The Bismarck tribune., 1934-01-10
FLORIDA WATERS A PARADISE
FOR OCEAN FISHING DEVOTEES
Shark, Porpoise. Barracuda,
Sea-CoW. DeviIfish and
SaiIfish Abound

Key Largo, Fla, Jan. lO.-lP-
Here in the deep blue milk-warm
waters Of the gulf stream. fishermen
from all parts Of the world find the
off-shore paradise they seek.
Here the keen fin Of shark cuts
water like a knife as It races after its
iuckless prey. A porpoise school is
rolling and blowing In the distance.
A tigerish barracuda, the most savage
thing that swims, may slash your fish
in half as you are pulling 1t In. A
numbering, two-ton rnanatee, or sea-
COW plods along like floating Is
land.
Here q bat-like manta or devilfish,
20 feet across. may attack your boat.
wrap his long flippers about 1t and
try to crush it (sxes and rifles are
Eeeded on these fishing forays).
But the favorite is the sailfish, that
picturesque and fighting acrobat of
the sea, and to catch him you use
hooks as big as your forefinger and
l0-inch strips of bait The season Is
now in full blast, with hundreds of
Ike Waltons disciples from all points
O., the compass bringing in their huge
hauls daily.
Let us join an expedition as It's sets
out from the Key Largo Anglers Club.
Col. Henry L, Doherty's famed resort
for fishermen, operated In connection
with his string OF Florida hotels. In
the party are Hell Leyshon, editor Of
the Miami Daily News: Bob Talley
former Cleveland newspaperman
skipper, cameraman, ct al
A couple Of eight-pound mackerel
are hauled aboard. The boys are
warming up" Then in the distance
a lookout sees the prize and shouts
excitedly, "A sail, a SAIL
Activity begins as the big fish's
outstretched, fan-shaped sail glints
In the early morning sunlight just
above the water as he streaks along
at lightning speed. Suddenly he dis
appears astern 100 feet. He Is after
your bait.
Your reel Is set at free spool, with
the thumb pressed lightly on the
coiled line and ready for the slightest
pull. There comes . tap. tap" on
the line, but no ensuing tug. This
means that Mr.. sailfish, travelling at
go miles an hour, has struck his prey
with his long sword to kill 1t. He
will circle and return to swallow
il,
You lift your thumb from the line
and let it trail out as you count de-
liberately to IL. Then quick action
is necessary. With all the strength
you can muster, Jerk the line up
ward.
With your satlfish hooked, the fight
begins. First there is q jerk as though
q, runaway horse had your hook in his
mouth. With feet braced against the
rail you reel out, "Whirr. whirr,
whirr," as the fish rushes out to sea
against the 12-pound tension on your
line.
Suddenly he stops There Is . flash
o. great glistening body In the sum
light, followed by mighty splash as
the sailfish described q l0-foot arc in
midair. Again and again he leaps,
sometimes straight upward.
\ \ y
Then comes the show for which
Mr.. Sailfish Is famous, walking on
the water Seemingly balancing
himself on his tail, he stands bolt
upright in all the towering majesty
! Of his six feet as he skips over the
surface Of the water. The illusion is
like q man jumping with feet close
together. All the while the fish is
shaking his head like an angry bull
dog. trying to free his mouth Of the
hook. Finally he dives and starts
on another run.
| This time he Is coming hell-bent
for your boat. Unless you reel in
quickly now, allowing him no slack
II the line, the sailfish will change
direction suddenly and, II he gets
enough Of free start, will snap the
line. Ten minutes pass, 20. 80.
\ \ r
You have been told you must tire
the fish to catch him. You begin to
wonder II he isn't going to wear you
cut first. But II you follow the rules,
Eventually Mr.. 6ailfish will begin to
weaken. You gain on him by inches,
then by feet. As he Is brought up to
the boat. the skipper reaches out
with gloved hands, seizes that long
sword-hke head and drags him
aboard.
You have been battling for almost
three-quarters Of an hour. But as
your prize gasps in the bottom ol
the boat. six feet six inches from ttr
| to tip, . great sail Of iridescent blue
atop a long beautiful body. gold,
green and yellow. you begin to realize
that "fishermen's paradise is more
than merely something they put ir
the folders.