Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1910-02-11
pulling N THE SHARK
Lively Water Sport Off Chin
colleague Island.
THEIR MEAT PALATABLE
II Takes Long Haul to Conquer a
Six-Footer, and the Man at the End
of the Line Needs Musce-Cotton
Line Better than Any Wire.

of the Line Needs MuscIe-Cotton
Line Better than Any Wire.
Chincoteague is almost off the map.
A more primitive and picturesque is
land is not to be found on the South
ern coast. Situated at the southern
outlet of Assateague Bay, it marks
the extreme northeastern limit OF
Virginia. All around it are wonder
ful breeding and resting places for
many sorts of wild fowl. Wild ponies
may be glimpsed occasionally in its
desert parts.
At half-past four o'clock before the
night mist has fully cleared, the group
of visitors embark in Charlie Num-
ford's sixteen-foot record breaking
'sharp-sail" for the fishing grounds.
Charlie is the man who shot one leg
CG while out duck shooting, and then
sailed twelve miles to get patched up.
Needless 10 state, he is the best man
on the island, makes his own boat,
and captures all the trophies for fast
sailing on that part of the coast. He
also plays a violin, the work of his
own hands, and the cOrnet; makes
his own decoys and his cork leg when
the old one succumbs to the strain OF
his strenuous life. He has even paint
ed his own portrait with some tidel-
ity. His boat carries staggering sail
and with a fair wind will drive smart
ly twenty miles to sea, far outside
Of the line OF coasters making their
long turn around the shoals Then it's
ont anchor, says writer in the New
York Post.
When the anchor is out, pipes are
lighted. Balancing on the long green
rollers, the fishermen prepare for the
days sport 1t is well TO restrain any
tendency toward sea-sickness, for the
day will be long.
As in drum fishing cotton lines are
used. These and all other necessaries
can be obtained of the natives. One
may try piano or copper wire leaders,
if he likes. II doesn't matter The
sharks will snap them. But the doub-
led cotton lines seem TO get between
their teeth and can not be broken by
their usual tactics Of twisting somer-
saults. or course. long shGnked
shark hooks are Indispensable.
Any sort Of a small fish such as
are caught on the spot, are good bait
for the hungry shark. With a small
supply as a beginning. enough are
caught casually 10 replenlsh the bait
baswket. Crocuses, king fish, fat backs
and many fish that nobody can iden-
tify are split, placed upon the huge
hooks, and lowered TO within few
inches of the bottom, where the lead
backed sharks are basking. Charlie
will probably have the first strike.
Without a word, he hauls hand over
line cuts the water in vicious circles.
A flash Of white CLEANS below, Ev-
en- four foot shark is no joke AS
he reaches the surface, II is ten TO
one that he will dive under the boat,
cut the snood, and depart, chewing the
big hook with apparent enjoyment Ne
l. -, tff Of
six footer on the line, and il takes
"a long pull and a strong pull mere
| ly TO get him I'D to the surface. Per-
haps all hands may have TO turn to-
in order to save him (or the fisher
mani. And then it is a problem TO
| get him into the boat. X any slack rs
given. he will take it and roll the line
and all the other lines into thOus-
and snarls. Gaff him speedily. and
have the club and the sharp knife
ready to give the coups de grace
quickly. Let no unskillful hands play
about those swapping jaws, or the
fisherman will wish he had never seen
a shark.
This sort OF fishing as, in fact, all
sorts, Is full of surprises. There are
other big fish to be caught besides
sharks. The sharks themselves are
OF many varieties, but all OF them are
formed for swift swimming and vorac-
ious feeding. One peculiar kind has q
fan shaped head with eSes projected
to the ends OF feelers four OF
five inches long. This one
ers four or five inches long. This one
can easily study his own scalp or SCI
down his own throat-the latter is o.
no small advantage to fish that swal
lows. hastily.
While one may not believe tha
sharks are dangerous to a swimmer
In spite Of tropical tales TO the con
trary. the writer would prefer not I,
experiment fully in person along thi
line. He would much prefer TO ca
the shark. The colored folk, by th,
way. are fond OF them. And VIII!
should not sharks as they call them
be good food? They are as clean o.
cleaner feeders than the crab or lob
ster, and. when caught far off-shor
in the green water from white sand!
bottom. prolific OF good life, the,
should make good flesh. Their meat i
white and firm, better looking tna
that of the sturgeon, and as fine
grained as the famous "tonoro" OF III
Italians. II more of them were caugh
and eaten, other fsh-life would b
far more abundant.