New-York tribune., 1903-05-17
C4TCHING BIG FISH.
Small Whales 4re Plentiful IN NeSc-
fOundIand Waters.

Fishermen who live in NeH-York and there
are thousands of them, are getting out their
tackle for a final overhaulng and socn they Will
lie off after all sorts of fnny, swimming things
Erom mountain trout to deep sea bass and blue
Ish Some one has lately brought out guide
look which points the way to nearly 15O fish
Ing places about New York. These and many
tthers as yet undiscovered by the general public
pill be fished and fished again. Then VIII come
4 new series of fish stories. 1t is every year,
and it is 2 poor fisherman indeed who in the
fishing months cannot assimilate enough stores
o last him the rest of the year.
More than one New-York man is likely to
return from coming summer vacations with
most unusual tales, for entirely new fishing
tround is to be exploited. Those who have dis
covered it are not trying to keep it secret, for
he trip is long and the sort of fishing they
9ave in view impossible to one who does not own
steam yacht.
If you hear some chronic fisherman telling
next fall how he caught whale of a fsh-say
eighty feet long and weighing end of tons,
said a fishing tackle man to Tribune reporter
the other day, be careful how you call him
Lar 1t may be true"
An eighty foot fish, exclaimed the visitor.
90 man could hope to put down a story like
that
Yet l have sold fishing tackle this year to
several men who hope to catch fish that size
he responded deliberately. And 1 think they
viii be successful"
They must be going whaling?
That's just it," said the dealer. "They own
steam yachts and they are going to cruise for
whales for the fun of it. The tackle 1 sold them
consisted of harpoon guns and fathoms of line"
DO you mean to say that they are going on
a whaling cruise to the Arctic?' exclaimed the
visitor Why man, that takes years.
Who said anything about the Arctic? They
Will sail up to the Newfoundland coast, where the
water is full of whales. They so plenty that
whale oil factories have been started in five
places along the coast, and it is estimated that
more than 200 will be caught this year. The
government regulates the industry and the pro-
fessionaI whale fishermen have to pay yearly
license of 81, 800 and limit themselves to Efty
miles of coast"
According to reports from st. Johns, it is true
that enormous schools of these leviathans have
followed the caplin, small fish like the
sardine, of which whales are very fond, into
these waters, and in six years the value of whal-
ing products has increased from $115 to $125,-
00G The Newfoundland whalers have success
fully adopted the methods long in in Nor
way, and the industry seems secure.
The oldtime whaleman started from New
Bedford in a bluff bowed old sailer and cruised
in every ocean, esteeming himself fortunate if
he Sot home again in two three years. He
fished with rowboats and harpooned his whales
10y hand, and the grim, often tragic realities OF
the business have been faithfully described by
Dana and Bullen The present day whalenan
starts out every morning after breakfast in a
speedy little steamer, cruises about the inner
banks, and is home again by nightfall with a
fish or two which he has killed with a bomb
fred from small cannon the ships bow.
nov; no angry whale splinterng a boat with
blow of its fiukes; excitement of the chase
20 towing of boats for miles. Everything is
dUced down to a systematic basis, and the
whaling skipper wears a uniform and smokes
choice cigars