El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-02-23

~HE IveIiest fish in all Texas i.
hanging on the wall down a
the Cactus club. Il is dead-bui
it's a lively fish Just the same. Tn,
Inspiration il gives hundreds OF mel
who view it, and the unholy fist
stories that result from II. makes it,
stuffed carcass more dangerous by fal
than when ". A. Johnston was strug.
Cling with the six footer alive dowT
in the gulf Of Mexico. hts knuckles
beaten bloody in the fight to land #
according to the rules.and his wind
about gone as unaided he secured the
gaff that ended the fight.
Johnston spent his early days on
The Atlantic coast AS a lad ne had
one jolly good time along the beach,
pulling off clam bakes with his
chums, carrying sand crabs and lob
srers about in his pockets TO scare
the girls and otherwise enjoying him
self But when he became a young
man he started for the Promised Land,
and, naturally enough, landed in Fl
paso. After remaining away from the
sea for several years the pleasure Of
helping TO stretch bitulithic roads
about over the sou Invest became mo-
notOnOus to Johnston and he con
cluded 10 go fishing down in the gulf
Of Mexico. When he returned he
brought this fish
Has Absolute Proof.
There are q world Of fish stories at
the club. but Johnston is the only one
who has the prOOf-a certificate from
the Aransas Pass Tarpon club show
ing that he landed the heayyw eight
with right tackle He also has q gold
medal that attests the remarkable
size Of the fish
The tarpon is a game fish-hard 10
hook and much harder to land The
feat is often performed with heavy
tackle, but with the light tackle as
prescribed by the Tarpon club, the
catches are few and far between.
Whoever succeeds according to the
rules Of the club in landing tarpon
feet 6 inches IN length may Wen
lay claim to being a real fisherman.
But remember, the one landed BY
Johnston, and which now adorns the
walls OF the Cactus club, is feet IL
inches in length The largest ever
caught is feet 81 inches.
The conditions OF landing a tarpon
are these: The fisherman must use
q wooden rod not shorter than feet,
making the chances Of breaking II
exceedingly great There is danger
or breaking the line, too. for il must
be only standard No thread linen
line. While the fight is going on
there must not be more than y inches
Of line doubled back al the tie and
length Of leader not over feet The
tackle must be submitted to MEM
Der Of the measuring committee at
the time Of the catch and when the
fish is measured by an official Of
the club. Every angler must bring
the fish 10 the gaff unaided. A broken
rod either before OF after the gaffing
Hard to Land.
A muIIet is used for bait and is
troIled along behind a skiff out in
the gulf The chances Of landing a
giant tarpon are small even after
they are hooked The fish often lows
the skiff, fisherman and oarsman
about the bay for q full hour. More /
often a shark Is attracted and ends
the fight BY cutting the tarpon IN
anglers strength is put to the test
in tanning the big fellow and in reel |
ing him in. Keeling the catch up to /
where il may be gated is accom- !
Dlished By pumping the fish IhaI ]
j.. the fisherman grips the reel and
rod tightly and pulls the top Of the /
rdo up as in landing most any kind
Of game fish with a snap pole Then /
ne winds ID rapidly as he lets the
rod back down. thus gaining ABOUT
q yard on the fish
This is repeated many times. In !
uou is generally strong enough to I
cause the angler to lose control At |
such time the small handle or crank /
On the reel Whirs about like q 1ly /
wheel and there are generally some /
skinned knuckles 10 pay the Dill II
takes a strong nan to stand the 1
physical strain and 2 careful angler /
10 prevent breakage Of line or rod |
REGARDING his fight to land the big /
tarpon, Mr. Johnston says: II thar
fish could have held out just five min I
utes longer, he would have won the /
bout" he was IS minutes in land /
ing il It is not hard to see why when /
YOU take a look at the fish There ]
Is room In its storage batteries for /
tremendous strength and every ounce /
Of tarpon Is an ounce OF fight
Mr.. Johnston says that he has often
wished that he had left the poor tar
pom alone; that he didn't have any 4
certificate or gold medal as proof OF /
MS prowess. When the results in sum
total OF bringing that fish to the
Cactus club and putting on the wall /
are known. there is but little wonder
sir. Johnston so wishes, for ne never
gets a rest-alWays there is some
Thing stirring about that fish
Paid Too Much.
What did that fish cost you?"
asked q friend Of Johnston after
viewing the remains Of the late bat
tier Of the gulf The conqueror be-
gan to total I'D railroad fare, hotel |
bills, entrance fee into TarpOn club,
lines, tackle and some half hundred
lncidentals, then answered About
1850" That's robbery" replied the