The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-10-16
SHARKFiSHING A
ItONOl UlU SPORT

The following article is taken from
a recent issue of the Breeder and
Sportsman:
one of -Honolulu's most exciting pas
times is shark fishing. Large sharks
abound off Honolulu Harbor, and a
party of fishermen may usually count
on bringing back one or two sea mon
sters from eight TO fourteen feet long
by going three or four miles from
shore The fish may either be har-
pooned or hooked, the latter method
being the easier. The happening is
more dangerous and more difficult
The shark fishers need small launch,
a dead horse. some harpoons or hooks,
and some large caliber rifles. The
horse is sometimes killed day or two
before the expedition, as sharks are
supposed to like their horse meat
high This is not necessary, how
ever, and is not advisable, for there
is no special pleasure in dragging
through the harbor a horse that has
been dead long enough to really re-
sent it.
The horse is tied at the end of
rope and left to float about sixty feet
away from the launch out in the open
sea, and then the wait for sharks be-
gins. A shark will usually show up
in a very short time At distance
of sixty feet he is a long green object
of indefinite outlines. He approaches
the dead horse slowly, until a few feet
away, and then veers off to one side
and disappears. But he always re-
turns. Over and over again, some
times for an hour, he will circle about
the dead animal. seeming to be as sus-
picious as any fox.
While the shark is making these
repeated Investigations the bait is slow
ly drawn toward the boat. Some in
teresting glimpses of the shark are OBJ
tainable during this process. He will
slowly glide through the water ZIP to
the food, and then suddenly turn on
one side and take bite. If it is
close enough one gets an idea of what
he can do in the biting line. In an ex-
pedition last month dogs We're used as
bait, as a horse was not obtaina BILE
Within three feet of the fishers on the
boat a huge shark turned, opened his
jaws, and seized the dog. A large dead
dog was tied to the rope. There was
a wriggle of the huge green-looking
body, splash of surface water and
the shark moved on. Inc DOG was Dit
ten clean in half.
When happening is to be done, the
bait is drawn gradually closer until
the shark comes right up to the boat.
The harpoon is plunged into him and
battle begins. The shark will plunge
for deep water and tow the boat at a
rapid pace. His strength is e.xtraordi-
nary. and the fight is sure to be long
one. There is nothing for it but to
tire him out, and the only way to do
this is to let him struggle as he will.
Gradually he is drawn nearer and
nearer to the boat, and soon he is
hauled to the surface in a condition
approaching exhaustion. Then the ri
f1es come into play, but at the first
shot he will often carry the harpoon
and rope off with him again and repeat
the fight.
There is spot under the gills, where
the main artery is located, where a
fatal wound can be inflicted with a large
rife bullet, but shooting in a rocking
boat is not likely to be accurate. and
the spot is seldom reached until after
firing several shots
The sharks are more easily hooked
than harpooned. From the side of the
boat they may be seen swimming about
below. The use of a box with a glass
bottom makes possible a splendid view
of them. On the occasion already re-
ferred to the other half of the bitten
dog was placed on a large hook and
let down among them. Through the
glass a huge shark was seen slowly
to approach, turn, and seize the bait
In some way or other the hook failed
to catch, and the shark let go when
the rope was jerked- But he came back
and seized it again. Two men pulling
as sailors pull on halyard, slowly
drew him to the surface, where a fine
view was had of his head and Jaws
with their five rows of sword teeth
This fellow was settled after seven RI
fie shots.