CHILE 



ranean, the Straits of Gibraltar, Japan and Cuba by commer- 

 cial fishermen on hand lines usually lowered to depths of 

 many fathoms. 



The reason more rod-and-reel anglers haven't fished deep 

 with their rigs is, first, it is a dull way to fish; second, it is not 

 too much fun rolHng around in a seaway aboard a drifting 

 boat; third, the sharks, dogfish and— off Chile and Peru— the 

 squid are very likely to take all your bait and hook them- 

 selves to such an extent as to become a first-class nuisance. 

 Then of course this method of angling cannot be practiced 

 at all when there is a very rough sea or unusually strong 

 current. 



Some people have asked me why, if the swordfish is a 

 bottom feeder, he will hit the bait you offer him on the 

 surface. The logical answer to this question, it seems to me, 

 is that when he isn't hungry the bait either annoys him or 

 simply arouses his curiosity— or perhaps a fat fish enticingly 

 displayed can always tempt him, just as a plate of ice cream 

 or other delicacy may tempt a human being between meals. 

 Then again a swordfish does not hit the bait exactly on the 

 surface. When correctly presented to him, the bait should be 

 at least two feet below. Furthermore, I beUeve the broadbill's 

 temptation is greatly increased if you can give him as bait a 

 fish he does not usually feed on. 



Another observation— he will rarely hit the bait unless you 

 offer it within twenty feet of him or less and, finally, regard- 

 less of theory, 98 per cent of the strikes he makes are from 

 beneath the surface. 



In Peru there are many small swordfish and, at times, when 

 we put the bait to these 250-pounders, they just shear off 



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