The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-16
A MAN FISH.

Half q dozen men were talking trout in
one of the up town hotels, after shad
supper the other night. One Of the party
told of a three pound fish that he landed
with five ounce rod last summer, and
another of a seven pound blackfish caught
with a similar rod by we'll known news
paper man, off the Great Kills, Staten Is
land, last summer He was fishing for
snappers (bluefsh fry) and, hooking a
Blacklist in shallow water, near an old
sunken wreck that lies there, fought it for
over an hour and landed it. So the fish
stories, true and otherwise, went on. FL
nally one of the party, a gunner, said,
with 8 laugh:
''To hear you fellows talk one would
think a six ounce trout pole and single
leader would land a shark. Now, dust shot
will not l-.ll an eagle, though it may blind
him, and I am little skeptical about these
fish Stories
The best fisherman of the party replied:
''We1, you are pretty good swimmer.
I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll bet you
suit of clothes that if you will play the
fish, with an ordinary trout line attached
to a swivel between your shoulders, /, with
a six ounce pole, will land you and bring
you to bag
The bet was accepted, and few days
later the contest came off in one of the
swimming baths of this city.
A piece of ribbon was passed in loop
over each shoulder of the man fish and fas-
tened between the shoulders to fair sized
swivel, to which was attached 81 strand
English woven silk line, which was reeled
on an ordinary 81 ounce trout rod The
fisherman stood on the diving PLATFORM
rod in hand, with the line rather slack,
and the fish stood half way down the bath.
The fish was to take header, and this
was to constitute the strike of the fish
The victory was to be decided by the swim
mer reaching the end of the bath, or the
fisherman towing him within reach of the
landing net twice out of three tries.
The signal given, in dived the fish, and
the fisherman gave him all the line he
wanted until his head appeared, and then
put on a little strain, which turned the
swimmer slightly sidewise. The fish, not
perceiving this for a second, struck out
strongly for the end of the bath, but the
strain, slight as it was, turned him more
and more around, and turning his head to
look he lost ground for breath and was
hauled over on his back. For an unin-
numbered swimmer to turn on to his chest
! from his back is very easy, but with that
| pull between the shoulders it is a very diff
ferent matter. AS a finger under the chin
| will hold a swimmer up when learning,
! so that touch of a finger on the line towed
! the swimmer half way down the bath
before he could get the line slack and turn
/
| breath and still the trifling strain held him
| Just enough to impede him without stop
| ping him.
Slowly and steadily he moved ahead
combating the side strain this time by in
creased exertion of the left arm, and SEEM
ed in fair way of making the goal, when,
zip, the point of the rod swung over, nd
aided by the strong sweep of the left arm
the strain caught the fish as if the butt
had been given, and round he came again
| on his chest. A mad plunge to break the
line resulted only in a loss of ten feet of
line, but the swimmer secured his turn,
and again set his face for the end. Moving
the point of the rod to the left, to the
right raising it, sinking it, catching he
man fish wherever he showed weak sbot
the willy angler played him right across
the open space, and within ten feet of he
end, and then, gauging the moment, he
gave him the butt, and snap went the line
and the fish struck home. One leg of the
three for the fish. Time, ~ minutes.
The fish had a good rundown, a hot
lemonade and a rest of half an hour, and
then fresh start was made This time
the angler was more at home. Carefully
handling the fish, he caught him rising
from the header, and promptly turned him
on his back in way that surprised him,
and as the fish plunged to the bottom to
try to break the line again (this being
the equivalent of sparring for wind), an
other round turn brought him to within
- feet of the fisherman, and, struggle
as he might, he could not get away.
Plunge after plunge was of no avail and
only prevented further Keeling in, until
finally a lucky turn brought the fish over,
and he was promptly reeled in before he
could get on his chest again. Time, min
utes. Leg and leg.
Another rest was taken, and now the
fSo1,o, I'D RI hao x II
1 for the last leg but not even the fish
seemed inclined to take him. This time
the fish dressed himself and rested an
hour, walking around, and before going
in taking strong, rough rub. This time
a curious thing occurred. AS he dived il
his foot slipped, and he struck the water
sidewise The anglers had him on his back
under the water the next moment, and il
he had persisted in reeling him up would
possibly have drowned him, SO helpless
was the fish. Amid laughter he let up
and the fish was allowed to land and start
again This time a successful header wa:
taken, and a strong fight made. swim
ming solely with the side stroke the fist
could see all the movements of the angler
and so forged ahead until the downward
stroke of his right arm swept the bottom
at the shallow end of the bath. Feeling
the shallow with victory within reach
! the fish turned his head, and that momen
the butt was given him, his feet Wef'
swung aside and under, and before h
knew what had occurred he was in tn
center of the bath again. Once more n
tried the side stroke, but he was fast tir
ing, and the varying strain of the line
now to the right, now TO the left, soon pu
the issue beyond doubt and he was towe'
within reach of the net in ~ minutes
The swimmer said he was more tired thai
if he had swarm couple of miles in opel
water and is inclined to believe any fisl
story told him during the present season
New York Sun.