The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-01
BLOCK SLANn TUNA
FISHING EXCITING
Skill and Endurance Needed
by Anglers Who Use
Rod and Reel.
BONITO BITING ALSO
~ ARTHUR THORNTON.

n
pS AhThoH
BLOCK ISLAND, Aug. S1.--These are the
DAVIS xhen anrlers who ASPIRE to catch
-. - a.. Sc. r,;,n .oa ana rse,
srs hsv,n~ row, snort Of, block Island.
non'o 40 @ I'LL" "a arc AZ
fordinr f,ne snort for the eager angler
who In looking for any species that
cornea alonr. though Of course the Stupa
IA the one most souss1t for. as these
poverful ash giye n strong man all he
can DO 70 land them. or rather to bring
them within reach of the gan.
The writer has spent a week or % on
theee .asbins grounds and found them
TO be a f,sherman's paradise, though
did not pursue the tuna in the scientific
vay that tho EXPERTS do with rod and
reel. but simply in the fashion that the
local fishermen ADOPT.
The description OF ono trip will suf-
nee to convey some idea Of tuna fishing
as Il is done by these men who fish for
a living at Block Island.
1t was 6 O'Clock on fine August
morning when boarded the fishing boat
Clara and Edna, a typical Block Island
fishing craft, equipped with tho usual
pulpit" or lookout at the end OF the
bowsprit for locating big fsh.
The captain, mate and myself were
the only ones aboard, and we soon got
away and shaped course for the on
shore grounds about ten miles to the
'~N '''' - >"' ~
Tuna Break Like Biuehsh.
Soon We saw the big tuna 'break-
ing" in the same way as bluefish do
the white Of their bellies shining In the
sun like silver. while directly over the
school flock of seagulls lowered, IRE.
ouently sweeepInU down TO the n,rfacs
OF the sea to pick up the small fish that
the tuna were feeding on.
Now we were In the thick Of the
school and three Of the four trolling
lines were suddenly struck by the big
fish almost all together. one Of the out.
rlggers or spreaders amidships slappins
over as the tuna sheered away to star
board.
tried to haul one In alone hut could
not do It. as the fsh was a &c nounder
and be yond nv strength. though the
skipper and mats hauleS them slonS.,ds
readily enough and than 0a fred th.r, ons
after the other.
Tha cocrnit vo. rv.,v ,o. ,,
tsv r,,n,,,as ~. p.s ~
,rorna ava 40 ,,s r.o,,o., y, -, 80.
tooL a h..yr rn.i,a, go .,.,ns -
nv ra,nina b,o-s A. .ho,- 800 Wa.
vh,ch ana hoet ra..r,h,aa N,s"...e.
hnmsa ~. a. -. s'"ue"'o'
VIC" ~ '''e"
Jirs,ur so- s,.,,x.
NOW the schooi was gone and W.
washed aeeks down with the deck bucket
anu STARTED JisSlng Tor the next strike
which came very soon. the lines taut.
ening UP like fiddle string under the
irantic plunging OF these lighters Of tht
sea-
1t is work for strong men, especially
when two or three strike at the same
time. for the engine in the boat neve,
stops and the fish are hauled In bonL
over hand while the boat is under full
Roadway.
1t liz customary when a school is 10
Gated for the captain to put his helm
about half over and keep It there. in or
der to describe a circle around tn
| school. though II often happens that IN
school will disappear suddenly Z,
break" again q mile away.
Twenty-one large tuna were boated or
the Clara and Edna that day, and othe
boats in the feet took more, one In ma n
t!cular taking 1l6.
The day following the one described
tuna were very scarce and large catcl
of bonito was brought I'm. these f,sh n 10,
being trolled for. but with smalle
squid or Jig than that used for tuna.
The lines used for this species OF tunf
fishing are about forty feet long. and ar,
! stern OF the boat-,wo a, thor, ...'
ever running from two outriggers amid
ships, so when the strike comes the fsl
| Is brought up with such slddenness al