The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1919-07-29
600 VARIETIES OF
FISH OFF FLORIDA
JEWISH GROWS TO WEIGH 500
POUNDS. is AS LARGE AS A
PONY AND AS STRONG.

WASHINGTON, D. Chow
many fishermen realize that there
are found in the Atlantic ocean off
shore between Miami and Key West
nearly 600 varieties of fsh-an
amazing total which constitutes one
fifth of the entire fauna of the Amer
lean continent north of the Pana-
MAJ" asks John Oliver LaGrace in
a communication to the national
geographic society which is quoted
in part in the following bulletin:
"What the rolling prairie of the
far west was to the buffalo in the
olden days, when it roamed in count
less thousands to and fro in search
of new pastures and salt, the ever
rolling gulf stream-that mighty,
warm river which parallels the east
coast of Florida-is to the fish le-
gions of our semi-tropical seas.
"To even sketch the possibilities of
sport fishing along the far-fung CO.
raj reef off Miami, the southernmost
citv of the Florida mainland and the
fourth in size within the borders of
the state, one must discount the old
question: Are all fishermen inten-
tionally disingenous, or do only liars
fish?' for the facts concerning the
variety, gameness, weight and diver
sifed color of the citizens of the
deep, Astounding in these waters, re-
quire high rating as to the person
al veracity and the courage to prove
that ancient proverb about truth be-
ing stranger than fiction!
"The fresh water fisherman who,
armed with light tackle, matches his
wits against the quickness of the
black bass, the brilliant generalship
of the brook trout or the fierce
charge of the muckellunge, in his in
land streams and lakes, may not con-
slider it superior sport to wet his line
in salt water along the north Atlantic
coast. for not many of the fish IN
cold seas are considered foemen
worthy Of his steel. =,
"Yet a different story can be told
of their warm sea brothers, and ne
need only to hunt out, TOT example,
the fearless tarpon, the dashing sail
fish. or the powerful and valiant
bone-fsh, not to mention a score OF
other finished fighters of the Gun
stream, to realize that he IS called
upon to extend his every faculty and
skill to bring such game alongside as
trophies of his prowess.
at would be interesting to nave a
motion picture record of the thoughts
which flash through the mind Of even
an experienced inland fisherman the
first time he feels the tiger-llke
swoop of a fve-foot barracuda, the
vank of a hundred pound amberJack,
or the sullen surge of big grouper
on his line; for even when armed
with the heaviest rod a reel as big
in comparison as the cylinder OF an
automobile engine, and a line which
approaches hawser IN thickness ne
is pretty sure to wish, at least sub
consciously, that his equipment was
twice as formidable and his arm
thrice as strong.
"What, indeed, must his sensation
be the first time, when, looking over
board at his baited hook 80 feet be.
low in the clear water of the Gull
stream. he sees, as plainly as if in a
mirror, the approach and attack OF
a giant Jewish, which is just as Ike
" to weigh 500 pounds as so, for 1t
sometimes grows as big as a pony
along the Florida coral reef and is
just about as strong!