288 THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA. 



A liberal supply and good assortment of fishing tackle 

 should be taken, and this of the best quality. The native Flo- 

 ridian uses only a heavy hand-line and large, strong hook for 

 his fishing, his motive being fish not sport ; and he will laugh 

 at the sportsman who goes there from the North supplied with 

 fine tackle. He will tell you that you will lose your fine line, 

 and perhaps your rod and reel, before you fish an hour ; that 

 a twenty-pound red-fish, drum or grouper, or a hundred- 

 pound jew-fish or shark will probably walk away with them 

 before you have fairly commenced fishing. But he is wel- 

 come to his opinion and his heavy hand-line. I prefer my 

 good, strong bamboo bass rod, my Meek & Milam reel, my 

 fine-braided linen or sea-grass line, patent sinker and Lim- 

 erick hook. There is a pleasure in fishing with fine tackle, 

 even if you don't get a bite, and if you do get one there is so 

 much more sport in handling your fish with your fine tackle 

 than with your "main strength" tackle, that any true disciple 

 of Izaak had rather catch one fish with the former than half a 

 dozen with the latter. 



I grant that you will frequently lose a hook when a shark, 

 jew-fish, taupon, or other sea-monster takes hold of it, as 

 they frequently do, but on the contrary you will take many a 

 fine, sensitive, gamy fish that would be frightened away by 

 your neighbor's clothes-line and awkward-looking slug of 

 lead. 



Shark tackle is all well enough when you go fishing for 

 sharks, but when fishing for game fish use fine tackle. 

 Take with you then a good, strong but light and flexible bass 

 or salmon rod, a supply of Bradford & Anthony's hard braid 

 water-proof linen lines, a number 5 or 6 Milam reel, a supply 

 of Limerick hooks, assorted sizes, from number 3-0 to number 

 9-0, a lot of artificial minnows and spoons for trolling, a 

 landing net, a gaff-hook, and you will be properly equipped 



