Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-06-13
A MAN FISH.

another Of a seven pound Blacklist caught
with similar rod by well known news
paper man, off the Great Kills, Staten Is
/ land, last summer. He was fishing for
snappcrs (blucfish fry and hooking
blackfish 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 tho party, gunner, said,
with laugh:
TO hear you fellows talk one would
think u six ounce trout pole and single
leader would land shark. Now, dust shot
will not kill an eagle, though it may blind
I him, and am II little skcptiCal about these
/ fish stories. -
The best fisherman Of the party replied:
We'll, you are II pretty good swimmer.
I'll tel you what I'll do. I'll bet you a
suit Of clothes that if you will play the
fish, with an ordinary trout line attached
to u 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 camc of in one Of tho
swimming baths of this city
A piece Of ribbon was passed in Il 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 sill line, which was rceled
on an ordinary ounce trout rod The
t fisherman stood on the diving platform,
rod in hand, with the line rather slack,
and tho fish stood half way down the bath.
The fish WIS to take "a header and this
was TO constitute the strike Of the fish.
The victory WAS to hetlrcieed 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 dFed the fish, and
the fisherman gave him all the line he
wanted until his head appeared, and then
put on q little strain. which turned the
swimmer slightly sidewise The fish, not
pcrcciving this for 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 u breath and
hauled over on his back. For an unin-
numbered swimmer to turn on to his chest
from hi. back IS very easy, but with that
pull between the shoulders 1t is very diff
ferent matter. As u finger under the chin
will hold u swimmer up when learning,
so that touch of "a finger on the line towcd
tho swimmer half way down the bath
before be could get the line slack and turn
again BY that time he was nearly out of
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 tins By N
creased eSertion of the left arm, and seem
ed in a fair way OF making the goal, when,
zip. the point OF the rod swung over, and
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. \ mad plunge to break the
line resulted only in 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 the
man fish wherever he showed weak spot,
the willy angler played him right across
tho open space, and within ten feet OF the
end, and ten. gauginE the moment. he
gave him thu bur, and snap went the line
and the fish struck home one leg OF the
three for the fish. Time, -. minutes
The fish had good rundown, hot
lemonade and rest of half an hour and
then fresh start was made. This time
the angler was more ut home. Carefully
handling the fish, he caught him rising
on his back in "a way that surprised him,
and as tho 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
IL feet of the fisherman, and. struggle
as no might, he could not get away.
Plunge after plunge WAS OF no avail and
only prevented further Keeling in, until
finally lucky turn brought the fish over,
and he was promptly reelod in before he
could got on his chest again. Time min
utcs, Leg and leg.
Another rest WAS taken, and now the
fisherman wanted to back himself at ) To
| 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 takin. u strong, rough rub. This time