Semi-weekly herald., 1912-12-30
THE FISH INDUSTRY
FISHING FOR SPORT
(By Frederic j. Haskin.l

While Governor Wilson has not yet
| announced himself as disciple of
lsaak Walton, fishermen still remem-
ccratic leader and President Cleve-
lands views upon fishing matters
were regarded as final by true sports
men. While as writer he is less
widely known than one of the more
| recent presidents, his book upon small
fish and the joys of the fisherman is
regarded as classic by those who
love to angle for a piscatorial treas
ure in the quiet, philosophical manner
of Walton.
There are two kinds of fishing for
sport, each of which has it's devotees,
although there are not few men and
even women who find equal pleasure
| in both. There is the quiet, patient,
| following of a trail in unfrequented
streams and lakes for small fish which
call for skill and care in batting and
sometimes almost infinite time in
waiting. But the joy of such fish
when it is finally landed, cleaning,
speckled beauty! The time of wait
ing and trailing gives ample oppor-
tunity for quiet meditation and an
appreciation of the scenes surround
ing. The true fisherman is always a
nature lover.
The other kind of fishing is not so
quiet and restful. 1t calls for vigor-
Gus action and carries with it the spice
of daring, the allurement of adven-
ture. This is the fishing for big game
fish in the open sea which becomes
more popular each year with athletic,
active men. 1t is especially popular
coast in Florida and upon the waters
of the Pacific ocean bordering Cali
fornia. There is no limit to the tales
which are told each year at the risks
encountered in the capture of the giant
| swordfsh, the tarpon, the tuna and
| several others, including the great
squid or devil fish and the octopus
| which are so numerous along the Pa
| cific coast. There are many organi-
| cations devoted to sport fishing and
their activities not only afford pleas
ure to their members, but also ma
terially add to the scientific knowl-
| edge of the habits of fish as well as
helping to prevent their slaughter by
improper methods of capture.
One of the most important of the
large American fishing clubs is the
Tuna club of California which has en-
rolled upon its membership such
names as Theodore Roosevelt, Clifford
Pinchot, Henry Van Dyke, Caspar
Whitney and the late Grover Cleve-
land. This club has reduced rod and
reel fishing to an exact science and
has had great influence in introduc-
ing light fishing tackle as a sports
manlike movement. At the Tuna club
tests are made of various kinds of
tackle and there is building 700
feet long for the express purpose of
testing the strength of various kinds
of line. For instance, twenty-four
ounce line is used in catching the
black sea bass and this is tested to
pull dead weight of two pounds to
\ the thread.
There are especially designed
launches for game fishing and the
angler is usually accompanied by one
or two helpers. The stern of the boat
is equipped with two comfortable chair
| seats, one fishing to the right and one
to the left. For sea bass, the angler
buckles on belt which has socket
in front to support his rod. He bats
| his hook with six-pound white fish
or piece of albacore and tosses it out
into forty feet of water. After bite
he plays out ten or twenty feet more
line and then strikes or pulls. If he
hooks his fish there is sudden rush
and the boatsman steers either to fol-
low the fish or keeps the angler stern
to it until he brings it near enough
the boat to be taken by the gaff. I'll
may take several hours from the time
the fish is hooked until it is brought
near enough to gaff. If the fish
weighs above 200 pounds it is towed
into shore by the gaff alongside the
boat. If it is under $50 pounds it is |
taken on deck. The sea bass average
over 25O pounds, but have been
known to weigh 800.
What many sportsmen consider the
greatest game fish of this country is
the leaping tuna which comes into
Catalina bay in June and remains un-
til August. This fish has been known
to tow boat for thirty miles. There
are several varieties of tuna fish along
the Pacific coast. The long finned
tuna, or albacore, is so ravenous it
has been known to snatch bait from
the hand and it may frequently be
hooked from the side of the boat.
The bonito, or skip jack, is also a
favorite fish upon that coast. 1t is
smaller than the others, having an
average weight of twenty pounds, but
If hoc