Tarpon Fishing in Florida 



been there since early in January. One 

 gentleman had fished for three successive 

 seasons without landing a tarpon. The 

 sport is still so thoroughly in its infancy 

 that I found a variety of theories as to 

 tackle in process of being tested. I had 

 been advised at home to bring with me an 

 ordinary eight-and-a-half-foot ash sea-bass 

 rod in three pieces ; but I was very shortly 

 convinced that a rod in one piece is much 

 more trustworthy, as the strain upon the 

 joints while playing a tarpon is, at times, 

 very severe. The choice of the wood is 

 largely a matter for individual preference 

 or caprice, though I believe that a well- 

 tested bamboo cannot be excelled for this 

 kind of fishing. Some of the rods were 

 composed of a short butt and one long 

 joint, which is preferable to the three- 

 jointed rod, but less effective than a single 

 piece. The length varies from seven to 

 eight and a half feet ; those anglers who 

 aim to kill their fish in the shortest possi- 

 ble time use as near an approach to a stick 

 as the sportsmanlike spirit of the locality 

 will tolerate without demur ; but the am- 

 bition should now rather be to increase 

 the length and suppleness of the rod, so as 

 to adopt as nearly as may be the dimen- 

 sions of the salmon-rod, which has never 

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