The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-16
DIR. DIXON'S FISH STORY
mrs pRExM or SPORT xEALIxED
ar Last.
Ne Writes Of The Experience OF Mr.. Ashoy
Jones and Himseif Catching hed
Drum In Chesapeake Bay.

door, showing the figures OF Kew iho'""'
pixon. OF New York, and MIR AshDy Jones
Of Richmond. dressed In fisherman's garo
and between them a frame bearing aDou
twenty-five enormous FISH. some OF them
half as long as the tall form OF Ut
Dixon.
Roth Of these gentlemen spend the bes'
mart Of every summer at CobDs isIapu
md cyery one VINO sees the picture hears
in a general way that DR. DIXON alu
Ashby Jones caught them IN cheSapedk.'
Vay al one sitting, but BESIDE me eNl
aericc as shown by the camera you iedrH
Now DR.. Dixon has written the story
of the capture OF the big fish for the
New York World. ana It VIII be Ieao
with more than usual interest by thost
who saw the picture at Cobbs Island
as well as all lovers OF piscatoriai sport
have nshed somewhat IN my tlme
hut there was always something iackihB
al the end Of the day. There was al
WAYS an unfulhlled 'Ii' OF dissatlsiac-
ton with the performance. S0methlnb
was a little wrong-the weather w.
no, perfect. the fish did not bite as they
ought. the hooks were wrong, soiI ny
thing the matter with the bait or the
wind or the tide. | have tried in many
places ana under many conuI. 1t,',
striving always 10 satisfy that Ions o.,
and even from the time / bent my hist
pin-hook and tried for catfish IN tne
Creek at the old plantation down 70 my
last experience on the Choiera Dam. DAM
on the Bay OF New York nave never
have dreamed Of a day when ] would
have things my own way-Wnen tns
water would be right when the WHY
would be right, when the toe Wo ,.s
be hight and when the fish would pie,
my hook aud everything wOuId pe IN
perfect order. and | would reVel untii
nv soul cried Enough" ! say l had
dreamed Of this day.
We had pitched our tents Tor the
summer on the Eastern Shore OF Vlr-
ginla, on Cobb's Island. We heard great
stories of the red drum ana the oiue.
fish In the mouth of the Chesapeake
lust below the town of Cape Charles;
the island, but II was the desire OF my
heart TO lay hold OF genuine red drum,
OF whose game QUANTITIES hdd heal9
since my childhood. This nsh is sald
by experts 10 be our gamest fish next
A man told me that the red drum were
so thick around his boat on his last tTiP
ne could not catch a single bluensh. ne
said that they had torn up ilfteen INES
for him. until he had given up the JoD
and waited for the tide TO turn that ne
might have chance at his hsh fof the
market. Again and again had / tried TO
reach that spot. There was always some
thing the matter. III was next TO lmpOs-
sible TO get bait. 1t was useless 10 80
without at least three bushels Of trash
fish TO grind for chum. These fishermen
for the market get up at 2 o'clock In the
morning. and were first at the pound
nets. and usually got all the bait.
But we held "a council Of war. my friend
Ashby Jones. of Richmond, and myself
We determined TO beat these bluefish fish
ermen out OF bait at least one day: TO
go out into that bay and fulf our dream.
We spen, a whole day getting the bait,
and finally got just a barrel OF trash
fish and a buSlPl OF small trout.
our hearts rose for the conflict. and
then sank into our boots as the wind rose
20 a gale. Jack, at the wheel. turned
the nose OF our launch straight for har-
Dor at Cape Charles. We asked him for
heavens sake where he was going He
said we were going to have terrible
storm. But there was blood In our eye.
We determined to reach the fish In the
bay on that day, or 30 down In the at
tempt. Into harbor we went-six long
miles. climbing over foam-capped waves
and up into Old Plantation creek. We
waited for the sailboat with the sailors
on the verge OF mutiny; transferred our
tackle, our lunch. our bait, and set sail
for the spar. buoy off Pickett,s Hole. In
the middle OF the Chesapeake Bay.
IL was about o'clock In the morning.
The heavens were overcast the wind
blew gale, and our hearts were heavy,
but at last the luck turned The wind
moderated the clouds began 10 lift, and al
3 o'clock the weather was settled.
Our hearts rose. There was not an
other boat visible on the bay. We alone
had obtained bait. We knew that the
bay was full of red drum and bl1Iefish. il
half the tales we had heard were true
We set to work, grinding our chum. and
preparing for the battle. At II o'clock we
reached the buoy. cast our anchor swing
ing up with a heavy food tide. with a
tub full of chum. ready for business.
Our sailors began the work Of throwing
out the chum. Without a moments de-
lay we were ready, and had our hooks
well baited floating out with our chum.
The method Of fishing is on top Of the
water, without sinker, allowing the line
smpy TO float with the tide, as the chum
Is carried from the boat. IL sometimes re-
quired, we We're told n half hour to
raise a school of FISH. sometimes an hour,
and sometimes they wouldn't come at all.
utes when my friend Jones beautiful split
bamboo tarpon rod suddenly tipped to
the water line. He spranR to his feet.
Zip, zipl, zip.,i zip!,li sang the reel, as
his beautiful tarpon line shot through. the
water. Heavens, would he never stop "A
red drum. surel" he shouted AS he bore
down on the brake, with every zip" Of his
reel twenty feet Of line went out. A hun
dred feet. A hundred and fifty feet. at
least! He brought him to a stand and
the rod bent until II touched the water.
with its base firmly fixed in the socket
OF his belt. III. began with sure hand 10
Now. one hundred feet from the boat ne
came to the ton OF the water. He was q
red beaaiy-at least twenty 1--we pounds.
He saw the boat and made a dash for
tently was watching and wondering how
long before l would feel the exquisite
thrill OF such q beauty on my line Now
he had him within fifty feet Of the boat
flash OF lightning my rod was snatched
half out OF my hand. and the top splash
ed into the water. | Sprang to my feet,
clasped my hand on the brake and shout
ed; Whoa, January" had him. He was
n beauty. He ran. He ran as though he
would never stop. / shouted to my friend
look out there with your minnow,
give me elbow ROOM
LOOK out yourself with your trash
fish," he replied Its nothing but little
dog shark"
"A dog shark replied. pull in your
tadpole and watch him fight"
Now he circles around the boat and
with 100 feet OF line ne comes 10 the top
lie dashes for deep water. He comes to
the top again lie splashes Il with his
great tail He makes a dash for the boat.
neryed for the conflict. OF no breaks
again, another hundred feet Again /
pull, again he breaks. again he fights for |
Deep heeP. water ansr Now ! bring him TO the
TO lose. $3.50
I shout for the gan hook. hold him
close 70 the boat. lie Is not ready. TO
feet, one hundrel and fifty feet. two
hundred feet. WIN he never stop? l |
reel MIN In, | forced him at last. The
gan hook-there he is-.up fiops his sell
yer belly. a thirty-pounder in the bottom
OF the boat Fifteen minutes ne fought
me.irst red drum Of my life.
Inc water was literally alive with |
these great beauties. As my friend |
brought his second 20 the edge of the |
boat four magnificent fellows followed |
MN 10 the top OF the water, splashing |
him an accompaniment as he bade fare
well n. hIu ala,,a,, ~