The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-05-29

near the middle or the Day. we anchor
in an immense poel or pocket made by.
two arms Of sand bar that nearly meet,
showing purple and orange through the
water. Through the channel that makes,
between the tarpons come to feed-if they;
do.
johnnie, give me head" "And rnl
take a tail" A half pound of mulletl
goes on each hook, and good cast lands
the bait 80 feet away.
Now settle down. Patience and hope
are the words.
Watch the pelicans and cormorants;
fishing and the mullet jumping out Of
the water; eat oranges, rig hand line
and catch sinners and grunts, tell stories,
decide what we would do if--if.
A school Of PROPOSES comes putting in
to the bay good sign. Hal there goes
line paying quietly off the reel.
''Pay out! Give him all he wants. I"
Whir! Away he goes! "In with your
lines, fellow! Up anchor, Johnniel''
But he doesn't jump It's shark.
There's nothing to do but work him UNI
til you can get him on short line.
Now he is within 20 feet of the boat.
Hang onl Let him part the Incl We've
no time to waste on sharksr' Snapl The
line breaks. A new snood is tied on,
and we are soon back on the old grounds,
anchor down and the line out
sLet's eat lunch. believe in the law
Of indirection and an unmatched poi"
No sooner said than done. Yes, and in
more senses than one, for we hadn't eat
en- dozen mouthfuls before my line be-
gan to play out first slowly, then faster
and faster. I'm with your lines! Up an
chorr'
Faster goes the line. "TarponI" For
out of the water 100 feet away leaps a
fish 6 feet long "a mass Of cleaning sill
ver-in shower Of spray, shaking his
head Like horse.
Row harder, Johnnie; he is getting
too much liner Out he comes again and
again. three straight leaps. gain some
slack on him. Hes heading for the boat.
"Back, johnnie. backl" get in hun
dred feet of line, and he breaks again
clear out Of the water not so feet away
and is off like q cannon bali, and now it
is nip and tuck for an hour and q half,
rowing against him or rowing after him
asIhe goes off, irresistibly taking, the line
in spite Of everything; now working him
hard on short line, and now letting up
for second as he comes swiftly to the
surface and breaks, shaking his head in
rage and lashing the water into foam.
It is hard work. Every muscle stiff,
arms aching, thumbs cramped from
pressing the apron on the reel. We get
him into shallow water.
Have the gaff readyw
No-rot this time. Some other time,
for the tarpon decided to go back into
deep water, and there was no stopping
him. This performance was gone through
a dozen times. But at last, and we have,
been miles and miles around the bay!
We got him in three feet Of water and
up TO the boat-the GAIT is in him-a ire
mendous furry, and Johnnie is in the.
water with shark hook, and the fight is
over.
Now cut palmetto leaf, for, dashed
to the peak, it is the most highly priced
and significant pennon that floats in
those waters. 1t. means tarpon, and
tho dock will be full of people long be-
fore we are in hailing distance. The
sail home seemed very short. The con-
gratulations were nightly pleasing.
"You are in great luck. Only one has
been landed SO far this season. 90
tt did seem too good to be true, but
there he lay-e feet inches long, weigh
ing 113 pounds, and every inch and
ouncea "silver king. Baltimore Amer
lean.