FISHING AS A SPORT 



To talk of catching a hundredweight fish with rod and 

 line sounds rather absurd, till we come to look closely into 

 the sport. The tackle required is a stout eight-foot rod, 

 a line made of linen, from one to two hundred yards long, 

 and a hook baited with a bit of fish. Obviously there is 

 no scope here for the angler who wants to loaf at his work. 

 The fishing is done from light rowing-boats, generally at 

 low water, and, by the more earnest sportsman, at night, 

 for then the tarpon more readily seizes the bait. 



The season is a short one, lasting but two months 

 (April and May). Perhaps there is no reason why it 

 should not begin a little earlier, but after May, apart 

 from such minor inconveniences as mosquitoes, sharks, and 

 excessive heat, tropical cyclones are liable to come and 

 trouble the waters, sending heavy storm-tides ashore and 

 making things uncomfortable even for large ships. At 

 the best of times it is unwise to venture far in a boat 

 without a guide who knows the current, as well as the lie 

 of the fish. Some men risk going out alone, anchor their 

 boat and wait for a possible bite, taking their chance of 

 what may happen when the fish begins to kick, if indeed 

 they ever hook one. 



Experienced tarpon-anglers maintain that there is little 

 to learn in the sport ; that the man (by the way, many 

 ladies go tarpon-fishing nowadays) who has nerve and 

 muscle and some notion of managing his winch, possesses 

 all the stock-in-trade required. And sure it looks easy 

 enough ; all you have to do is to sit on a thwart, or in a 

 chair, with the butt of your rod supported by a holder 

 slung from your belt. At least that is the first part of the 



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