The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-31
SPORT WITH THE SEA BASS
FOUR HUNDRED FOUNDERS ARE
FREQUENTLY CAUGHT IN SEA
OFF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

Rods are not put away during the
winter in Southern California, for
there are the whitefish, the Sleeps
head and the rock bass always to be
had offshore; but as spring comes on
there is greater activity. and the best
fishing, the real sport, is in the spring
and summer, where the black current
that sweeps down the coast Is tenn
pered by the semitropic sun, and the
shore is swarnalngwith bait.
The tuna is game for the veteran,
but the inexperienced angler may
work up to it by practicing on abb
core, q gamy long-finned oceanic
fish found at the califernian isla nds
towed an angler three miles before it
could be brought to gaff. If larger
game is desired without the extreme
excitement Of the tuna, the black bass
affords it. This is the giant of the
bass tribe, ranging here up to 400
pounds. The record rod catch with
caught by Edward Llewellyn. The
bass, like all of it's kind, affects the
rocks and the great beds of kelp
which form halls and parterres be-
meath the sea, in comparatively shall
low water inshore. The boat is an
chored in twenty of thirty feet Of
water, and arrangements made to cast
a single tip rod, the line thread Of
sixteen or twenty-one strand, with
long wire leader, and Van Week tar
pom hook. The bait is four or five
pounds Of barracuda, or live white
fish. This Is cast into the clear places
In the kelp, or near it, or suspended
three or four feet from the bottom, as
the angler may choose; either way ac-
complishes the purpose and lures the
big game. The strike of the tuna is
q magnificent rush, sometimes leap
upward, sometimes down; that Of the
yellowtail a single powerful plunge, a
miniature lightning stroke with cleo
trio effects; but the king of the bass is
| more deliberate, reminding one of the
| methods of the great Mexican barra-
cuda. The line begins to move, to
| tremble and twitch. A few inches go
| over the rail, the reel sounds a note
| Of alarm, then another, and the line
| runs slowly out. Five feet have gone
| when the bass gives the retort courte-
Gus. have seen a strong man jerked
! elbow deep-this on the hand line;
but with the reel, it means q long
musical prelude in various keys, the
bass tearing off the line by the fathom
| The bOatman casts off the anchor
buoy, grasps the oars, and heading out
to sea, surging thru the water towing
| the boat, the big game is away, the
sport is on.
! These fishes have resorts in deeper
water from an eighth to quarter OF
a mile off shore. and they invariably
rush to the groves of deep-lying kelE
into which they can dart, soon break
ing the line. The oarsman rows against
! the fish. the angler endeavors to STOP
the rush by applying the leather
brake, and finally vibrant pumping
motion Is felt and the bass rises grad.
ually, then. comes in, to suddenly turr
and break away. The contest may be
| anywhere from one hour to three; the
| fish may tow the boat two or three
miles off shore and bring it in again
or it may play within few yards OF
where it was hooked. Finally the bis
multiplier wins and brings the fish tt
GAIT; and be the angler a novice, there
comes to him out of the depths ar
amazing fish, a gigantic image of the
black bass, fin for fin, mahogany
tinted, with silvery belly and large
eyes. AS it feels the gait it's ponder
Gus tail rises, and angler and gaffe,
are swept with a small tidal wave. i
RISES plunges, tips the boat danger
ously, and must be killed before it il
brought In, then almost filling tn,
boat. Little wonder that those wht
fail to see such catches are affected
| with doubts, the black. sea. bass Il
stulendous, and when hung up at tn,
stand Of the gaffer with the thread
like line dangling from it's mouth, am
the split bamboo standing against it
it seems incomprehensible that thes
trifes have killed 50 powerful, s.
GIGANTIC a fish.