The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-24
:. ON THE HOMOSAsSA.
An Indianapolis Man Pictures the
Charms of Fishing in Florida.

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Occasional Correspondence of the Journal.
HOMOSASSA, Fla, March B.-The HON.
osassa river is unique. 1t springs out of the
earth about ten miles inland, and flows in
a serpentine course to the sea. The source
is a mystery. The water swells out of the
ground and makes the river. 1t has no
continents. 1t is perfectly clear. The lime
stone formation is brok and cleft at the
head of the river, which PUSHES to the
surface like a great boiling spring. The
water is of the uniform temperature Of 60
degrees, and the volume is constant and
unvarying from year to year.
Neither drought or rains have any per-
ceptible effect on the outflow. From this
it is inferred that it is artesian in char
acter. Whatever is its natural source 1t
is almost singular in it's features as a
stream, Crystal river, a few miles up the
coast, and the Chisawiskie, a short distance
below, being similar in character. but nei-
Their in varied beauty equals the Homo
sassa.
The name is said to be of Seminole
nomenclature, and is commonly believed to
mean the river of fishes. At least, that is
a fitting definition. Nature could not cas-
lily provide a more attractive stream for
fishes. The river broadens in it's course,
sometimes to the width of several hundred
yards, and is divided into pools and shall
lows. The broad shadows are covered
ing food and also shelter from any coming
LANCER to the sly fish, while the deep clear
pools, paved with limestone rocks AFFORD
the security always sought by fish of
largest size. TIL banks of the river for
nearly one half it's length are lined with
a dense forest. which hangs over the low
banks so thick and tangled that one can
not reach the stream except by boat. Ma
pie, cedar, live oak, bay trees and palmet-
too rA fa1afhAr ond p nnEornd VEIf IN
vines and embraced with bushes and under
brush, forming a jungle wild and impass-
pine woods a little distance further in
land. The lower half of the stream is bor-
dered with high rushes and other sea
ands, on which a few cedars struggle for
existence, with here and there a tall pal
metto lifting its bare trunk like a flag
staff, bearing it's tuft of green high over
all.
The river is quite like an arm of the gulf,
the coast from Cedar Keys. 1t is affected
by the tide, although the salt is never
come Without eaa npuaf into this fish-water
stream, so that it may be truthfully said
as long as fish swim in the Gulf of Mex
leo they will seek the pure, sweet waters
of the Homosassa. The variety is only ex-
celled by the countless multitude. When
the sun is near meridian and the water is
unruff1ed one can row over one of the
deep pools and gaze into an aquarium OF
natures making that cannot be duplicated
dly w mere. I1SIc H pIOlliSCuOuS Lie 4
sea trout. black bass, sheepshead mango,
snappers, cavallie, breem, sailors choice,
m pea 1sn otb s9m KINDS. T fPanlfH mahnke Varieties aea
are caught in this stream, of which thir-
teen will rise to the fly. Tarpon were
taken here last year, and quite a number
have been seen already this season. Blu
tarpon fishing is slow, heavy sport. He is
very sly. and feeds only on sandy bottom.
guide s1da books ok and nsaVg func Iss'i Putting 9Gas;
hook the bait is laid on the bottom, and
rowing off two or three hundred yards you
cast anchor and sit down to read or sleep
Sometimes day by day for weeks; to many
they never come. But few men can en-
dure the monotony. OF course, if by chance
one is hooked you have a wild, rare ex-
perience. The anchor is lifted quickly and
the fish draws you hither and yon much
chances are he will break away; but If in
the course of two, three or four hours you,
deed, done a thing which but few have done,
and this always affords a singular joy. It
is pleasant to note that the largest tarpon
ever taken with rod and reel was caught by
a woman down this west coast a few years
ago. He weighed 2O21a pounds. But the
average man of business who seeks a
hurried midwinter recreation has neither
time nor inclination for this whale-like
sport. He wants quick and sure fishing.
sassa as anywhere. OF course, there are
times when fish win not bite no matter
nDW tempting the ATe OF HOW SkltlIul the
fisherman. The next day they will take any
bait. Arid, light, temperature, moonlight,
the CLINT of the reel, the shade from the
line. even the bare point of the hook, all
have well-known effects. The fishing has
not been up to standard for some while,
and now it is thought the unprecedented
cold of this winter is the cause. 1t killed
the minnows and frogs. it killed a great
many large fish, but many were left. As
much cannot be said for the orange and
other fruit trees.
This was the ante-bellum home of Sem
ator Yulu. He owned the lands on either
side of the river from its head to foot. and
worked three hundred slaves ON his sugar
plantation. 1t was once a valuable prop
erty; now nothing remains but three or
four untenanted cabins, the chimney of the
sugar mill and foundation walls of his
residence on Tiger Tails island. The island
was formerly the home of OsceoIa's com
panion in the Seminole days. No troops
could penetrate these jungles. These fast
Tail was invincible. When at last the
remnant of the tribe were transported,
on the island and named it after its old
Indian tenant. On the island, which con-
tains some twenty-five acres, he planted one
of the first orange groves, When all else
was gone the orchard remained, and Homo
sassa oranges were considered as having
the most delicious flavor of any in the
State. This winters freeze has left the
six hundred trees as dead as If swept by a
fire. One old slave remains, Uncle Peter.
relic of this once profitable slave planta-
ton, now grown up in bushes and brambles
ana 1aSC returning TO lne Stdte OF primitive
nature. There are three or four houses
only on the river, SO that it is almost as
wildly beautiful as when it was the favor
lite fishing grounds of the SeminoleS. At
the foot of the river are vast oyster beds.
And round about are large mounds of
oyster shells. 1t is said the shells are all
broken, which, it is held, proves hat at
some prehistoric time this country was
densely populated, and the mounds mark
the sites of oyster houses or great car
1t does seem impossible TO
think that these great hills of oyster shells
could have been thrown together by the
waves merely.
But returning to the present. it is anus
ing to observe the ruling motives of the
sportsmen. One has been fishing every day
tSunuays ~excepted) for more than two
months past. He starts early and returns
late. A Fairbanks scale sits on the plat
form of the inn. The catch is put in a box,
the weight of which is well known. As
soon as the boat lands the box is weighed
and the net is entered on the records. The
heaviest days catch was 1S pounds. His
average this season is over forty pounds
daily. He measures his sport by the ton.
Others fish for numbers and keep strict
tally. One gentleman was very late one
evening coming in. At last the stroke of
the oars was heard up the river. Pulling
alongside the dock he directed his guide to
throw the catch on the dock one by one.
All bystanders stood still until came the
words That's ALL
We'll" said the sportsman, when i go