The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-11-01
372.POUNDl FISH.
T. S. Manning, Of New York City,
Lands a Great Black Sea Bass.
lie FOUGHT THE MONSTER
In a Stormy Sen, and Had to Use
Oil to Quiet the Waves-Got the
Big Fellow With a Light Rod and
Line-Notable Anglers at the Din

ner. sF55 s'Ffs
Correspondent New York Sun: Per-
haps the most exciting event in the his
tory OF angling in California UP to that
time was the taking by Frank v.
Rider. Of New York, secretary of the
TUNA Club. u year ago. of a black sea
bass Weighing 327 pounds-a fish that
was caught with rod and reel and 81
thread linen line. Almost the entire
population turned out to meet the an
gler. and the catch gave Mr.. Rider
fame, and made him the holder OF the
cub black sea bass medal and cup.
Next to the tuna, in the estimation OF
various takers OF big fish with lods,
the black sea bass is considered one of
the greatest of game fishes. At the
time 1t was thought impossible to beat
lhIs catch. but this year the honor
passes from New York TO Philadelphia.
Z. S. Manning, one OF the executive
committee of the Tuna Club, has de-
feated Mr.. Rider by taking a 372
FOUNDER. ,I.i
Mr.. Manning began fishing this year
on May l, and ended the last of Sep
TENDER. On his last trip. for black bass
he went to u favorite spot about two
miles south of Avalon bay. Here the
water is 200 or 800 feet deep within al
most casting distance of the wall of
rock. The latter has clrcllng beard
of kelp which rises from the great
depths. its long leaves swinging in the
current in tidal measure. In this fish
Ing one must have the anchor ready to
throw off. there being no time to haul
it in after the fish strikes, so terrific
is the rush. The tackle Mr.. Manning
used was the regulation Tuna Club out
lit. a light rod with reel that would
hold 1000 feet of 21-strand line. The
bait was piece of alblcore, tooth
some dainty to the king Of the bass
Patience Is sometimes required in this
bass fishing. Half an hour passed be-
fore the line began to- twitch and CULVER
and run out in the way peculiar to the
biting of the big fish. which, nibbles like
small fry. Ten or twelve feet had
slipped away before he struck. Their
the angler cried east off" to the boat.
man. and the vicious Kissing of line
through the water told the story. The
rush was SO violent that the momen,
the big brake was put on the reel thu
heavy boat whlrled around as on .
pivot. They went rushing away. sterr
first. after one Of the widest of the SEE
horses. ia
The fish made its first run directly
gu ito sea- taking 500 feet OF line befort
1t could be stopped. The Mexican boat
man was backing water ALI the time, ;
necessary move, as without lit the bias!
would have taken all the line; when tn,
boat. is forced In the same direction a:
the fish the angler can usually stop thu
fish when 1t has taken 600 feet OF line
after which 1t will tow the boat. While
it was perfectly calm in the. lee OF the
island; beyond the point 1t was blowing
hard and white caps covered the sur
face; 1t was in this direction that tn,
fish rushed. Mr.. Manning fought. tn,
fish hard. endeavoring to stop it, reel
ing in when an opportunity offered, bu
invariably losing the line gained wheI
the fish surged down and made fin,
burst OF speed. In q short time it hat
towed the boat Into the rough water
and there being no way of turning, tn,
sea began to break over the stern. Now
the fish circled about the boat, evei
surging down, and at the end OF az
hour and quarter Mr.. Manning fount
himself three miles from Shore with no
ten feet gained; in fact, the fish hat
gained 200 feet and 500 feet of the lin,
was out. II was evident as wave
swept over the boat that should tn,
fish pull harder than usual On the linz
Il, time the rail was near the waite!
the craft would fill.
Matters began to look serious, wher
suddenly the fish turned shoreward, per
haps forced by the efforts of the angler
and they moved toward the rocky sea
lion rookery that forms the south enc
Of the island. The fisherman did no
wish to lose the fish, as It was undoubt
eddy large one. yet in such sea t.
fight 1t to finish was suicidal, SO h,
determined to try the effect OF some OF
which he mad in the boat Some wa.
turned overheard by the boatman, ant
the effect was marvellous: 1t spreat
around the boat and at once produced
calm that augured well for the sue
cess OF Calling. 1t was singular spec
tacle--a sea of white caps all about
but In one small spot low yawl boa
floating In water perfectly calm. Ther
probably fol the first time fish wal
taken In with the aid OF oil. The boat.
man now took In his oars and devoted
himself to the oil can, while Mr.. Man,
ming began to fight the fish by what
Is known as the pumping method, as tn,
game was down perhaps several hun.
dfed feet. This consists OF rceling un.
III the tip OF the rod Is near the surface
then lifting until the rod Is upright
DROPPING 1t quickly. to reel as 1t drops
to Mt it again.
This presently began to have Its cf-
yet aud in 20 minutes. the big creature
was within 20 feet OF the boat and the
weary angler was disposed to raise n
Cheer. Repeatedly II broke away. but
hhdIly three and half hours after the