The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30
NEW YORKER LANDS
A RECORD TARPON
Capt. T. II. Schauffler at Fort
Myers, Fla, Captures z
Foot Silver King.
FISH FIGHTS FIVE HOURS

Myers, Fla, where he took the record
tarpon Of the season. a silver king
Weighing 1874 pounds that was feet
l inch in length
Strange as It may seem, Capt.
Schauffler took the prize on his first
fishing trip for tarpon and on the first
day that he ever wet line for this
acrobatic leaper Of the Florida waters.
The fish fought Ave hours and thir-
teen minutes and tho reason for this
was that the tarpon threw the hook.
but luckily for the angler. 1t caught In
the dorsal fin and in this manner the
fish was fought for hours, II being a
nip and tuck battle as to whether the
angler could bring the fish to the boat
or the silver king regain It's liberty.
The angler won, the nght lasting from
the afternoon until night
Capt. Schauffler was a bit run down
and decided to go to Florida After
he had been there four days he made
UP his mind to try fishing for tarpon
and this adventure with the record sill
yer king OF the season, he says, gained
back ten years OF good health in that
Ave hours and thirteen minutes fight
than the prescription OF any doctor
could have given me. II was one OF
those things that the natural excitement
ard the Interest that one has In the
best sporting game In the world brings
to you as nothing else does. II il the
health and joy OF it and the winning"
Fish Looked Like Side of World.
Capt. Schauffler went TO Florida with
DR.. Sanderson. director Of the Peoples
Institute and engaged as guide Ray
mond B,iaska for the last four days
that he allotted TO his stay in the west
coast city OF Fort Meyers. They flshed
from a 30-foot motor boat having two
swivel chairs, while sailing down the
Caloosahatchee River. They baited with
crab and Capt. Schauffler hoped he
might get a strike from tarpon for
! two fish had been taken previously. He
| missed his first tarpon strike and the
fish disappeared. Bylaska decided 20
! try another part OF the river in the hope
OF finding fish.
At 3 o'clock In the afternoon. five
| miles UP the river from where the first
strike was missed. the fin of a tarpon
was seen and trolling was Immediately
begun Capt Schauffier had a long line
out-about 125 yards--when no got a
strike. and the angler struck as hard as
he could.
In telling the story to Sun man yes
terday Capt. Schauft,er said: THE tar
pom jumped clear out OF the water. !
|
! like the side of the world coming out of
the water. II was the first tarpon had
ever seen Jump. Then he legged II UP.
My brake was set for all that amount OF
| line would allow. The tarpon simply va
| moosed across the river. guess he got
of with another fifty yards before he
Jumped again. The second time he
jumped clear of the water and It's silver
sides shining in the sunlight was one OF
the most wonderful pictures have ever
seen.
shakes Hook From month.
MY partner got out a moving came ra
apparatus on this second jump and
started to reel the Aim. That picture
did not turn out we'll because we were
new 10 the game. The tarpon followed
The second Jump with a third leap and he
| was then about twenty-five yards off
He Jumped directly away from U.s. Then
1t was that he tried 10 shake the hook
out OF his mouth. I yanked hard and
the hook caught in the dorsal IN.
"He never jumped after that. HI
would come up TO the surface and take
a long roll out of the water. showing all
OF his body, but he never lcaped again.
He pulled and swan a milo UP the river
then two miles down the river. ! was
The fish kept fighting all the time.
1--WE got near enough for the guide 70
see the Ash and he announced that til,
tarpon was hooked in the dorsal fin
The guide remarked It's a question
whether you or the Ash will win out i
was Just 90 minutes OF when that hap
pened. About an hour We fought up and
down the river. / would gain little
and then he would run just ms far as he
was BILE to. had a twenty-one strand
line. No 6 Wilson spoon. a Landsmar
split bamboo rod and a julius vom Hofe
reel, all working Just as well as they
could possible work
Fights over Five Hours.
Darkness came on and the Ash wa,
still fighting and I did not know what
was going to do. Because OF the shore
formation I could not beach the fish
That was simply impossible. The only
thing that could be done would he to gel
him TO the boat and have the guide gaf
him. 1t was a superb night. the moor
was shining and the reflection of the
fanlike palms on the water was beauti
full. ! had about one-eighth OF my ey
on the surroundings and seven-eight h'
on the fish, that was fighting will
strength and endurance. ] was gettinl
minutes OF ..
"Ther got tho as,: tired. Il .iad hin
so that he simply rolled over on tn
top Of the water. and finally got hin
close to the boat and the guide gaffe,
him and held him close 10 the side. NJ.
companion held the gan. held the lin
and the guide got quarter inch rop
and put 1t through the tarpons gills
then rammed his hand down the tarpon'
mouth and tied the end. We had him!
Believe me. it was with a sigh Of re
lief let go Of that rod. because of In
terrific strain the rod sometimes ben
double part of the time and the excite
inent OF not knowing whether l woul
and him or lose him was so intens
that ] just sat down and 7 could no
speak or say anything for six minute;
and then as I looked at the fsh | real
zcd what \ prize l had.
HE looked like "A seven footer o
ibout $50 pounds. but he turned out I
have 40-inch girth, was feet l inc
cong, which would indicate 1853 pounds
by scale he weighed 1874 pounds. II
was just four pounds lighter than hi
estimated weight, II was the fght o
my life and the most Interesting sport
: ing event l had even been UP agains
for good many years"
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1 Mott Takes Big Sea Bass.