets his hand in. If by Tuesday
night lie has had a strike his fellow fisher
men IN the hotel treat him with great re-
speet. There Is no such thing as bite in
tarp0n-hshlng-it is always a strike" By
Nedne sday he Is sufficiently tanned TO have
professional look. II he is an extremely
lucky man. and works hard, not less than
ten hours a day, he may take tarpon on
thursday. There is nothing tedious about
this-so they say; all is glorious expect
ancy. just what happens at the start no
fisherman can tell. Ten minutes after the
pole has nearly been 1erked from his hand,
ana the sdin OF two or three of his fingers
cut through by line and reel, he begins to
reallZe that he has hooked tarpon and that
his line Is running out like mad. The pride
OF new President taking the oath of Office
is nothing to the feelings of the supreme
moment; The interest of the whole world is
centered In that line and reel.
Inc tarDon has swallowed the bait entire
and his hrst movement imbedS the hook in
his throat, where it is firmly fixed. There is
little danger Of the hook tearing out when
once well planted-the danger Is that the
line viii break. Give the tarpon one sec
Ond OF a line too slack or too taut and he
Will snap 1t like pipestem. Here is the
chance for sklliful work-and none but the
most skllliul angling will take tarpon.
The secret is to keep the line gently tight;
no matter what course the fish takes the
line must be kept just so. The tarpon leaps
some feet into the air and he must have
line. he strikes the water again and runs
and the line must run freely with him. He
turns toward the boat, and tho line must be
reeed up as fastss he Stacks it, Give him n
chance 10 make kink in the line aud Won
lose your tarpon. When he turns suddenly
and makes off again the spring of the pole
gives the line some help but the reel must
be free. He jumps and tears and Jerks and
twists Tor hours. A hundred times the limo
IS out almost TO the last yard; a hundred
times it !s reeled up again. Fifty times the
hsh throws himself from the water and
ntty times ne strikes it again with thud.
lie Is as full OF fight as mad bull; nothing
9ut utter exhaustion will conquer him.
Very gradually his resistance becomes
Iee0ler; very gradually the line is reeled up.
bringing tne hsh each time a little nearer To
lhe boat. When he is brought within reach
mere IS no doubt of the result, for that
cannot be done until he is utterly tired out.
When he reaches the side of the boat he is
practically dead fsh-killed, not by the
hook, but by his own desperate exertiOps.
Nav strike ahe gaffS into him and haul him
on board. Let the bands play. Six baskets
oil wine on ice, landlord! Two hundred
and ten pounds, isherman's weight! Bring
arnlca and myrrh and precious Ointments 10
neal the wounded fingers.