The sun., 1916-08-27
TANTALIZING TUNA
IN JERSEY WATERS
Fred B. Alexander Tells Of En-
perienccs With Tackle
Smashing Fish.
WHERE TO GO NOW
ny ALEXANDER Med. sToDDART.

TUNA arc biting closer In shore than
usual this season. said Fred Il. Alex
ander OF $50 Fifth avenue. former ten.
mis- champion and an expert wielder OF
the rod. yesterday.
incidentally, Mr.. Alexander was the
first man to take a tuna, recognized as
such. In the waters of the New Jersey
coast. That was eight years ago. and
since then every season h a the tuna
strike in finds him angling over the
week end for them.
So keen Is Mr.. Alexander's interest
In angling that Saturday week. when
the ground swell was 80 heavy that a
boat could not be launched from Sea-
bright shore. he went away around
SANDY Hook way In order to put out
his boat and get TO Rocky Ground IN the
hope OF getting a tuna strike or a
mess OF bluefisn. But whatever condi-
tons caused the upheaval. not a nibble
could he get.
Mr.. A~lexander's ambition. OF course.
is to take really big tuna in the local
waters. the sort OF tuna found in the
nets Of the fishermen. hat weigh any
where from 500 to 1000 pounds. Ross
has done 1t in the Nova Scotia waters,
taking "A record fish that weighed $50
pounds and "A smaller one of 44D pounds.
and Harry Whitney in the same waters
has landed "A fish Of ++0 pounds.
And yet with all his enthusiasm fvr
tuna, which represents strength to iigh;
such fish. tuna n porpoIse being In
Mr.. Alexander's opinion the strongest
fish anglers have to contend with on the
Atlantic coast, although the latter does
not take the bait, he would rather fish
for brook trout.
Every sizing lie goes to favorl;e
streams IN sullivan county and gets
more pleasure angling with u 81, ounce
rod. using "A dry ny as Il lure and hook
ing a pound brook trout. playing the
iish scientifically. h in having Ii
100 pound tuna at the end of his line.
Mr.. .Alexander's first fishing for tuna
was Wien he Was bluefishiny of Sea-
bright and lost his rig. In fact. "A NUM-
Der of rigs. SO on his next trip he
brought q heavily tarred cotton line. and
on a bluciish squid he pulled in. hand
over hand. a tuna weighing 80 pounds
md IL ounccs.
Then with rod and reel he took two
tuna %weighirs Is and 20 pounds each.
On another occasion, accompanied by
Archie Gwathmey. they ;ook tuna weigh
ing between IL ard IA pounds and an
other 20 pounds in size. which were
sent 10 the Aquarium authorities. who
recognized them as members OF the little
funny family. namely the gymnosarda
alitorata and ~gymtosarda %pelannis. the
latter knowna as the ocean bonito. Here
t1fore anglers In the East thought they
had TO go to the santa Catalina Islands
OF California to catch these fish.
Big Fish at Suuan Ridge.
\ ~favorite ground for tuna is a ledge
uf rocks called Rocky Ground. twelve
miles OF shore. east. southeast OF Sea-
bright. Here MIR. Alexander look a tuna
we."hing IS pounds on "A twelve thread
line viii an eight ounce rod.
ON even lighter tackle he has taken
tuna weighing between 20 and IS
pounds, using "A six thread line, Il rod
weighing six ounces, not shorter
,han six feet in length. THIS IL the So
called 'three-six" tackle Of the Tuna
club OF Avalon. Cal.
The bcs; tuna fishing. that is for large
fsa. NJ. Alexander eays. is found on the
outer edge grounds off Manasguar, witch
the Seabr!vht fishermen call SGuan
Rii.:e.
Mr. Alexander frequently gods ont with
S'abrieht fishermen. eitle. in his own
boat or in theirs, and one day with An
drew II. jacobson he had twelve strikes
and landed six fish which weighed from
- to :. pounds each.
lie accomplished this on a 81 thread
line. n ~ ounce rod, the sort OF outfit
t at spor,smcn use in the California
waters for tuna and in the Florida md
tie Gul: % Mexico waters Toy tatpon.
ON another occasion. trolling with his
friend. Hugh West. who frequently ac-
companies him. sir. West caught "A sew
enty-Hve pound fish on "a squid.
The best kline of "A hook to use. in Mr..
A~leNander's view. is a short shank hook