The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-23
NARROWING TARPON|
GIVES ROYAL SPORT
As Pastime Becomes Better
Known Hunters Increase
in Numbers.
REAL MANS GAME
by JOSEPH w. STRAY.


ing Of the fishing trip of William Far
mum among the Florida Keys was very
interesting, particularly the part de-
scribing the happening Of a tarpon.
1t is to be regretted that more was
not written concerning this method OF
hunting tarpon. for II Is royal sport
and furnishes pleasure and excitement
not to be enjoyed through the use of
any other kind of tackle.
Those ardent sportsmen who hunt tar
pom with a harpoon are few, but are
Increasing In number as the pleasures
Of this pistime become better known
The ordinary harpoon Ia quite I'M
fitted for this sport and the ordinary
harpoon handle, consisting of two five
foot sections OF inch and one-eighth ash
jointed making a handle ten feet long
which requires the use Of both hands
to make the throw. is too clumsy and
too heavy for the quick. accurate throw
Ing necessary.
Harpoon Thrown as Javelin.
The topnotchers at this fine game use
n one piece handle six feet long and
one-half or fve-eighths inch in diam
eter; this is held in one hand and is
thrown as a javelin would be.
size and the harpooners who are really
expert use this small harpoon with but
one fiuke. II the hsh is to be handled
on a hand line the line used Is 500
feet Of No. braided blue fish line {:
playing a 100 pound tarpon at the end
Of 800 feet of such hand line Is
aboAt twenty times as exciting as haul
ing a large bluefsh up to a moving
boat trolling.
The greenhorn usually handles the
first few fish harpooned on hand line.
but after taking three or four In this
manner Is almost sure to graduate and
move up into the class OF those who use
a rod In connection with the harpoon
These anglers use harpoon with
three foot bronze wire leader with
spliced In eye swivel at the far end; to
this swivel is attached the reel line,
usually No. 80 thread; the rod is placed
where II can be readily grasped, about
twenty-five feet OF line Is coiled on the
bow OF the boat and the angler, after
throwing the harpoon seizes the rod and
plays the fish.
strength Needed TO Capture Fish.
The quarry becomes in effect a foul
hooked fish and II requires strong,
vigorous man to bring that fish to the
quite exhausted by the time the fish is
brought near enough to be released.
The quick action and accuracy In
throwing necessary TO harpoon tarroa
bring into use MUSCLES used in no other
manner OF fishing
The tarpon is covered with large hard
scales which overlap, they are several
ply thick and form complete armor :;
to throw the harpoon at fish coming
headon is a waste OF effort: even throw
ing at n fish broadside is bound 10 fail
To be successful the throw must be made
while the tarpon Is moving from the
angler. so that the harpoon VIII strike
against the rim of the scales.
Should the harpoon enter back OF the
dorsal fin or in the thick flesh of the
shoulders then, when the fsh is brought
alongside OF the boat slight cut with
a small. sharp knife blade is sufficient
TO release the single fuke and the fish
swims away practically unnjured.
Should the harpoon strike In the belly or
close to the gills the FISH must be killed,
best Time After May rs.
There Is but little happening OF tar
pon during the winter tourist season. for
the Ash are then few In number and do
rot offer many chances for this sport,
but after the 18th of May, when the
tarpon In southern Florida waters are
getting to be as numerous as catfish, the
tarpon harpooner can follow school after
school and even should fish after fish he
missed the one that is finally harpooned
will furnish sport enough to well repay
for the time spent and the expense in
CURED.
Harpoonirg tarpon and landing the
harpooned nsh on the rod is real mans
game: weaklngs. women or elderly men
should not attempt II.
When a FISH is hooked through the
mouth, the strain on the line keeps II
headed toward the boat. and as the fish
tires Il follows more and more the lire
OF least resistance and eventually the
tension OF the line and the spring OF the
rod Is sufficient to guide the fish so that
II swlms to the boat.
The strength and vigor OF a Ash SO
! hooked Is lessened by the interference
with its proper breathing. ard the fish is
! really partially drowned. When a fsl
Is harpooned and no vital part is In
| jured there Is no weakness caused 10y
! partial drowning; the fsh is struck. SUI
| fers pain. Is greatly frightened and
| makes of AZ railroad speed.
/ II cannot be stopped suddenly, or the
| harpoon would pull out The boat must
/ follow the fish. In strong tideway or
: In broken water the struggle IL one to
make the blood tingle and the sweat tc
/ fiow freely. An angler who has once
! harpooued a tarpon and been the victor
! in the tug Of war that follows is a Ger.
! tain convert TO this method Of tarpor
/ hurtlgrs4 "A Is always anNlal.R TO trs
| again.
| .a,,.n .hozo r,ha ka,o