The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-07
FISHING WITH A RIFLE.
A Place Where People Shoot and Kill
the Finny Victims.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
In the Straits of San Juan dc Fuca
is found one of the largest of the Pa
cihc fishes-the halibut, the capture of
which affords great excitement and
sport, especially to the young people
who are taken out to witness it.
You want to go halhut fishing,
ch?' said On old fisherman to boy
visitor. "Ncll, my boy, YOU can go;
and all the tackle you want is rite"
"a rife" exclaimed the youth.
who ever heard of fishing with a
rifle"
Well" responded the fisherman,
'ycu bring yours along and Ill show
you"
The boys were impressed with the
preparations, which certainly suggest
ed big game. A huge line was hauled
cut of a hatch and coiled with great
precaution. and finally fastened on a
gigantic reel nearly four feet in length,
which crossed the stern of the boat;
from this extended a powerful handle,
the entire arrangement resembling an
old-fashioned well lift. The large hook
was baited, and in obedience to in
structions, the rifles were lJaded and
shoot at the first appearance of the
game.
what shall we shoot att" asked one
| of the boys, after waiting in silence
| half an hour.
shoot at?' replied the skipper as
| though very much astonished at the
question; why, the halibut, of course;
not at me. Jest as soon as you see
the fish pour the lead into him"
His companions began to watch the
| water as though expecting to see the
| fish fly out. and were thus engaged
when a Kissing sound came from the
| direction of th" fisherman, ana the big
line was seen running slowly but
surely over the side of the hoat The
fisherman watched it carefully, and
when about twenty feet had been mys-
teriously taken he seized the line, and
as IL came taut gave it IA vigorous jerk
For second there was no response
as though the fish was astonished
then the line was jerked from his
! hands so quickly that his arms were
buried in the water, and the coil seem.
ed to leap into the air like a living
thing. Coil after coil, yard after yard
slipped over the side, and it became
evident that the entire line would be
exhausted unless something was done
With big thick gloves the fishermen
now srasped the flyny rope. and ly
ing back, hung upon it. He finally
succeeded in stopping the run, anC
hauled the line in a few feet; but tn,
fish made vigorous rush that tool
it all way again. and then the boy
saw that it was rising.
Hes climbing" said the red -facer
fisherman: stand ready"
Higher and higher came the line
and suddenly. in a mass of foam.
huge bat-ll6e form was seen flappin!
upon and beating the water, churninl
ii into foam.
Now" shouted the skipper
The boys snrang TO their feet an
began firing at the squirmnC target
over nine feet wide, not one hundret
feet away. They undoubtedly struck il
but a number Of shots had been fire,
before any appreciable effect was no
ticed; then the huge fish began t
slowly swim around the boat, flnall,
! plungnG downward.
Il was then that the skipper release
the line and sprang TO the big rec
windlass and began to wind up tn
game, Il most labOrious operation, II
which all Joined forces, and it was onl,
after struggle that the fish wa
brought to the surface, dead, its ire
mendous weight of nearly 800 pound
requiring the windlass to lift it,
The great halibut--of the northwes
coast--sometimcs attains weight o
, | 900 pounds, and ii is dangerous gam
TO attempt to land in a small boat
so the expedient of killing it with
, rifle is successfully adopted, and man
Of the largest fish are killed in thi