The Book of the Tappon, by A. W. Dimock, with ninety-three photo, ,.^ 

 graphs by J. A. Dimock. (Frank Palmer.) ^ "^- O j 



DURING recent years several works dealing with tarpon-fishing have aippeared 

 in print. When first anglers read that excellent book " Tarpon Fishing in ' 

 Mexico and Florida," by Mr. E. G. S. Churchill, they wondered how it was 

 possible for any photographer to get such snap-shots of fish leaping as were 

 then reproduced. We have now from the pen of Mr. A. W. Dimock, an American 

 angler, a book which graphically describes how and where to catch tarpon, 

 and also how to hold them so that the camera-man may get his pictures. In 

 this case the man behind the camera was Mr. Julian A. Dimock, and in the ninety 

 odd photographs reproduced he has given us the best series of tarpon-fishing 

 pictures yet seen. Some of the illustrations are wonderful, and every incident 

 in a day's tarpon-fishing, from the moment of hooking a fish until it is finally 

 brought to the gaff, is clearly shown by the camera. Another well-known 

 American author, Mr. C. F. Holder, has described fishing for the " silver king " 

 as being " without do'ibt the most sensational and exciting of sports, and one 

 of the most dangerous when persistently followed." These remarks may well 

 be applied to tarpon-fishing if carried out in the method employed by Mr. 

 Dimock and his companion, for they fished entirely from a small Peterboro' 

 canoe, and often using only a light trout rod. Most anglers find that 

 playing tarpon from a good-sized boat with a strong rod is sufficiently sensa- 

 tional ; but Mr. Dimock seems to relish the additional excitement of often having 

 his small craft capsized by the mad rushes of a big fish. The author writes 

 modestly of his own exploits and of the risks which he takes in landing these 

 game fighting fish under most difficult conditions. To give an idea of what 

 sport he has had we may quote the following extract from his book. During 

 two months' fishing on the coast of Florida in fifty-two days he captured 

 334 tarpon, and " the tarpon varied from ijlbs. to a hundred times that weight, 

 and in length from i8in. to 6^it. All were taken from a light Peterboro' canoe, 

 and sixty-three of them on an eight-ounce fly-rod." This, indeed, must have 

 been something like sport, and we thoroughly recommend anyone who is con- 

 templating a tarpon-fishing expedition to get a copv of this most interesting 



^'^°'^- ' a/v- >^>V^ 



TARPON PROBLEMS. — In your issue of June 29 your corre- 

 epondent " F. G. A." propounds certain questions ooncerning 

 tuna and tarpon. I am unable to give ihim any information 

 concerning tuna, never having caught them, but I can" perhaps 

 answer some of his questions about tarpon. In addition to his 

 question, " What is the maximum weight of the tarpon ?" I 



I would state TJSnhe largest tarpon over cauglit at Aransas 

 Pass, Texas, U.S.A., measured 7ft. 6in. in length, and weighed 

 2251b. This fish is mounted and set up in the office of the 

 Bayside Inn, at Rockport, Texas. As to the probability of 

 there being larger t«,Tpon, I oan only state that during the 

 last eleven years at Aransas Pass, probably 7000 tarpon have 

 been caught and measured, and this fish is the largest of them 

 all. Your correspondent's second question ooncernmg the food 

 of the tarpon, would seem to imply ^^^^ ^^ ^es cut bait and 

 fishes in 45ft. depth of water. The bait used at Aransas Pass 

 is the natural food of the tarpon, viz., a whole mullet about 

 6 to Sin. long. This bait is trolled very neair the surface of the 

 water, and, in fact, ia frequently oast in the path of the 

 tarpon, whose approach can often be plainly seen. It may be 

 of interest to describe the tackle prescribed by the Tarpon 

 Light Tackle Club of Port Aransas. The rod (composed of a 

 butt and a tip), wihen assembled, must not be less than 6ft. in 

 length. The tip must not be less than 4ft. 6in. in length, and 

 must weigh not more than 6oz. The butt must not be over 

 18in. in length. The linen lino must not be larger than a 

 nine-thread line. It would bo interesting to learn how th« 

 above-described tackle comparoe with that used when fishiM ^^^ 



for tarpon in 45ft. depth of water with cut bait.— H. H. C. ■<> ^^t^jL. 



