The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-09
PALM BEACH FISH STORY
MILLIONAIRE's FAST RIDE BEHIND
A FLORIDA SEA cow.
Hook Caught in the Back of n Mana
tee, and There Was Fun for the
Crowd on the shore.
New York Letter.

I
How much fur is it to be lowed along
in skiff by a rarpon line, with man.
moth sea COW swinging on the end of the
hook? John d. Crimmins, the New York
capitalist, is enc of the few men living
who has been through the experience. He
says that ne had a good time "Still. l
don't know that should care to repeat it, .
said Mr.. Crimmins the other day, stroking
his long whiszers reflectively. There is
one thing about it, however-if you get
tired Of riding behind a sea cow you can
throw your fishing rod overheard and de-
cline TO be towed any longer"
Mr. Crimmins's exciting adventure with
the sea COW, or manatee, took place at
Palm Beach. Fla, few days ago. 1t de-
lighted a score OF New Workers who hap
pened TO be on the beach at the time. In
cidentally it for Mr.. Crimmins the
championship among the Palm Beach fish
ermen and has spread his reputation all
over Florida as a man who some day will
harness sharks and string alligators on a
hickory withe. The Long pier at Palm
Beach that morning was lined with fisher
men, including the big winter colony from
New York.
Mr.. Crimmins and his son were just off
the pier in small fishing boat. Catches
were not very lively and everybody was
taking the most listless interest in the
sport: Suddenly the spectators were cleo
trihed at seeing Mr.. Crimminss canoe
shoot off across the water at an express
train rate.
Sharks. man-eatin' sharks. Les all git
out o dis" shouted score of darlIies in
chorus as they dropped their fishing poles
and pulled frantically on their oars.
Nothing OF the sort, began Mr.. Grim
minis urbanely. It's "a
But just then the sea cow on the other
end of Mr. Crimmins's fishline gave a ter
rife fiirt Of her tail, and the frail craft be-
hind took a new notch in It's gait. Mr.
CrimEtins held TO his tarpon rod.
FANCY DRIVING.
BY this time it was plain to the company
that Mr.. Crimmins had set out to give an
exhibition of fancy driving The water is of
wonderful clearness off Long pier. and the
huge, eel-like body Of the manatee was as
distinctly visible as if it had foated on the
blue surface Of the sea. Sea cows are not
uncommon In that district to sailors, but
decidedly a novelty to landsmsn close in
shore.
Mr.. Crimmins can name at sight about
everything that swims, and soon he
spied the sinuous curve of the manatee's
body he knew what it was. He decided on
the instant to capture it. The manatee
his hook until he had it caught firmly In
the sea cows tough, sleek skin. 1t was
then that the spectators on the beach saw
the canoe dart forward, got a glimpse of
the plunging sea cow and understood the
game.
1t was fun pretty we'll spiced with dan
ger from start TO finish. The sea cow is
strong as a horse, and the water is its
home. Consequently, no false starts were
made. and in the end the sea COW came
out of it without getting the least bit
blown, and in true sporting parlance, fresh
as a daisy. Ordinarily a sea COW has the
mildest temper imaginable. Availability
beams from her big soft eyes. At first
Mr.. Crimmins catch was unconscious of
her captivity, and the canoe was drawn
with the steady motion of Iohengrin's
swan boat. Finally the sea COW became
aware that Mr.. Crimmins was getting a
ride for nothing, and her temper was ruff
fed. With a snort she thrust her head
down and started ahead at a rapid rate.
possible. Swish, biff!' and the manatee
thrashed the water into a pale green foam
This proved ineffective. The hook still
stuck.
Swing on, hOoray; tire your catch out!'
shouted the spectators encouragingly.
Just as Mr.. Crimmins was replying that
he intended TO swing on, the manatee
headed toward the open sea and plunged
forward al an astonishing gait. A trail of
foam marked the track for distance, and
after that the Crimmins craft appeared
TO ride her furious way like a Flying
Dutchman, not propelled by anything or di-
rected by anybody. Suddenly the canoe
slackened her speed.
The big tarpon hook had proved unequal
TO the strain, Strengthened out and let go
its prey. Mr.. Crimmins still held his fish
ing pole fast.
The feeding grounds of the manatee are
in the serni-saline marshes Of the Florida
coast. Unlike the seal. they keep tolerably
close inshOre in shallow water. They
weigh from 1000 to 1,5OO pounds and are
strong in proportion TO size.
Representatives Of the Smithsonian In
stitute at Washington are now at Palm
Beach on the lookout for a choice speci-
men. There is a penalty of $500 attached to
killing a sea cow without license.
PLENTY OF FISH.
Speaking in a general way of the fishing
off Palm beach, Mr.. Crimmins said: 1.-The
variety Of fish found off the beach is re-
markable. One never knows what one is
going to catch next. The negroes, how
ever, are the cleverest fishermen there. Go
out with negro boatman among the outer
coral reefs, where some Of the best fishing
is to be had. There is a school of mackerel
out there he will tell you. This way you
will find some tarpon Some kingfish are
running out in this direction, but this other
point has too many sharks to-day.
You can see nothing, except, perhaps
the backs of a few kingfish. How they
know you can only guess, but they are al
ways right. The fishing is not the same at
any one spot two days in succession. The
sharks are the worst enemies to good fish
ing, and there are multitudes of them. They
will always take a bait, and often they will
take your fish before you land it. 1
have had them snap up a fish of four or
five pounds that 1 had safely hooked and
bite it off below the head as cleanly as if it
had been slashed off with knife.
'Of course. landing ones first shark IS ex-
citing, for they are fighters, but after you
have caught five or six you get tired of Il
and are only too willing to have them leave
you alone. They are big fellows, some OF
them, but they are only a nuisance.
1T is intensely interesting to get in
among the coral reefs and watch the fish
life down eighteen or twenty feet in the
clear water. The smaller fish usually get
in among the cOrals to protect themselves
from the hordes OF predaciOus larger fish.
Some of the big fish are clever enough 10
know this, and take advantage of IT, I
have seen enormous Jew fish lying as
mOtiOnless as a log at the bottom, seeming
" obliviOus to everything But let a dar-
ing small fish get within reach and in a
moment enormous mouth has opened
and the small fish is in it and on his way TO
the depths
The skates make good fishing. and
have had considerable Of il. / caught some
splendid specimens recently. Bluefish are
common. and 1 once saw a giant devilhsh
swimming near the bottom in about twenty
feet Of water. l did not disturb him. You
might fish there for years and not catch
specimens of all the species that live there
Every season has something new for YOU
and every trip has capital sport