Birmingham state herald., 1897-06-17
FLORIDA FISHING
Reporss of a Birmingham Party of the Slendid Sport Catching Tarpons and
 Fighting Mosquitos.

The fishing party consisting of Messrs. B. B. Conner T. T. Hillman, G. B. MeCon- nell, J. D. Moor, Dr. R. M Cunningham and Martin Bragg Conn, Jr,, of this e-ty, and Hon. s. B. Trapp. of Montgomery, and Ali Truibt, of Anniston, who left for Fort Myers Fla, on June 2 return yesterday morning, Messrs. MeCormaek and Tr.uitt having returned Satu.cay.
 They report splendid success. Fiday, June 1, they fished for trout and mack erel at Punta Gorda, at the mouth ef the Peace river, where it enpties into Char Dotte harbor Saturday went to Fort Meyers by boat. on the Cohosuhatchie river. Sunday, it Is chronicled, the whole party went to church. only one of thenl' a necphyite in fishing, batting a hook. He is eNeusaible, as he only caught cat fish. in the river Sailed on a small boat Tor fssa51tun Pass, Tuesday night. Ramalned there until Saturday night. The following is the catch Hon. S. B. Trapp, tafpon, Q; shark, 4; and small fish, aggr gating in all, $50 pounds.
 Mir, B, B. Conner, tarpon, 4 sevral shark; small fish, aggregat.ng 300 pounds. MT. T. T. Tillman, terp-n, ,; seV1al shalh' small fish, aggregating 950 pounds Df. R M Cunningham, tarpon, 5; shark, 4,
  J. D. Moor, tarpon, l; several shark; small fish, aggregating 70 pounds. MT. G. IS. MeCormaak, taEPon 1; small fish, aggEe- gating 200 pounds. MT. ALT IrLtt, tar pon, nclae; shark and small fish, 300 pounds. Morton Bragg Conner, Jr., small fish. 10 pounds
 Totaf for whole party, 5.100 pounds. Total catch of tarpon, 1S est1mat "a at an average of 10 pounds each. Then lenSth was from feet inches to feet inches. Frtz trst ,aT.1r o eight feet six inches in length, caught by Cunningham. N1r. Moore was the champion shark catcher; MT, Trapp the champion tarpon catcher, while, as an all round careful, scientific, enthusiastic fisherman, MT. T. T. Hillman easily main- talirsd his superiority. The party was under the management of Mir. Conner, who is a prirce of entertainers, Ches- terfieNd in pcliteness ard Napoleon in execution. The party slept on the upper deck of sail boat anchored in the bay about one mile from shore. The mos quitos were likely. but carefully guarded against by suitable bers But the fel- low who had ahols in his bar or faiied to tuck if carefully under tf1 mattress caught it before morning. Altogether 1t was an enjoyable and successful trip. NOTES OF THE TRIP AND PARTY.
 The veracity of the party is unques- tionable. The above figures are agreed upon by the whole party.
 It was a dry party-that Is, almost.
 No fishing on Sunday--that is, with one little exception.
 A fisherman who lands tarpon with out guide is a daisy
 MT. Conner caught large fish; pr. Cunningham hooked one that the guide said would weigh 500 pounds. He didn't land it. These fish are called Jew fish," because they carefully examine the bait before they bite.
 MT. Trapp caught and had almost land ed his seventh tarpon, when the latter was attacked by a large shark and de- voured on the spot
 Dr. Cunningham broke his pole at the second lunge of large tarpon. A guide cut the line. tied it to line on another pole, and the fish was safely landed. This is so; ask MT. Hillman, whose guide did the work.
 The tarpon is the gamest fish of the sea He fights to the very last, and dies promptly when landed-.seemingly of a broken heart It is sad to See this glori- ous fish die after his heroic fight. One almost wishes that he had not caught him. MT Mccormack was so sorry for the one he caught that he would not fish for any more, and MT. Conner pushed his back in the sea.
 The dorsal fin, a beautiful fusiform structure about a foot long and one inch