Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-26
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RODS OUT FOR swoRDFIsH.
4TH AND ST. NE. Phone PISA Main.
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RODS OUT FOR SWORDFISH.
Some Very Lively Angling Tried by
California Fishermen.
From the New York Sun.
The Sierra Madres are capped with snow,
and seen from Santa Catalina sixty miles
away, the white domes stand out in re-
markable contrast against the vivid blue
of the sky. The sea is smooth save where
the swordfish leaps and falls heavily, Great
ing ripple. The fact that many swordfish
are in these waters now has occasioned in
terest among the anglers, especially as
some of them have been trying to take one
of these swordsmen of the sea with the
rod, an unheard of proceeding. What has
caused so unusual run of these fish is not
known, but they are here In large numbers,
and that they will strike or bite was dis
covered some time ago. fisherman had
strike, and like flash of lightning some
thing shot around the boat, making the line
hiss, then plunged down deep into the chan
mel, to come up again and leap into the air
like an arrow, quivering in the sunlight for
a moment, then falling.
"a swordfish!' shouted the boatman.
"Cut the liner
Not on your life,' retorted the angler
stand by your oars and keep the stern
of the boat to the fish
The man obeyed but it was evident that
he fully expected to be run down by the
fish. The latter, however, had other plans,
and with rush it ran off all the line and
passed on, probably the first swordfish ever
played on the rod. The incident created no
little interest among anglers devoted to
large and unusual game, and the Tuna
Club has undertaken to offer handsome
prize to the angler who shall take sword
fish. 1t is barely possible that swordfish
will Ia. tax nv nnS
the fish have been seen swimming laZlly
along in circles. so near that cast could
easily have been made among them.
Il will tell you what will be the result
if you ever bring swordfsh to gaff, which
1 consider is possible said an angler to
an enthusiast; when he sees the boat he
will turn and ram you; you want an
armored boat.
"I'll take my chances" responded the
other.
I've seen swordfsh ram a boat just
for the fun of it, said a boatman in the
group. 1T was not here, but off Long Is
land N. Y. l used to fish with man
named Jack Ormsby, and one day he was
pulling along when suddenly, without any
warning, up through the bottom or the
boat came the sword of a fish. 1t passed
almost between his legs, and if it had been
a foot more forward it would have spitted
him like a rabbit. L knew what 1t was in
a moment, but Jack was dazed. L grabbed
it, and in trying to bend 1t over and break
it, 1 split the plank and the boat began to
fill All the time the fish was struggling to
get away and almost tipped US over.
finally managed to get the sword over the
thwart. Then took off my coat and plug
ged up the hole well as l could ana
Jack pulled for the shore. We reached
there half full of water. L don't want any
swordfish in mine.
mo one has ever been hit by one in these
waters" said another boatman "but there
are no fighters in the world like swordfish.
1 was rowing along by Church Rock some
time ago when l saw a splash. throwing
the water high in air. 1 pulled up until 1
could see that the disturbance was made
by a pair of swordfish dashing at each
other. 1 could plainly see their big black
ting the water. They were swimming in a
circle perhaps hundred feet across and
would GO around perhaps twice. getting
nearer and nearer, then would turn ana ny
at each other like shot out OF gun; and
when they struck 1 could see the water
ay as though a torpedo had exploded, one
of them always being lifted out OF the
water by the shock. They made these
rushes three times while 1 lay there, and
finally the sword of one went through the
other and they struggled for five minutes
trying to break away. All at once tney
separated and 1 saw the water dyed with
blood One fish was evidently done for, as
he turned tail and swan off. The other
swan a little way, then turned and headed
for him his dorsal fin out of water and
when he struck l heard it as plainly as
though it had been out of water. the
sword went completely through the nsn,
and as the champion jerked himself away
and swan off / pulled to the dying fsh ana
caught him up with boat hook, expecting
every minute 1 might get blow up
through the keel. l had hard work getting
the fish in, he must have Weigheu Ioo
mounds but when l did he was sight.
His sword was broken off for about eigh-
teen inches, showing that he had been as
abled by a blow from the others SWORD.
Another blow had gone into MS neau III
front of the eye; but the quietus. which
had seen, was directly through the pou9'
leaving gaping wound. ;,
s"rhat was the second fight have seen,
continued the boatman. Ihe otner was
between swordfish and whale, ana the
way they cleaned the whale out was d
caution. 1 was coming home late one al
ternoon. When on Descanso e Snion Nth a
a big whale go out of water, falilng WIN d
rash that could have been heard Hllie
awav The whale had no sooner struck
the water than it rolled over and over,
striking the surface with terrlnc BLOWS; !
knew something was after II ana puile9
distinctly saw big spearfish hanging on.
It had driven its sword SO FAR INTO tne
whale that it couldn't get 1t out, ana SO
was carried into the air. Then | saw sew
eraI killers-a kind of grampus. They rush
ed at the whale and sized 1t by the iips'
az thew generally do, while the sWordnsn
rammed it from below. The hght KEEP. up
fifteen or twenty minutes. Then the wnale
sank out of sight and undoubtedly went
to the bottom dead, as 1t came ashore
few days later all cut up inat was
nr"o+ fght and showed the ugliness OF the
Ssvordfish. az they were fighting Tor run,
for they don't eat whale. but macKerel anu
smelts The killers were after 1ood' "nais
meat. and they got it. and the sworoiisii