Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-23
FIGHT WITH A BIG FISH
Sea Bass Weighing 372 Pounds Caught
With Light Rod.
Fought the Monster in a stormy Sea
at santa Catalina for Over
Three Hours.
Avalon tCan Or. Chicago Inter Ocean.

Avalon tCaI) Or. Chicago Inter Ocean.
Perhaps the most exciting event in the
history of angling in California up TO that
time was the taking by Frank V. Rider OF
New York. secretary of the Tuna CLUB.
last season of a black sea bass weighing
so pOunds-a fish that was caught with
rod and reel and a twenty -one-thread I'M
en- line. Almost the entire population
turned out TO meet the angler, and the
catch gave Mr.. Rider fame. and made him
the holder of the club black sea bass medal
and cup. Next to the tuna, in the estima-
ton of various takers of big fish with rods,
the black sea bass is considered one of
the greatest Of game fishes. At the time
It was thought impossible to beat this
catch. but this year the honor passes from
New York to Philadelphia. T. s. Manning
one OF the executive committee Of the Tuna
Club. has defeated Mr.. Rider by taking
q 3T2-pOunder.
MIR. Manning began fishing this wear on
May 1, and ended the last of September. On
his last trip for black sea bass he went to
favorite spot about two miles south of
Avalon bay. Here the water is two or
three hundred feet deep within almost cast
ing distance OF the wall of rock. The latter
has Circling beard of kelp which rises
from the great depths. its long leaves
swinging In the current in tidal measure.
In this fishing one must have the anchor
ready 10 throw off, there being no time to
haul 1t in after the fish strikes-so terrific
Is the rush The tackle Mr.. Manning used
was the regulation Tuna Club outfit-a light
rod with reel that would hold 900 feet
or t~enty-One-s line. The bait was
piece OF albtcOre, q tOOthSome dainty to
the king of the bass. Patience is sometimes
required in this bass fishing. Half an hour
passed before the line began to twitCh and
culver and run out in the way peculiar to
the biting OF this big fish. which nibbles
ike small fry Ten or twelve feet had
shipped away before he struck. Then the
angler cried Cast Off" to the boatman
and the vicious kissing of the line through
the water told the story. The rush was so
violent that the moment the big brake was
put on the reel the heavy boat whirIed
around as on a pivot They went rushing
away, stern first, after one of the widest
OF the sea horses.
lowed Out to Sea.
The fish made its first nun directly out to
sta. taking 800 feet of line before it could
b. stopped The Mexican boatnan was
backing water all the time-a necessary
move. as without it the bass would have
taken all the line. When the boat is forced
in the same direction AS the fish the angler
can usually stop the fish when 1t has taken
go feet OF Hne, after which 1t will tow the
D2at While 1t was perfectly calm in the
lee Of the island, beyond the point Il was
blowing hard and whitecaps covered the
surface; 1t was in this direction that the
fSh rushed Mr. Manning fought the fish
an opportunity offered. but invariably los
Ing the line gained when the fish surged
down and made a fine burst of speed In a
short time il had lowed the boat into the
rough water, and, there being no way Of
turning. the sea began to break over the
stern Now the fish cirCled about the boat,
ever surging down, and at the end of an
hour and a quarter Mr. Manning found
himself three miles from shore, with not
ten feet gained. In fact. the fish had
gained 300 feet. and 800 feet of line was
out u was evident. as wave swept over
the boat, that should the fish pull harder
than usual on the line at time the rail
was near the water the craft would fill.
Matters began to look serious when sud
denly the fish turned shoreward, perhaps
forced by the efforts Of the angler, and they
moved toward the rocky sea lion rOOkery
that forms the south end of the island
The fisherman did not wish TO lose the fish
as il was undoubtedly large one, yet in
euch sea to tight il to finish was sui
CtaaL 80 he determined to try the effect of
some oil which he had IN the boat Some
was turned overheard by the bOatman, and
the effect was marvellous: ii spread around
the boat and at once produced calm that
augJTed well for the success Of gaffing. 1t
a singular spectacle-a sea of white
caps all about. but in one small spot low
yawl boat floating in water perfectly calm.
Then. probably for the first time. a fish
was taken with the aid of oil. The boat
man now took I'm his oars and devoted him
self TO the oil can. while Mr. Manning be-
gan TO fight the fish by what is known as
the pumping method. as the game was
down perhaps several hundred feet. This
consists of reeling until the tip of the rod
Is near the surface, then lifting until the
rod is upright. dropping ii quickly TO reel
as 1t drops, to lift again
Fish Weighed BIZ Pounds.
This presently began to have its effect
and in twenty minutes the big creature was
within fifty feet of the boat, and the weary
angler was disposed to raise cheer Re
peatedIy 1t broke away, but finally three
hours and half after the strike and half
a mile off the sea lion rock, the fish was
reeled to the surface and as II made a
rush the Mexican boatman thrust his
heavy tuna gaf beneath II and gated it.
The fish rolled over. nearly throwing the
man from the boat, and with Que lift of its
mighty tail delnged boat and men, But It
was theirs the mightest bass ever landed
40 they believed Lashing the gaff they cut
It's throat. then with difficulty ran rome
had IL secure II was monster, too big to
take into the boat, too big to tow. and
they were in quardaTy. Fortunately a
larger boat came along. whose occupants
offered, with the spirit that animates all
sportsnen. to get into the Manning boat
and give their own to the fish BY the
united efforts OF six men the fish was
hauled into the empty boat and the two
boatmen now began the row to Avalon
where the giant was hOiSted ashore by
means of the wharf crane and found TO
weigh 3D. pounds, beating the record Of
AiF. Rider by fOrty-five pounds
The black sea bass is very abundant
here, and not unpalntable when cooked
properly Al the annual banquet of the
una club the piece de resistance was a
black sea bass OF sixty or seventy pounds
which silenced critics by proving good ear.
lag