The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-03-02

! Of a young shark. In certain places this
In frequent.
These sharks are OF the small blue va;
riety. not at all dangerous to man. ana
live on little fishes and cuttlefsh, or squids.
They attain sometimes, though rarely. a
length Of five feet.
Most often they are less than a yard Ions
and weigh beween twenty and thirty
pounds, being Of a slender form and ex-
ceedingly active. They are not good to
for the oil in them, but they are warriors
at the end OF a line, giving the most skiliui
and plenty 10 do.
These fish are not often hooked In trolling,
c~.ng to the fact that the lure IL going
rapidly and they are forced to turn upon
their backs before selling it. They are
caught mostly In the manner OF tarpon
fishing as IL is practised by Texans.
The hook Is large and strong with a Dig
barb. Mullet. either cut or whole, is put
on II. Three feet above II Is a large float.
So prepared, IL is allowed to drift idly
in a narrow channel between Gays. Sharks
frequent these place because smaller hsnes
are fond OF them, and the smaller fishes 60
20 them because the inwash ANA wash
of the tide make food more plentiful.
The fisherman sits in The stern OF the
motionless boat. his thumb on the reeled
line, ana watches the swaying cork thlTty
yards away until, in the bright glare and
soft air, he is IN danger OF falling asleep
s1hiAAtlliN Nllf Hpdl fld4 - away ''f
10 one side, with a slow motion.
A shark has the bait and is taking his
time about mounting 1t. When the fioat
has travelled twenty feet the rodman shuts
down his thumb and strikes hard.
A line of blue flashes along the top OF
ths water, or a foot under IL, raising a bn-
low az II goes stra~ightaway for fifty yards.
However strong the drag OF the semi,
oircled rod and gloved thumb. the fish viii
not often turn in less distance.
$1,000 10 Ia lILalV
20 wheel and start for the boat, coming
like a streak. IL the reel be a good auto
matte il may possibly take up the slack.
IL not, the man who is holding II must De
m expert of the experts.
Fortunately the shark has not the sense
or skill to take advantage Of five feet OF
slack as will the trout or bass II will not
spring curved in air ana throw ali OF It's
weight with a jerk against the cord, snap
ping II or tearing out the hook. IL II so
fast, however, that it il apt 10 gain thirty
feet In the run back.
Then II whirls once more within its own
length and PUSHES awav. frequently break
the line close TO the reel or swapping
the rod when the jar comes. II IL tries this
manIuvre several times and fails II Will
MIX and suffer itself 10 be bought in slowly
until within twenty feet of the boat.
just as the fisherman thinks the victory
secure II is gone again, bearing all OF It's
pounds against the steel and taking out
silk whether the owner Wills or not.
A fevorite dodge. II il can get the slack.
IL to roll over and over. wrapping the line
about it in a dozen convolutions, then 20
lie as still as II dead ten feet down. No line
built for light rod fishing will drag a shark
sideways through the water.
Under these conditions the proposed prey
is reasonably safe. The more line IL given
the more turns IL takes, and there is no
way Of Keeling in. Giving the butt
" Of no effect, whatever. Such contests end
in the disguised anglers drawing
his knife and severing the line close 10 his
hand, content to call the match of and
lose his tackle.
The boatman will know always when
the shark has -sulled. as he calls II, and
his advice will be to cut. Little is to be
gained by hanging on.
When no slack IL permitted the channel
shows much endurance. IL is not
apt TO cut the line itself as its teeth are too
far apart to meet upon the small strands.
II has happened, however. that its back
has set il free when some sudden leap
has brought the fms keen edge in contact
with the cord.
Any human male with sporting blood In
him ought 10 he satisfied for a while in a
step on shore and look for turtle eggs. roll
his trousers and wade for his own oysters.
out a coarse sack with cornmeal in IL
and haul up hundreds Of beautiful shrimp,
to the inland honking of the wild
geese. sight his rifle carefully upon serious
f~amingoes and miss them, then go
back TO the boat and take IN observation
far from the madding towns ignoble street