THE TARPON 131 



that the boat itself or the quiet movement of the oars has 

 but little effect on the fish." 

 In a personal letter Mr. Endicott says : 



"I almost concur with you as regards the effect of motor 



boats on tarpon in deep water: — for instance, probably 



the largest and most popular fishing ground on the East 



coast is in Bahia Honda, where the water ranges from 



fifteen to thirty feet deep. You almost always fish with 



motor boats here, but that is the deepest of all the grounds 



that I know of on the East coast, and while I have fished 



Bahia Honda in row boats, and with what I believe to be 



somewhat greater success than with motor boats, I feel 



that the effect of the motor boat in this deeper water is 



less noticeable. In all the other places that I fish, there 



isn't a question of a doubt in my mind as to the serious 



effects of the motor boat." 



It is unquestionably true that if motor boats would seek 



shallow water while changing position and thus give the area 



that the fish are using a wide berth, the fishing would be better 



even in deep Passes like Boca Grande. 



My best fishing has occurred in June after Useppa has 

 closed and only a few boats were fishing. One July, many years 

 ago, the Pass was deserted save by two boats and one could 

 catch tarpon at almost any time. The later fishing may be bet- 

 ter because of the scarcity of boats. This subject is worth more 

 careful study. 



Mr. Fred A. Bishop has taken tarpon on a plug and has 

 written of his methods in the July, 1919, American Angler. He 

 states that Mr. T. N. Burket of Lincoln, Nebraska, took a 112- 

 pounder at Chrystal River, Florida, on a light bamboo rod, a 

 15-thread linen line, and a No. 2 Heddon minnow. Mr. Burket 

 states in a letter there published, dated February 23, 1919, that 

 he used a No. 2/0 vom Hofe reel, 400 feet of Kingfisher No. 33 

 silk line and a plug known as a white Tango with a red head, 

 and extra heavy No. 2/0 Pflueger hooks. 



