The sun., 1919-03-02
FLORIDA TARPON
BITE IN TAMPA BAY
Silver King Acrobats, Usually
Taken in the Passes, Drifting
Over Feeding Grounds.
LIGHT TACKLE URGED
~ r. WINTHROP WESTON.

sr. PErEns1NRo, F1A, March t.---E1rst
taepon are biting in the waters here.
This city Is situated on the southeynmesi
point Of the Pinelias peninsula. $40 miles
south OF Jacksonville, 2c miles from
Tampa, with Tampa Bay 10 tho east and
south and the Gulf OF Mexico on the
game fish, including the tarpon, kinSnsh,
channe! bass Spanish mackerei and sea
trout.
Rod and reel nshing as a science has
been greatly promoted by the 81. Peters
burg Tarpon Club, an organization
eleven years old, which includes In It's
membership not only resident fishermen
but enthusiastic devotees Of the rod the
country over.
! The club has introduced sportsman
like >nethods--i8ht tackle fishing and a
maximum OF sport with a minimum OF
slaughter.
| To be president OF the club means
that you have caught the heaviest tar
pom during the tournament season; and
the vtce-presidents are also chosen by a
similar "merit' systen- frst, second and
third. according to tho weight of thelI
respective catches.
! The secretary and board OF directors
are selected from residents OF 81 Peters.
burg.
Membership. however. is open 10 any
person approved by the directors OF The
club. Composition Is keen for tho clut
kinghsh. mackerei, reddish and fresl
Tarpon in Passes.
Starting from the northsrnmost Ash
Ing boundaries OF the club. at the An
clotc light, near Tarpon Springs, We &c
down the coast on the Gulf 0. Mexico
till we come to Sand Key, now know
as Haven Beach. Tarpon. channel bass
mackerel and trout are caught In Indiar
Pass and tho bays adjacent TEEN will
these same fsh.
!. Mitchsll's Beach. nt whore end &
Johns Pass Is one OF the best passe
for tarpon hshinc at night and ais
whore the large channel bass are caught
usually at the turn of the tide ant
for two hours after.
Then going south We como TO Blin'
Pass. well named. since Il Is difficult
70 md unless you know Its location
where abound In season trout. macker.
and channel bass.
stu to the south we come TO Pas
a Grille Key, noted for Its fishing. Go
ing further south in the gulf we com
! to Egmont Key. where are located bot
North and Southwest channels. bot
teerlng with sport Ash and to be fishe
| at different times OF day and night.
North Channel IL over u mile wid
and IN places eighty feet deep. with
swift running tide caused by the water
OF Tampa BAY flowing into tho 0ul
, OF Mexico. This IL the original Ash
ing ground OF the club and in the month
Of May 20 November one OF the oes
spots in the world for tarpon.
Tarpon Leaps TO shake Out HooL
The mode Of fishing here IS soniewha
difteront from that IN other place
: under the clubs jurisdiction. Ftshin
from q motor boat using heavy lea
and a 20 thread lire. We drift over tn
feeding grounds OF the tarpon.
When this has besn done the ensir
Is started up aud We 60 back to III
arst starting point and repeat this sam
process until fsh Is hooked. The ifs
hooked usually makes for the gulf an
| then comes the fight of your life I
| land II, either beachlng II or bringin
| II to gaff.
The s,gh. OF numbers of these silver
Ash with their scales Rlistfning in ii
sunlight. leapins sometimes fifteen fe'
In the air. trying to shake tho hoo
: out or their NOUNS, gives one senss
ton never TO DO forgotten.
Southwest Channel. on tho other sid
. Of Edmont Key. is equally good. bi
|. must be fshdd Mt different hours AT
, tides, according 10 the judgment OF Ii
guide.
Still going south we come to Pa
=, sage Key Inlet, which Is also eres
spot for large channel bass dIrectl
of the end OF Anna Maria key. Cruz.
ing along the shores Of Anna Mari
, to Ilexhurst we md the great lurkin
place of the tarpon IN the early morI
ings. These fish seem to 20 at nigf
through Long Boat inlet, following the
! natural feed. and In the early nrornin
, work up through Sarasota Bay, b
Hunters Point through Passage Ike
inlet, back to Ilexhurst.
All Year Around Fishing.
: We next reach Longboat inlet. note
, as one OF the best tarpon and cham
i bass grounds under the jurisdiction {
|. the club. The great advantage OF Loni
boat lies IN It's quick accessibility to II
shore. n thing TO be desired IN the sun
mer season when squalls are prevaleI
ana oond anchorane In hard 10 an,