The Washington times., 1929-10-22
FOUND
FITCH 7 IN 6
BIC FISH

Fishing fables such as might be
conjured out of the realm of fancy
are enacted in real life In the waters
of the Gulf Stream near the Florida
Keys.
These fishing grounds annually at
tract anglers from everywhere. Some
900 varieties of game and food fish
live in these waters and. no matter
how inexperienced the fisherman
may be never returns with an empty
creel.
The Gulf Stream. which tempers
the climate of both Atlantic shores,
is 1000 miles wide at some points,
but narrows to so miles off the
Florida Keys. This results in the
relative congestion of warm.water
fish in that stretch of salt water.
Small wonder. under such condi.
tions, that the largest pleasure-fish
ing fleet in the world, valued at
more than $12, 100000 centers at Mi
ami ready for angling expeditions
after silver tarpon, sailfish, marlin
swordfish, sunfish. trunk-back tur-
ties, whiprays, Jewish, whales.
sharks and other denizens of the
deep blue sea.
TOwed 1t Ashore
Capt. Charles Thompson, dean of
big-game fishing in south Florida
waters, easily wins worl honors as
narrator of the champion fishing
story. And just to prove that his
experience was founded on fact in
stead of fiction, Captain Thompson
towed ashore the giant of the ocean
which gave him the fiercest fight of
his life.
Thompson won the battle, which
lasted 40 hours. but he lost exactly
Is pounds in weight during the
struggle.
Two fishermen had chartered
my boat for a weeks cruise" Cap
tain Thompson said. when the
lookout sighted the monster, l Or
dered our 31-foot motor tender low
cred. The boat was outfitted with
fish fighting equipment. One sea-
man accompanied me. AS. soon as
our boat was in range, / began
firing at the mammoth with a
high-powered rifle. Most of the
bullets found the target but, APP
parently, made little impression.
Uses a HarpOOn
FINALLY, we approached close
enough for me to throw a harpoon
into the floundering giant. Quickly
l fastened the line to the prov of
the boat. Enraged, the mammoth
began a blind flight. towing our
boat as though it were nothing al
all. From then on, for the next
two days and night. it was a
mad. exciting battle. Our fishing
yacht followed US as-the monster
towed the small boat several hun
dred miles. The big boat could not
get close enough to offer much
assistance, and our supplies of food
and water were becoming exhausted
Our condition was becoming es
perate, while the monster, as it
became more Infatuated, seemed to
gain strength.
Finally when our ammunition
was exhausted and all of the haf
poons were seated in the mann
we W Vic pun
yacht. In desperation, the fisher
men launched a rowboat and tries
to bring us food and more fight
ing supplies. The monster, SEMI
ing the presence of the boat, made
wild charge and smashed tbs
fraiI craft.
Finally Surrendered
Just when my companion and
had about resigned ourselves to
a terrible death, the frantic efforts
of the monster to break free from
the five harpoons became feebler
And, before we comprehended what
had happened it was floating like
derelict on the ocean. The nam
moth was As feet long. weighed 80.
900 pounds. and its body circumfer-
ence was % feet"
Harry Rogers, an aviator, fishes
directly from his homemade am.
phibian plane. He knows the
waters below almost as we'll as the
ocean Of air above the sea. Air
planes are also being used by anna.
teur sportsmen in their quest for
huge rays and other harpoon fish.
The land planes are employed
merely as scouts in sighting the
fish. The information is then either
signaled or radioed to the sports
in