The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-04
THE ANANIAs CLUB.
A Session at Which a Stranger More
than Qualified for Membership.


A tall, thin man, better known on the st.
Lawrence in the bass season than anywhere,
stepped from the steamer one noon recently
at Santa Catalina island, California. The
boatmen who own the stands along shore,
and who have keen eye out for a pros
porous looking visitor with rod. did not
give him a second glance. But he had seen
them-he had taken in the beautiful bay,
the smooth water, well-equpped rowboats
with seats for rod fishermen hauled on the
beach. the big. fish hanging on the racks,
and doubtless had caught sight of the bits
of paper pinned to them, recording the
weight of each fish and the fortunate
captor.
Half an hour later the tall thin man was
wandering along the stands sizing up the
place, finally drifting into the Photograph
decorated stand of the boss tuna gaffer,
about which were gathered group of men
who represented the Tuna and Ananias
Clubs. The members of the former wore a
small button of blue enamel, in the center
of which was a tuna in silver and the
words Tuna Club; the boatmen wore Tyre
shaped buckles, the insignia of the Ananias
A dark-eyed tuna fisher moved up to give
the stranger a seat, and then continued the
conversation. Some one had just landed
with a catch of forty barracudas; and he
was discussing 1T.
but you should see the Florida barra-
cudas. l killed one in Bahama some years
ago that measured eighteen feet in di-
ameter."
The stranger shifted his seat nervously.
Its teeth were like young e;n bowie knives,
every year. This one ] took on a reel; it
was sort of an arrangement fixed into the
stern of the boat and turned on a crank.
and when we hooked the fish I began to
work on it, and for ten hours I wound and
worked, during which that barracuda lowed
our oat from Bull Pup key to Punta Gorda,
q distance of ten miles, where finally
killed it on the beach. 1t weighed 290
pounds, and its bite was deadly poison
II am glad to hear your testimony" said
the stranger, glancing around at the sports
men who were looking at him as though to
see what effect the story would have; II
am glad, because / had the same experience
down at st. kits, only my fish was bigger;
he measured twenty-seven feet in length,
pounds. When he struck at our boat it
looked as though his mouth was filled with
cleaning SabreS; and talk about your leap
ing tuna! this barracuda shot through the
air like a. tarpOn. Once he Ieaped over the
boat and hit at me with his tall struck the
was playing him on a tarpon rod with No.
Is cuttyhunk line"
Eighteen, did you say?" asked listener.
Certainly replied the TALL thin man. 81
never use heavier line.
will you permit me to make a note of
that?" asked the first speaker, taking out
a notebook.
Certainly" said the stranger. "As was
saying" he continued. II was playing him
on an IS line, and in these jumps he wound
that slender cord around the boat several
times. yet did not break il. You see, when
he made the third leap, gave him the butt
in the air and turned him so that he fell
back the way he came, and as they always
make three leaps he cleared himself. It's
all in the handling of the rod"
That reminds me of a story, broke in a
habitue of the stands. as the others were
gazing intently at the stranger. II was on
the point a few days ago OF trying an eX-
pertinent. / thought that these rock bass