The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-07-03
1000 POUNDS
OF FISH CAUGHT
IN FEW HOURS
DAZZLE DIVERS
BY SUSAN McAvoY

Key West, according to two vi
sitting California spearfisherman
has it all over their home state
for pursuit of the big fish under
water.
I'VE have never seen anything
like this water" they marvelleo
Sunday as we went out to the Co
lral reef near Sand Key.
The men DR.. Nelson Mathisor
and Mel Fisher loaded four came
ras, movie and still. and then
guns, flippers masks, aqua lungs
rubber mitts, and other equipmen,
into the IS foot open h0at of Ed
die Ciesinki on Sunday.
! / went along as usual to watch
not to spearfish, since / am still
afraid of the strength of the under
water guns.
The water was crystal clear In
honor of the Californians, and hap
Ply for us, warm.
I'm California our water ranges
from 40 degrees to &c at the
warmest. We have to wear diving
suits and long underwear" Me-
Fisher said.
| Fisher has been diving for seven
wears. DIR. MathiSon, an osteo-
path for ten. The Key West sea
yielded them two big jewish and
a shark on Sunday, and a jewish
the day before.
| Torn between their aspirations
as movie makers and their love Of
underwater hunting, the men al
ternated with gun and camera.
| Mel has his c OF gas gun dashed
! to the camera so that when a
shark hove into view Sunday he
could shoot it by camera and gun
at the same time.
The first fish of the day was
292 pound Jewish off Sand Key
After loading the gun with Ii.
quid air, putting 400 feet of film
in his movie camera, Mel went
over the side and we all followed.
Jewish" they shouted, looking
like some ancient sea monsters
themselves. The red pipe and ball
of their snorkels were the only
part them apparent on the waters
surface.
| jumped over the side and got
in the water to watch. / looked up
from under the water and saw do
zens of long, slim fish with sharp
shouts. Thinking they were baby
barracuda / stayed away from
them fearful the whole time. The
men were too busy watching the
Jewish which had darted into a
cave after the first spear went In
it to pay any attention to a nervous
reporter. Finally | got their atten'
ton and said what can we dc
about all these little barracuda"
Those are needlefish, not bar
racuda, Susan" they said.
My skin felt as though a thou
sand pin points were assailing il
at once. The clear water showed
myriad balloon-like jelly fish. They
were not the vicious Portuguese
men Of war, merely singing jelly
fish.
Ammonia will fix that, dom
worry" Eddie said
| / resigned myself to more sting
ing since the battle with the jew.
fish was a long one. He was stir.
| ring up so much mud in the ocear
bottom thrashing around in his
death struggle, that Mel wanted to
wait for the water 10 clear so he
could get better films.
The three men and Ronnie, Ed.
| die Ciesinki's Is year old son, how
cred about In the water keeping
an eye on the Jewish which had
two spears in il by this time. Fin
ally Mel took his pictures and
they began the TOYS to the boat
Tugging the heavy fish out from
its cave. seemed to be signal tol
barracuda To rail- around.
| Though assured that they are
just curious not hungry, nonethe
les headed FOR the boat when
saw one fair sized one with hi
mouth making those ugly snappini
| motions ! had been IN about !:
hour or more with the men whil'
they caught their prize.
| The barracuda at first was be
tmeen the boat and nc, ! KEEP, ii
| eye on II. The men dsdnt even 10
tlce its presence 50 intent w'er'
they on ;r@ing the lewfish To th'
boat Mel cot aboard FIRST sIth hi
| camera, fhen Roanis. NJ pgoelcu
waa climbing up The tsso or tire,
feet. Accustomed 10 a Ladder.
had never tried psIling Eayssll 10
II strained and aggiesi ssnagsa
/ sns thsl harTacziaa Gear nay tor
or calves. IEnn1tserflg / thTE@ az