The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-29
Weighing Nearly 1000 Pounds, Cap
tured After Long Struggle.

A three-hours' fight and the capture
of a monster sunfish weighing 1880
pounds. was the strenuous experience
of two women and a boatman at Cata-
lima last week 1t has added new
chapter to the life of that famous mart
and to the fishing history of the Pa
cific coast. The fishermen of this coast
have made many notable catches and
have captured many things strange
and startling in the sea. but the mon
ster caught last week. resembling a
dismantled elephant minus the bones.
is easily the biggest catch of the sea-
son.
The particular one that was landed
owes his destruction really to two wo-
men, Mrs. A. w. Barrett, of Los An
geles. and Mrs. Nellie Hall, of Koch
ester, N. Y. They were out in the Pa
ci6c ocean last Tuesday with SkiDDer
George FarnSWOrth in launch, after
Jewish. While gazing over the calm
surface of the channel about mile
from shore the ladies happened to look
behind them. and away off in the dis
lance. about half mile astern. saw
a great black mass on the surface of
the sea that shone UP distinctly in the
sun.
1t was whale-like in size and appear
ance, and the boatman put his launch
about to investigate the apparent dere-
pants saw that it was a monster sun
fish that was lOlling on the surface,
warming itself in the morning sun.
From its size the party knew that TO
venture too close might invite a fight
and a wreck of the boat. but after a
consultation the ladies decided that the
big Shiny lump of quivering flesh must
be shared if possible. Accordingly
Skipper FarnSworth selected his heav-
lest gaff hook and turned on full steam
ahead for a charge on the fish noun
tain.
When close enough. Farnsworth
swung the gaff with all his force and
the hook went down deep into the
quivering flesh of the sleeping fish.
1t was a rude awakening, and when
the fish felt the sharp pain it dashed
out in every direction with great fury
in the effort to free itself. The hook
be pulled out, and when the monster
realized this it renewed it's fierce efforts
to escs%le-
This twisting and turning and thrash
ing continued for over an hour until
relief came in the person of Roatman
Films. who had seen the fight from a
distance and instantly realized that
something was doing. He also sunk
his big gaff into the struggling sea ele-
plant, and by taking turns the two
men securely held it until it fought
itself into complete exhaustion, the
struggle going on for one hour and Al
minutes after Films arrived, or for
about three hours after Farnswortr
first gated it.
The task of bringing it to the beach
| took uD another half hour 1t was
towed in by both launches and a dozer
men worked themselves tired draggine
it up on the beach. Although the tackle
at Avalon IS ample for handling al
kinds of fish up to 1000 pounds. it was
| INADEQUATE for this one. for it was
about y feet long and about five ieet
in diameter.
1t was almost as large as prize COW
at country fair, and it attracted ter
times as much attention. The entire
Dopula ton of Avalon turned out to sec
the big thing, which had been drawn
up to the platform by means of a heavy
block and tackle. There it remained
for daY, and it Quivered with life fol
many hours after being taken out OF
the water.-Chicago Inter-Ocean,