The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1919-07-24
SIX HUNDRED KINDS
OF FISH IN FLORIDA

| w men WRITER undertakes ' tC
inform the world about the fish
of Florida, he ought to make a
complete job of it; but the author
of the following restricted his in
formation to the fish in the wa
ters between Miami and Key
West. All that he says, except
his references to coral reefs, ap-
plies with equal truth to the
Gulf coast.
Washington-T h ere are 600
species of fish off the coast of
Florida, between Miami and Key
West, which is one-fifth of the en-
tire fauna of the American con-
tonent north of Panama. This
amazing statement is made by
John Oliver La Gorce, one of the
foremost nature writers of the
world, in an editorial communica-
tion to the National Geographic
Magazine, which is a guarantee of
the accuracy of the statement.
Even Florida fishermen and
more especially those who fish as
a sport and science, will be dumb
founded by this statement which
will doubtless result in a rush Of
those who find their greatest rec
reation in fishing to enjoy the de-
lights of that richest and most
varied fishing ground in the en-
tire world.
The following is an extract
from the National Geographic So
ciety's bulletin on this article
which advertises another great al
lure of Florida:
"'What the rolling prairie of
the far west was to the buffalo in
the olden days, when it roamed in
countless thousands to and fro in
search of new pastures and salt, |
the ever-rolling gulf stream-that
mighty, warm river whieh paral-
els the east coast of Florida is
to the legions of our semi-tropical
seas.
"To even sketch the possibili-
les of sport fishing along the far
lung coral reef off Miami, the
'outhernmost city Of the Florida
mainland and the fourth in size
within the borders of the state,
me must discount the old ques-
ion, Are all fishermen intention
lily disingenuous, or do only liars
ish?' For the facts concerning
he variety, gameness, weight and
diversified color of the citizens of
he deep abOunding in these wa
erS require high rating as to the
PERSONAL veracity and the courage
o prove that ancient proverb
bout truth being stranger than
iction.
"The fresh water fisherman,
Who, armed with light tackle, {
his wits against the
thickness of the black bass, the !
rilliant generalship Of the brook {
rout or the fierce charge of the 7
luskellunge, in his inland streams +
nd lakes, may not consider it .
uperior sport to wet his line in '
alt water along the north Allan ,
Ic coast, for not many of the fish r
I cold seas are considered foe =
len worthy Of his steel. "
"Yet a different story can be q
I'D of their warm sea brethren, y
nd he needs only to hunt out, for 6
the fearless tarpon, the :, =
ashing sailfish or the powerful "
nd valiant bonefsh, not to men y y
on score of other finished fight :,
IS of the gulf stream, to realize -
lat he is called upon to extend
Is every faculty and skill to u
ing such game alongside as q
ophies of his prowess. d.
"It would be interesting to "
I'VE a motion picture record of .
e thoughts which flash through u
e mind of even an experienced NJ
land fisherman the first time he III
els the tigerlike swoop of five az az
ot barracuda, the yank of a u
ember-jack, or the IL
lien surge Of a big grouper on pl
S line, for, even when armed p'
ith the heaviest rod, a reel as
o,usss, oonopor;co,, nc +bo o1ylindar