144 THE TARPON 



which they cast pin fish hooked through the back into schools 

 of tarpon. They were most dexterous and accurate in their 

 casting, landing the bait in the very thick of the school. When 

 a tarpon was struck it was played standing, with the boat at 

 rest, and double-headers were frequent. These boys caught 

 fifteen or twenty fish during a single day although the experi- 

 enced guides and anglers were not boating a third as many. 

 The incident made it evident that the orthodox methods of 

 fishing which have long obtained are not infallible. New ones 

 may prove to be more effective than the old. 



The capture of a fish out of a school does not seem to alarm 

 its companions and it is usually possible to catch several if 

 due care is used. In one case eight fish were so taken. The 

 school appears to regard the jumps of one of their number as 

 a normal maneuvre for sometimes a free fish will leap high 

 above the school while it is traveling. 



Occasionally a shark will chase a school or run under it. 

 The speed of the tarpon is then displayed at its best ; but the 

 school will not run far. It soon settles down to its regular pace 

 and fishing can be resumed. It is a fine sight to see a hundred 

 or more tarpon attempt to leap at the same instant and then 

 dash away at top speed. 



This method of fishing is most fascinating. After the bait 

 is in proper position and the school of the great fish slowly 

 proceeds toward it, a strike frequently is inevitable. It is a 

 stoical angler, indeed, who can repress a thrill during the mo- 

 ments of suspense. The proximity of a large school and the 

 certainty of a strike make this the most exciting fishing which 

 one can experience. 



You vvill lose several times as many fish as in Pass fishing, 

 so do not despair when one gains its freedom. You may catch 

 several in succession and then lose ten straight. 



These methods are slightly different from the cork fishing 

 described elsewhere. Here you hunt up a school instead of 

 awaiting a fortuitous strike. You experience the thrill of 



