The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-05

StruSBHc OH the CALIFORNIA Coast
He Fought the Monster In IL
stormy Sea at Santa Catalina for
in by Six Men.
AVALON, Cal, Oct. 31-Perhaps the
NEST exciting event in the history OF
angling in California up to that time was
the taking by Frank W Rider, of New
York, secretary of the Tuna club, last
season of a black sea bass weighing 327
pounds-a fish that was caught with rod
and reel and twenty-onethread linen
line. Almost the entire population turn
ed 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 tie tuna, In the esti-
nation of various takers of big fish with.
rods, the black sea bass is considered
one of the greatest OF game fishes. At
this 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 COM
mittee of the Tuna club, has defeated
MIR. Rider by taking a 372-pounder.
Mr.. Manning began fishing this year on
May /, and ended the last of September
On his last trip for. black sea bass he
south of Avalon bay. Here the water is
two or three hundred: feet deep within
almost casting distance of the wall Of
rock. The latter has circling beard of
kelp which rises from the great depths,
its Tong leaves swinging in the current
in tidal measure. In tbs fishing, one
must have the anchor ready TO thro W
off, there being no time to haul ii 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 a reel that would hold 1000
feet of tWenty-One-strand line. The bait
was piece of albicOre, a toOthsome dain-
ty to the king of the bass. Patience is
sometimes required in this bass fishing.
Half an hour passed before the line be-
gan to tWitch and culver and run out In
the way peculiar to the biting of this
big fish, which nibb.es like small fry.
Ten or twelve feet had slipped away be-
fore he struck. Then the angler cried:
Cast Off" to the boatman, and the
vicious kissing of 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 Whirled around
as on a pivot. They went rushing away
stern first, after one of the widest of
the sea horses.
TOWED OUT TO STA.
The fish made its first run directly out
to sea, taking 500 feet of line before it
could be stopped. The Mexican boa man
was backing water all the time-a neces-
sary move, as without it the bass would
have taken all the line. When the beat
is forced in the same direction as the fish
the angler can usually stop the fish when
ii has taken 800 feet of line, after which
1t will tow the boat. While 1t was per-
fectly calm in the lee of the island, be
yCnd the point 1t was blowing hard and
white-caps covered the surface; It Was in
this direction that the riSh rushed. Mr..
Manning fought the fish hard, endeaVor-
ing TO stop it, reeling in when an oppor-
tunity offered, but invariably losing the
line gained when the fish surgel down
and made fine burst of speed In a
short time it had towed the beat 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 200 feet and 500 feet Of
line was out. 1t was evident, as a wave
swept over the boat, that should the fish
pull harder than usual on the line at a
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
rCokery that forms the south end of the
island. The fisherman did not wish to
lose the fish, as 1t was undoubtedly a
large one, yet in such a sea to fight 1t
10 finish was suicidal, so he determined
TO try the effect of some oil he had in
boat.
the boatman, and the effect was marvel
Gus; 1t spread around the boat and at
once produced calm that augured well
FOR the success of gaffing. 1t was a s:neu-
lar spectacle-a sea Of White-caps all
ABOUT, but in one small spot a low yawl
peat hoating in water perfectly calm
Ihen, probably for the first time, a fish
was taken with the aid of oil. The boat
man took in his oars and devoted him
self to the oil can, while Mr.. Manning
began to fight the fish by what is known
as the pumping method. as the game
was down perhaps several hundred feet
Ihls consists of reeling until the tin Of
The rod is near the surface then liftino
until the rcd is up hit, d: oDrirg it quick
~ TO reel as it drops, to lift again
FISH WEIGHED 372 POUNDS
This presently began to have Its effect
ana In twenty minutes the big creature
was within fifty feet of the boat, and the
weary angler was disposed to raise a
cheer. Repeatedly it broke away. but
nnaliy, three hours and a half after the
strike and half mile off the sea-lion
rock the hsh was reeled to the surface,
ana as 1t made rush the Mexican boat
man thrust his heavy tuna gaff beneath
1t and GATED it. The fish rolled over.
nearly th.owing the man from the boat.
and with one lift of its mighty tail deIug-
ed beat and men. But it was theirs. the
mlghuest bass ever landed, so they be-