The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-23

handle, and stanch skiff or canoe,
The boat La rowed to the fishing
ground and one end of the copper wire
lis fastened to the neck OF the jug. On
the other end OF the wire is big.
strong hook baited with catfish and
piece Of pork, or almost anything In
the way of fish or flesh. The mouth
Of the Jug is securely sealed and with
the baited copper wire is consigned to
the water. AS the jug floats along
the fishermen in their boat hover
near.
by and by the Jug will go down out
of sight. A gar has seized the bait
on the hook and is moving away with
IT. But the jug doesn't stay down
long. Even a twenty-pound gar can't
keep a five gallon jug below the sur
face, and by and by the gar will favor
the upward pull of the jug and follow
"The fishermen in the boat give
chase, and the jug will not be pulled
under the water more than two or
three times before the gar becomes
too tired to yank 1t down again. The
fishermen overtake 1t. The jug Is se-
cured. the copper wire seized and the
fish hauled into the boat and dispatch
ed with the harpoon.
"Once In a while a gar rebels when
at the very edge of the harpoon and
makes q successful effort 10 escape.
iittel experience with big gar they
will never forget They had hauled
/ the gar in after a long and stubborn
fight. and Ed Lockhard stepped for
ward to give 1t the thrust with the
harpoon when suddenly II gave a
lunge, and over into the water II went
The copper wire caught around one of
Lockhard's legs, topping him out Of
| the boat.
while Lockhard was struggling In
the water Simpkins bent over the side
of the boat to catch hold of him, but
did Ii so impetuously that the boat
careened and overheard went Simp-
kins. He was a good swimmer, though
and he quickly got to the boat and
aboard again. The gar was still tug
! ging at the copper wire and Lockhard
was struggling TO free himself from 1t,
q difficult task in ten feet of water.
''Simpkins brought the boat about
so that Lockhard could get hold OF it
/ TO sustain himself In the water, and
with the file edge of the harpoon he
severed the wire and Lockhard was
loosened from the strenuous gar and
got back into the beat. Next day a
| big gar with nearly twenty feet Of cop
his Jaw was a mile further down the
river.
1.-THE first time I came in contact
with gar fishing was at Orange, Tex.
on the Sabine river, and to say II
startled me Is putting II mild. Charley
Raines. friend of mine. was running
the Orange Tribune and i dropped OF
at that place one day TO see him. Al
his Office they told me he was down
to the river fishing.
II went to the spot where was al
rected to go. right at the edge OF one
of the principal streets, and there was
Charley. standing at the crank of q
/ n rtxxJ lro at~hi hat
out into the water. When we had
greeted each other ] told him that
expected to find him fishing some
where along the river.
why, so ! am, said he. Wait a
minute: I've got bite now
And he ran to the wtndlass and
began to wind i'm the rope like mad
Now he would take in few laps with
ease and then he would have to put
all his strength on the crank to keep
the rope from going back again. But
by and by with great spiashiug out
OF the depths at the end OF the rope
| came q fierce looking, long jawed.
glazing object that I recognized as o
gar and tremendous big one at that
He had q big hook In his Jaw. pound
or so OF pork on the hook explaining
why.
when ne had hauled the ugly var.
ment out on shore and knocked its
head in with an axe Charley said:
Fishing? Well. / should say so.
Fish Commissioner Miller Of Lou.
lisiana got the idea some time ago thai
the skin OF the gar could be made into
a leather that could be probably AZ.
liked in the manufacture OF many ar.
Iticies In common use, such as pocket.
books and handbags. Acting on the
Idea the skins of a number of gar.
were prepared by tanning, which re.
suited In a pliable. soft and tough
leather, taking a fine finish"