New-York tribune., 1908-11-08
RIG GAME OF THE SEA.
Danger in 4nging for TTpon,
Tuna and Shark.

lie ., .ouaI any met in the depths OF
..-,-,r forests The reputed peacefulness or
d. anglers art seems rather imaginary wheh
nan engages in an all day battle with hsh as
neigbtv as a small horse and takes chances Vi
being killed by the sea monsters frenzied leap
into his boat 4 number of fishermen nave peei'
killed while lighting tarpon in the Mexican o'uii'
.,s rariIo1s adventures with the tuna on the
California coast are recorded Capsizes are ire
,rert- sometimes fouled line drags the angler
7lnaer water and in tow Of a 3oo-pouho Hsh'
one CT the many varieties Of incidental dangers
was illustrated the other day in dlspalch iioiii
santa Catalina Island the California tuna pre-
serve stating that New York physician was
furiousIy attacked in his launch by horue Oh
seals hungry for his catch of albicore.
If is \ modern recreation to go after big fish |
with rod and line. Some years ago II was
thought impossible TO catch ocean giants in this
nay Sportsnen conceived the notion of using
delicate apparatus and applying artistic skill |
10 sflb6ue the marine enemy. whose strength
slowly ebbs after hours Of combat The secret
* never to let the fish rest and TO play il from
the moment il is hooked. Sometimes a tuna
utterly exhausted after a long struggle. dies
from heart failure. just like 4 human athlete
There are fishing club rules limiting the weight
81 the rod and the thickness of the line as
10 give the game a fighting chance. After the
ris game is not edible as a rule Among the
f.v big game fishes are the tuna, tarpon. black
crourer black sea bass. ambeTjack and barra-
c15l- The tuna belongs to the mackerel tribe
A specimen weighing one thousand pounds has
been speared. The tarpon is a herring and the /
record specimen weighed 3S5 pounds. No fish !
.r nature is credited with such athletic feats
a- the tarpon. Il leaps a straight dozen feet
into the air and hurIs itself sideways for a
ir.sir,, '1a
.s nal fight Of the flying fish which is its prey
IF the silver bodied giant. taking cataput leap,
over lands in 4 boat the fishermen are lucky 10
ain the water without fractured limbs
The tuna season is on at santa Catalina Isl
--- between April and July. when the flying fish,
r- arich the big -.ackerel feed. are in evidence
~f. fisherman trolls from row5oat hitched 10
--7-- launch His rod and line are worth
-.rrsrs $3.50 There are SIX hundred feet Of
r.-.- Inc tested To pull dead weight Of forty
-.-~Es a six-foot piano wire leader and a stout
-.a weighing twenty-siN ounces The bait is a
Egfa- LsL
The launch steaTns along shore: the first gray
-s-r- .r dawn steals across the sea- says Maxi
- Foster in description of the sport in
-s---s.vz~ Near at hand a heavy splash re-
..--=. -.-,s- the vvater-another and another
--. NINA have struck in You hear their heavy
r.-sz r-r-5ltn- upon the fiat sea. and the boat
-..- -earr= vau to DE on the watch. Here they
..-...- he whispers a blue black form hurls
s--. The af- falling in fountain Of spume
.--- r-=-r F-.e-eee-eee-ee,' screams the reel
4 --r.. lin # YOUR rod doubles beneath the water
7-,. r,ava The butt jammed into a socket hole
+ -..--,s in the thvart and you hang on desper-
.--,- razfr- al your weight TO the reel brake,
4 --..-.. sr r7oosehile leather that half embraces
--. -rasl Il is water soaked and pliable, but
sf1r il is fairly smoking with the friction.
-zr. hear the loatmar's voice as in dream:
.--aa him, Hold Em" You jab harder. The
-.r screams argay-0ue hundred yards are gone
two hundred. H. is stiI bolting- You put
,-...r strength into the effort, the reel slows
4 ..-7 and haIt- suddenly. the line slackening
+ r.rra Yaa rHnk the ish Is IF: but here is the
4 r.at-nan screaming again. Reel lin in-qlicker
s reel IN H warns you, too, TO watch out
+ -.t-.- The tuna sights the boat. Hen dodge
4 when hs does yells the man FTp-fee-eee-eee-ce
away goes the reel again. The boat backs
through the water sometimes faster than man
. can -o7y it, towed by the striving fish. Then the
line sIackens tautens with a snap and cuts
+ through the water. The tuna is soundng-once
. booked. he never leaps Again the boatman in
flares YOU u suub him. the fish halts and sulks.
Keep at him, Give il TO him. roars the man.
Pump him. Give him q Eft You mustn't Let
T #5s- tuna rest i you aim ever to gaf him along
side Ear7 ching away lifting with all vOIlr