Evening star., 1935-01-27
Fishernan's Paradise

Now shallow and now deep, the water
literally teens with fish. And the rocky
caves and holes in the coral furnish
hiding places for millions of fish. From
the boat you can see fish swimming
below, and occasionally a school of fish
will pass on the surface. Your heart
will take on additional beats when you
look down on the back of a great ham,
merhead shark some IL or more feet
in length, and when he turns and takes
your bait-well, if unprepared you sim
ply have to cut your line.
THE favorite rig for trolling on the reef
is 12-foot piano-wire leader, above
which are attached keel sinkers, If the
water is quite deep. Three swivels are
generally used and attached to the end
of your leader is a feathered jig or
"roosters' regret" and hidden among the
feathers No. 8 or No. 9 soby hook. II
cut bait is desired for trolling, your guide
will take fresh mullet and with a thin,
sharp knife, cut off it's head, remove
the backbone and split the body and
tail, making two bats A piece of this
bait is attached to the hook by drawing
the piano wire safety pin through the
narrow top end, measuring for length
of hook and thruSting the hook through.
This bait, when drawn through the
water, resembles live mullet, even to
the wiggle. 1t will catch nearly every
kind of fish that swims but is not used
as much as the feathers" because when
struck by fish it is usually crushed or
stolen.
When the day is over and you have
had your fill of fishing, there is a won-
derful ride home, back to the camp,
your catch cleaned and ready for the
pan, and a sunset with it's usual glorious
cloud effects. After dinner you sit in
your cabin, smoke pipe and swap
yarns with your partners. Later the
moon comes up, as only the Southern
moon can, and you 60 to sleep lulled
by the patter of palm trees on the roof
moving as the wind sits through them.
You have had a wonderful days sport
and sleep is not hard to find-unless
you are among those fanatics who sell
dom reSt-then-
Night fishing is sport in itself and
for thrills just can't be beaten. You
will want to rig your heavy tackle, as
many large and strange fish move and
feed in the channels at night. Alone
you walk out to the end of the pier,
prepare large bait and cast into the
channel. Before doing so it is usually
wise to "chum" with cut meat or fish,
the waters to be fished; however, this is
not entirely necessary. After casting
out sit down and prepare for battle by
stripping about IS feet of line from your
reel and placing it carefully over one
knee, and hold the line loosely between
the thumb and forefinger of the left
hand. With proper tension set on your
reel and, everything in readiness, light
your pipe and wait. strike or bite is
easily felt and nothing should be done
to interfere with the fish carrying Off
the bait. The line should be allowed
to run out between the fingers with
care, so as not to tangle, and when the
end is reached the fish will have had
time to swallow the bait well down his
throat. At this time with strong pull
you set the hook and the battle is on.
On feeling your hook your quarry,
which is generally a good-sized shark,
will start off at tremendous speed for
long run. Just hold on and pray,
brother, for your fun is just started.
Mr.. Shark will break water with tre-
mendous Jump, like a runaway torpedo,
and amid a shower of spray continue
his way down the channel toward free
dom. Your reel will smoke, your rod
will groan and your back will ache, but