The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-15
Big CHANNEL BASS !
FIGHTS 7 HOURS
Elmer Robinson's Battle at
Ocean City, n. j., With
a. Pound Fish.
CROWD WATCHES TACTICS
BY CHURCHILL HUNGERFOPD.

OCEAN CITY, Sept. IA record
breaking example OF gameness was
made by forty-seven pound channel
bass caught from the pier OF the Ocean
City Fishing Club at Ocean City on Sun
day last This fish put up continuous
fight lasting seven hours and ten min
utcs. during which time the fish was
in continuous action.
The fish was hooked at quarter past
eight on Sunday morning and was
brought to the beach at twenty-five min
utes after three. For six hours this
FISH was handled from the end OF the
Ocean City Fishing Club Fourteenth
street pier.
Twenty minutes after being struck
he was brought TO the surface within
fifty feet of the pier so that all of the
club members who were present had
an opportunity to see him perfectly
even to the spot on his tail.
At the sight at the pier the fish made
a rush for deep water. and for nearly
six hours the angler, Elmer Robinson.
was una BILE to bring him any nearer than
! $50 feet. The fish was fairly hooked
in the hinge of the Jaw on the inside OF
| the mouth.
The tackle used was an ordinary surf
rod made by Mr. Robinson himself. n
/ twelve thread line and surf casting
| reel Of standard type. The reel carried
4 about 220 yards of line. At $50 yards
| had n knot During the contest this
! knot became factor Of great interest,
as II was the fshermans endeavor to
! keep the knot on the reel while the fish
repeatedly pulled 1t far beyond the end
/ Of the rod
| Time ard time again Robinson reeled
the fish in to the $50 foot point. which
was the limit over which the fish could
! not be brought only to have the Ash turn
and go far beyond the $50 yard mark.
The FISH followed tactics rather diff
ferent than the ordinary. His rushes
! were straight out 10 sea until nearly
all of the line was taken from the an
gler's reel lie would then turn and
swim rapidly toward the pier at such
a rate that Robinson was unable to
keep his line taut.
Reaching the $50 foot point. which
was evidently tn, edge OF bar, he
would then turn, and in spite of all the
strain that could be put upon him he
would go directly out to sea for 100
to 200 feet
AS time progressed the fishs rushes
became slower. but they were none the
less determined nor any shorter. The
outward rushcs were made at the sur
face of the water and the inward PUSHES
near bottom. At the end Of six hours
the fish evidently miscalcuated and was
Drought over tne outer Dar at the enn
OF the pier 500 feet from shore and into
the gully.
Fortunately he turned northward
when in the gulley and ran away from
the pier for distance of $50 feet or so.
Robinson then ran TO the shore end of
the pier and dropped to the beach,
Even when on the beach II took an
hour for Robinson to bring this fish in.
Under ordinary circumstances a bass Of
this weight would he landed In from
forty-five to sixty minutes. and vet after
six hour fight This fish was able 10
stay out in the water and put UP r
good fight for an hour longer.
This remarkable record Of seven hours
and ten minutes was not made by merely
letting the FISH stay out and hold bot
! tom. 1t was an active fight from the
moment he was struck until he was
finally brought to the beach.
! The tackle was strong and the angler
Is veteran fisherman, who has caught
many large fish before. Last year he
landed the largest fish caught by the
Ocean City Fishing Club, a channel bass
Of a. pounds. In about three-nuafters
tics on this fish that he did on the
prize fish OF last year
According to the rules OF the Ocean
CITY Fishing Club no game fish can be
gated They must he landed without
a gan by the angler unassis ted. Pos
sibly ten minutes tnot longer) might
have been saved If the gaff could have
| been used.